Canada peacekeeping withdrawals draw criticism from South African envoy

South African High Commissioner to Canada Rieaz Shaik has criticized Canada’s decision to withdraw most of its peacekeepers from Africa, stating the move contradicts the government’s goal of building a middle-power alliance. Shaik expressed sadness, suggesting the budget cuts appear to be a “withdrawal of Canada’s commitment towards peace in Africa.”

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) announced it is pulling personnel from several United Nations missions to refocus resources on the Euro-Atlantic region and Indo-Pacific stability. This includes withdrawing nine peacekeepers each from missions in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as reducing presence at the Egypt-Israel border and withdrawing staff from Kosovo and Cyprus.

The military noted that while the numbers are small, the affected personnel included experienced officers intended to provide leadership to other international peacekeepers. The decision comes amid a broader federal strategy to implement 15 per cent budget cuts across most government agencies.