• South Africa decided to withdraw more than 700 troops from the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo by end-2026.

• Pretoria cited the need to consolidate and reorganize national defense resources.

• The withdrawal comes amid persistent insecurity in eastern Congo and rising displacement.

South Africa decided to withdraw its military contingent from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), according to a presidency statement released on February 8.

During a phone call on January 12, 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa informed UN Secretary-General António Guterres of the decision. He cited the need to consolidate and reorganize the resources of the South African National Defence Force.

The presidency said the decision responds to “the need to consolidate and reorganize the resources of the South African National Defence Force.” Pretoria said it will coordinate with the United Nations on the timeline and modalities of the withdrawal, which authorities expect to complete before the end of 2026.

South Africa has participated in MONUSCO for 27 years. The country ranks among the mission’s top ten troop contributors and currently deploys more than 700 soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under UN peacekeeping operations.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has faced armed conflict for more than three decades. Armed groups, ethnic tensions, and regional interference have fueled instability across the country. The United Nations linked part of the conflict to the presence of rare mineral deposits located near the border with Rwanda. In September 2025, forced displacement affected about 8.2 million people nationwide, and the UN Refugee Agency expects the number to rise to 9 million by the end of 2026.

As part of its civilian protection mandate, MONUSCO strengthened support for the Congolese Armed Forces in February 2025. The mission also intensified cooperation with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) security mission during military operations.

The South African government said it intends to maintain close bilateral cooperation with Congolese authorities. Pretoria also said it will continue to support multilateral initiatives led by SADC, the African Union, and the United Nations to promote lasting peace in the country.

In September 2025, Pretoria said it had paid all operational allowances owed to soldiers deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, several soldiers disputed the claim and cited a significant gap between announced amounts and payments received.

Lydie Mobio