By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa has notified the United Nations of its decision to withdraw its soldiers from the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission in the DRC, ending 27 years of peacekeeping in the country.
According to the statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the decision over a phone call on Jan. 12, noting that it follows a comprehensive review of South Africa’s peacekeeping commitments and the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defense Force.
South Africa has been contributing troops to MONUSCO for 27 years and currently deploys about 700 soldiers as part of the mission, said the statement.
The withdrawal will be carried out in close coordination with the United Nations to ensure an orderly and responsible drawdown, with the process expected to be completed by the end of 2026, it added.
The presidency reaffirmed South Africa’s longstanding commitment to peace, stability and development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, saying Pretoria would continue to maintain close bilateral relations with the country’s government and support peace efforts through bilateral engagement as well as multilateral frameworks, including the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the United Nations.
Established by the UN Security Council in 1999 to support the implementation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, MONUSCO has evolved with a mandate to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence, and to support the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in stabilization and peace-consolidation efforts.