JERUSALEM/KINSHASA — September 1, 2026 — Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to strengthen economic and security ties between their countries following talks in Jerusalem.
The meeting moves Tshisekedi's visit beyond planned discussions and establishes a clearer political commitment to deepen cooperation between Kinshasa and Jerusalem.
However, neither government announced a new investment contract, financing package or project-specific memorandum after the meeting. The development should therefore be understood as a high-level cooperation agreement—not a completed commercial deal.
According to a post-meeting report citing the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu received Tshisekedi in his office on September 1. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also attended the talks.
The official readout said the two leaders agreed to strengthen economic and security relations between Israel and the DRC.
Netanyahu described the relationship as a strong friendship and said Tshisekedi's visit would help deepen it further.
Economic Cooperation Moves Higher on the Agenda
The announcement is significant because the DRC Presidency had already identified several priority sectors for Tshisekedi's working visit.
According to the DRC Presidency's briefing on the trip, the programme included discussions on security, defence, agriculture, infrastructure, energy and high technology.
The visit was also expected to examine Israeli investment opportunities connected to the Lobito Corridor, the strategic transport route linking mineral-producing regions in the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.
POLITICS & DIPLOMACY
Tshisekedi, Netanyahu Deepen DRC–Israel Economic Ties
Sep 1, 2026
Sep 1, 2026
4 min read
Published
Updated:
JERUSALEM/KINSHASA — September 1, 2026 — Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to strengthen economic and security ties between their countries following talks in Jerusalem.
The meeting moves Tshisekedi's visit beyond planned discussions and establishes a clearer political commitment to deepen cooperation between Kinshasa and Jerusalem.
However, neither government announced a new investment contract, financing package or project-specific memorandum after the meeting. The development should therefore be understood as a high-level cooperation agreement—not a completed commercial deal.
According to a post-meeting report citing the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu received Tshisekedi in his office on September 1. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also attended the talks.
The official readout said the two leaders agreed to strengthen economic and security relations between Israel and the DRC.
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Netanyahu described the relationship as a strong friendship and said Tshisekedi's visit would help deepen it further.
Economic Cooperation Moves Higher on the Agenda
The announcement is significant because the DRC Presidency had already identified several priority sectors for Tshisekedi's working visit.
According to the DRC Presidency's briefing on the trip, the programme included discussions on security, defence, agriculture, infrastructure, energy and high technology.
The visit was also expected to examine Israeli investment opportunities connected to the Lobito Corridor, the strategic transport route linking mineral-producing regions in the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.
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Security and Defence Remain Central
Security was one of the two areas specifically named in the post-meeting readout.
That makes the talks particularly important for the DRC as it continues to confront armed conflict and regional security pressure in the east of the country.
Neither side disclosed the form that expanded security cooperation might take. No defence equipment purchase, training programme, intelligence arrangement or cybersecurity contract was announced publicly after the meeting.
Any description of a specific military or security package would therefore be premature until one of the governments releases further details.
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Meeting Builds on July Agreements
The Tshisekedi–Netanyahu meeting builds on diplomatic work carried out earlier in the year.
On July 27, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar met DRC Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner in Jerusalem. According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers signed two memorandums of understanding covering diplomatic training and political consultations between their foreign ministries.
During that July meeting, Kayikwamba also identified investment, innovation, agriculture, healthcare, education and emerging technologies as areas with strong potential for bilateral cooperation.
Israel announced that it had supplied three tonnes of medical aid to support the DRC's response to Ebola.
The September presidential meeting appears to raise that developing relationship to a higher political level, while leaving the details of future economic and security projects to subsequent negotiations.
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