South Africa says it will maintain strong bilateral relations with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and continue supporting regional peace efforts, even as it prepares to withdraw more than 700 troops from the United Nations’ MONUSCO mission before the end of 2026. The decision was communicated by President Cyril Ramaphosa to UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a phone call on 12 January 2026, with Pretoria indicating it will work with the UN to finalise timelines and withdrawal modalities according to IOL.

South Africa has been among the top troop contributors to MONUSCO, with the Presidency noting a force presence of over 700 soldiers deployed in support of the mission’s peacekeeping mandate. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the withdrawal reflects “the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force” after 27 years of South African support to UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC.

While the drawdown marks a major operational shift, Pretoria framed it as a repositioning rather than a disengagement from the DRC. Magwenya said South Africa will continue close bilateral relations with Kinshasa and provide ongoing support to multilateral peace initiatives led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations, aimed at achieving lasting peace in the country.

MONUSCO originally established by the UN Security Council in 1999 in the context of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement has evolved into one of the UN’s largest and most complex peace operations, with a mandate that includes protecting civilians and supporting stabilisation and peace consolidation efforts.  In its public background on the mission, the UN notes that MONUSCO is authorised to use necessary means to carry out elements of this mandate, including protection tasks.

Magwenya said the withdrawal process is expected to be completed before the end of 2026, and that Ramaphosa welcomed the UN Secretary-General’s appreciation for South Africa’s contribution.

For observers, the key takeaway is that South Africa is signalling continuity in diplomatic and regional engagement maintaining bilateral cooperation with the DRC while prioritising multilateral mechanisms beyond MONUSCO to support stability.