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Akbar Novruz

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South Africa has announced plans to withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement issued late on Saturday.

AzerNEWS reports via TRT World that the decision has been communicated to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and was driven by the need to reallocate and realign the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.

South Africa has been involved in UN peacekeeping operations in the DRC for 27 years and currently has more than 700 soldiers deployed as part of the mission. The UN force, whose mandate was renewed in December, comprised nearly 11,000 troops and police personnel at the time of the extension.

The UN mission is tasked with countering numerous armed groups operating in eastern DRC, a region plagued by decades of conflict and a recent surge in fighting that has heightened regional and international concern.

According to the statement, South Africa will coordinate closely with the United Nations to determine the timeline and practical arrangements for the withdrawal. The process is expected to be completed before the end of 2026.

Despite the drawdown, Pretoria said it would maintain strong bilateral relations with the Congolese government and continue to support multilateral initiatives aimed at achieving long-term stability and peace in the country.