South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo

JOHANNESBURG, February 8 (Reuters) – South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said late on Saturday.

The statement said Ramaphosa informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces.

South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years, with more than 700 troops serving there.

A total of about 11,000 soldiers and police were deployed to the UN mission when its mandate was extended in December.

“The UN Mission’s mandate is to counter the numerous rebel groups operating in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has continued for decades and fighting has increased recently.

“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timeline and other methods of withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement said.

Ramaphosa’s office said South Africa would continue to maintain close bilateral relations with the Congolese government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning; ‌Edited by Aidan Lewis)