Democratic Republic of Congo seeks to move embassy to Jerusalem

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Tshisekedi in Jerusalem on Tuesday, with the two leaders agreeing to strengthen economic and security relations between their countries.By JNSThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is taking steps to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem following President Félix Tshisekedi’s visit to the Jewish state this week.Israel and the DRC said in a joint statement on Thursday that they would continue consultations toward moving the Congolese embassy to Jerusalem and opening a resident Israeli embassy in Kinshasa. No timetable was announced.Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon welcomed the development.“I thank my good friend, President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for his decision to move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital,” Danon wrote on X.“More than a decade ago, when Félix was still a presidential candidate, he shared with me his deep personal connection to Jerusalem and his vision of establishing an embassy there. Today, he is turning that vision into reality.”Danon concluded by quoting from Genesis: “I will bless those who bless you.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Tshisekedi in Jerusalem on Tuesday, with the two leaders agreeing to strengthen economic and security relations between their countries.“It is a pleasure welcoming our good friend, the president of the Republic of Congo, in Israel. It is a great friendship. We are strengthening it, and this visit will only help strengthen it even further. So welcome, Mr. President!” said Netanyahu.Tshisekedi also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, accompanied by a senior Congolese delegation.The two presidents discussed bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues, including security challenges facing their countries.Herzog later hosted Tshisekedi for dinner, attended by the foreign ministers of Israel and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and members of both delegations.Herzog said Israel places significant importance on expanding its relations with African countries and thanked Tshisekedi for his support for the Jewish state in international forums.“Israel puts a major focus on its relations with Africa,” said Herzog.“I have had the enormous pleasure of visiting the continent of Africa on numerous occasions in the last few years, and I hope to see more of Africa and meet and have a dialogue with African leaders across the continent.”Herzog said Israel was prepared to assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo in addressing humanitarian and development challenges.“Our relations stem from the love of the Bible and the vision of moving forward toward development and doing good in the family of nations,” he said.Tshisekedi said his country and Israel have long-standing ties that Kinshasa wants to strengthen and that his discussions with Herzog covered international and regional issues as well as peace and security.“Our discussions confirmed our shared commitment to giving a new dimension to cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the State of Israel, particularly in agriculture and food security, water, health, technology and innovation, security, training, and investment,” said Tshisekedi.“Our ambition is to build with Israel a modern, pragmatic and mutually beneficial partnership, one that is measured not only by the agreements we sign but also by their implementation and the results they produce for our two peoples,” he added.Herzog visited Kinshasa earlier this year, where he met with Tshisekedi as part of Israel’s efforts to deepen diplomatic ties with African nations.The post Democratic Republic of Congo seeks to move embassy to Jerusalem appeared first on World Israel News.