South Africa has announced it will withdraw its troops from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) after 27 years of deployment. President Cyril Ramaphosa informed UN Secretary-General António Guterres of the decision on Saturday. Pretoria currently has over 700 soldiers serving in the mission, which aims to counter rebel groups in eastern Congo, where violence has recently intensified.
The South African Presidency said the withdrawal, to be completed before the end of 2026, is part of a strategy to consolidate and realign national defence resources. Details on timelines and modalities will be coordinated with the UN.
Despite the pullout, South Africa affirmed it will maintain close diplomatic and security ties with Kinshasa and continue to support regional, continental, and UN initiatives to promote lasting peace in the DRC. MONUSCO currently deploys nearly 11,000 troops and police following its mandate extension in December.
