President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). He informed UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 12 January, citing the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force after 27 years of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC. South Africa has been one of the top ten troop-contributing countries to MONUSCO, providing over 700 soldiers.
MONUSCO expressed deep gratitude to South Africa for its decades-long commitment and the dedication of its peacekeepers in supporting the Mission’s mandate. The Mission emphasized its intention to continue engaging with South Africa on broader peacekeeping issues, including sharing lessons learned and sustaining efforts to advance peace and stability. The UN Secretariat and relevant stakeholders will work to ensure that the troop withdrawal is conducted in a safe, orderly, and responsible manner, consistent with UN standards and operational requirements.
MONUSCO has operated in the DRC since July 2010, taking over from an earlier UN mission tasked with supervising a ceasefire following conflict in eastern DRC linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The Mission’s mandate includes protecting civilians and supporting the DRC in consolidating peace. As of October 2025, MONUSCO had over 12,400 personnel, including 9,177 troops and 926 police officers from more than 50 countries. Since the Mission’s inception, 304 peacekeepers have lost their lives, and MONUSCO paid tribute to the sacrifice of South African peacekeepers serving under the UN flag.
The head of UN Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is currently in the DRC, meeting with President Félix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, government officials, and other stakeholders to discuss the implementation of MONUSCO’s mandate, including support for a permanent ceasefire. He is also scheduled to visit Beni in North Kivu province to assess recent developments and meet with provincial authorities and peacekeepers in the region. Later in the week, he will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the annual African Union summit.
