DRC and South Africa Discuss Revision of 2004 Military Agreement

Kinshasa-Pretoria, February 22, 2026 - The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita, is on an official mission to South Africa to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries. During his participation in the 71st anniversary of the South African Army on February 21, 2026, he met with his South African counterpart, Angie Motshekga, to discuss the revision of the 2004 military agreement that governs bilateral defense collaboration. Both ministers agreed to adopt resolutions based on the work of sectoral experts from each country. This diplomatic engagement follows South Africa's decision to withdraw its troop contribution from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). With over 700 soldiers deployed, South Africa has been among the top ten troop-contributing countries to the mission. According to the South African Presidency, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the withdrawal aims to reorient resources of the South African National Defence Force after 27 years of support for peacekeeping in the DRC. The process of withdrawal is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, in collaboration with the UN. Bilateral cooperation between Kinshasa and Pretoria has intensified in recent years. In July 2023, Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen security, economic development, infrastructure, agriculture, and other sectors. On the military front, South Africa deployed 2,900 troops to the DRC from December 2023 to December 2024 under Operation SAMIDRC, investing over 2 billion rand (≈ US$134 million) to support peace and security in the eastern provinces. The 2004 General Cooperation Agreement remains the framework guiding bilateral relations, providing a foundation for enhanced military and strategic collaboration along the Kinshasa-Pretoria axis.