South Africa has announced its intention to withdraw its peacekeepers deployed to the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after nearly three decades of service.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a statement, said he informed UN secretary-general António Guterres on January 12 about the decision.

According to him, the decision is influenced by the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force, following 27 years of South Africa’s support to UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC.

He said that South Africa was among the top 10 countries contributing troops to MONUSCO with over 700 soldiers.

MONUSCO commended South Africa “for their steadfast commitment over several decades to United Nations peacekeeping, as well as for the dedication demonstrated by South African peacekeepers in support of the mission’s mandate”.

MONUSCO has been in the DRC since July 2010, taking over from  an earlier UN peacekeeping operation that supervised implementation of a ceasefire agreement following conflict in the east stemming from the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

Several regional countries and armed groups were involved in the fighting, also known as the Great War of Africa.

MONUSCO’s mandate includes protecting civilians and helping the DRC to stabilise and consolidate peace. More than 12,400 personnel were serving at the Mission as of October 2025, including some 9,177 troops and 926 police officers from over 50 countries. Since its inception, 304 fatalities have been recorded.

MONUSCO paid tribute “to South African peacekeepers who lost their lives under the United Nations flag in the service of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and honours their sacrifice”.

The head of UN Peace Operations, Jean‑Pierre Lacroix, is currently in the DRC, where on Monday he met with President Félix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, key government members, and relevant stakeholders.

Discussions centred around the implementation of the MONUSCO mandate, including support for a permanent ceasefire.

Mr Lacroix will then travel to Beni in North Kivu province, eastern DRC, to assess recent developments and meet with provincial authorities and peacekeepers deployed in the area.

Later this week, he will head to Ethiopia for the annual African Union summit in the capital, Addis Ababa.