There will be no Exercise Shared Accord this month, as South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO) was informed by the United States Embassy in South Africa that this year’s planned joint humanitarian exercise between the two nations has been cancelled.
The decision, detailed in a diplomatic note dated August 1, 2025, from the US Embassy, confirmed that the US Department of Defence (DoD) has cancelled the exercise, originally scheduled for August 11 to 22, 2025. The note explained that the cancellation stemmed from requirements imposed by South Africa’s Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans (DoDMV) that the DoD found incompatible with existing agreements between the two governments, leaving the Americans with no viable option but to withdraw.
The exercise was set to take place in South Africa’s Free State province, with a focus on peace support, humanitarian relief, and combat scenarios—core elements that have defined previous iterations of Shared Accord. Historically, this joint endeavour has been a vital platform for enhancing interoperability, strengthening defence partnerships, and building joint response capabilities between the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the US military.
Exercises of this nature have occurred four times before—in 2011, 2013, 2018, and 2022—primarily in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, each time deepening the operational ties between the two forces. The root of this year’s cancellation lies in a fundamental disagreement over security arrangements. South Africa’s DoDMV insisted that the SANDF alone should handle all security responsibilities, including the guarding of US transport aircraft involved in the exercise.
This stance included a refusal to allow US security personnel to disembark and protect their own assets, a position that clashed with the terms outlined in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the two countries. The SOFA is a legal framework that governs the presence and activities of US military personnel on South African soil, including security protocols. By rejecting these agreed-upon terms, South Africa effectively forced the US to abandon the exercise, as the DoD deemed the situation untenable. Planning for Exercise Shared Accord 2025 had been well underway, with a main planning conference held six months earlier at 44 Parachute Regiment in Tempe, just outside Bloemfontein.
This gathering brought together SANDF exercise planners and a range of US military representatives, including personnel from the Southern European Task Force-Africa (SETAF-AF), the New York National Guard, the US Air Force (USAF), and the US Embassy in South Africa. The effort was co-chaired by Brigadier General Rachel Rahlao, Director of Force Preparation and Training at the SANDF’s Joint Operations Division, and Colonel Jeffrey Csoka of the New York National Guard.
The conference laid out a clear vision for the exercise, identifying multiple strategic objectives that both sides hoped to achieve. Among these objectives was a commitment to improve interoperability between combined mission command nodes, ensuring that the two forces could operate seamlessly together in complex scenarios. The planners also aimed to enhance joint planning and execution of activities, fostering a more cohesive approach to military cooperation. Beyond the operational level, the exercise was intended to strengthen collaboration across departments, agencies, and multinational partners, reflecting the broader diplomatic and strategic value of the partnership.
On the ground, South African and US personnel were set to conduct practical training, including mass casualty scene management tailored to animal-related health crises, with an emphasis on chemical and biological preventative measures. The exercise also promised to bolster civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) and deliver educational programmes designed to build capacity and develop skills in the veterinary field—an area of growing importance in humanitarian operations.
The cancellation represents a lost opportunity for both nations, particularly for the SANDF, which stood to gain valuable experience and insights from working alongside the US Army. The exercise would have provided a platform to refine operational tactics, enhance readiness for regional challenges—such as the ongoing instability in neighbouring Mozambique—and strengthen bilateral relations at a time when such ties are increasingly vital. Instead, the decision by the DoDMV has been seen by some as a misstep, with critics suggesting that South Africa has, in effect, cut off its nose to spite its face, sacrificing a chance to deepen cooperation with a key international partner over a point of principle. The timing of this fallout adds another layer of complexity.
The cancellation comes just days after reports emerged that the US military command responsible for Africa is intensifying its outreach and partnerships across Southern Africa. Recent high-level visits to Angola and Botswana have signalled a renewed American focus on the region, reflecting its strategic importance in an era of shifting global dynamics.
This development has fuelled speculation that the US may now pivot away from South Africa, redirecting its attention and resources to other regional players more willing to align with its operational expectations. If this shift materialises, it could place additional strain on the already fragile defence relationship between Washington and Pretoria. In the broader context, Exercise Shared Accord 2025 was more than just a training drill—it was a chance to build on a decade-long legacy of collaboration that has delivered tangible benefits for both militaries.
The cancellation, driven by a dispute over security protocols, leaves unanswered questions about the future of this partnership. For South Africa, navigating its role in an increasingly volatile regional security landscape, the loss of this exercise is a setback that could have been avoided.