South Africa to Withdraw Troops from DR Congo After 27 Years

South Africa has announced plans to withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), ending a military presence that has lasted for 27 years.

The decision was disclosed by President Cyril Ramaphosa following a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on January 12, according to a statement from the South African presidency.

The government said the move is driven by the need to “consolidate and realign the resources” of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Pretoria will work closely with the United Nations to determine the timelines and operational details of the withdrawal, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2026.

South Africa is among MONUSCO’s top 10 troop-contributing countries and currently has more than 700 soldiers deployed in the conflict-affected eastern regions of the Congo in support of the mission’s peacekeeping mandate.

Despite the withdrawal, the presidency said South Africa will maintain strong diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Congo and continue to support regional and international peace initiatives led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations.

In response, MONUSCO expressed gratitude to the South African government and its people for their long-standing commitment to UN peacekeeping operations. The mission commended South African peacekeepers for their professionalism and dedication, while also honouring those who lost their lives in the course of duty.