South African High Commissioner Rieaz Shaik says Canada's move to pull most of its peacekeepers off the continent — including all nine from South Sudan's UN mission, nine from Congo, and reductions in Egypt-Sinai, Kosovo and Cyprus — contradicts Prime Minister Mark Carney's Davos call for middle powers to band together against great-power coercion. The Canadian military says the changes better align resources with defending Canada, the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific priorities, part of a broader 15% budget cut across government agencies.
Canada also abruptly suspended embassy operations in South Sudan without explanation, and briefly reversed then restored a staffing cut that would have reduced South Africa-focused diplomatic positions. Shaik notes Canada maintains a large troop presence in Latvia under NATO even as it withdraws small, experienced peacekeeping contingents elsewhere, calling the move a retreat into the 'NATO club.' Advocacy group The ONE Campaign says Ottawa has not matched its Indo-Pacific trade planning with any comparable Africa strategy.
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