Pretoria has announced defense resources will be reassigned as the withdrawal from a stabilization mission in DR Congo proceeds
South Africa is withdrawing its military contribution to the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) after 27 years of involvement, the country’s presidency said on Sunday.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the decision, noting the move is part of a broader realignment of defence resources.
Pretoria currently ranks among the top ten troop contributors to the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), with more than 700 soldiers deployed in support of the mission’s mandate.
The decision to withdraw was influenced by “the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force, following twenty‑seven years of South Africa’s support to UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC,” the statement explained.
South Africa will collaborate with the UN to finalize the timeline of the troop withdrawal. The presidency said the process will be completed before the end of 2026.
“The South African government will continue to maintain close bilateral relations with the government of the DRC, as well as provide ongoing support to other multilateral efforts by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN) aimed at bringing lasting peace to the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the presidency said.
MONUSCO, established in 1999 by the UN Security Council, has a mandate to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders, and to assist the Congolese government in peace consolidation efforts and stabilization.
The mineral-rich eastern DR Congo has long been engulfed in violence, with numerous armed groups, including M23, battling government forces for power and resources. The clashes surged in early 2025, leading to the capture of Goma and Bukavu and causing thousands of deaths and mass displacement. Congolese officials have long accused neighboring Rwanda of backing militant groups in eastern parts of the country and expropriating resources – a claim Kigali denies.
Last year, South Africa withdrew its troops deployed to the eastern DR Congo after the SADC peacekeeping mission’s mandate expired.
