New York: South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Mathu Joyini, has declared that South Africa will continue to contribute to promoting peace and stability in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to the continent’s overall peacekeeping efforts.
According to South African Government News Agency, the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting following deadly clashes in the eastern DRC, which occurred after Kinshasa withdrew its diplomats from Kigali as Rwanda-backed rebels advanced on the key city of Goma. At least 13 soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in the DRC, including nine members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), were killed by M23 rebels after two days of fierce fighting. These SANDF soldiers are part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), deployed to aid the government of Africa’s second-largest country in restoring peace, security, and stability.
Ambassador Joyini emphasized the need for decisive action from the international community, led by the UN Security Council, in response to the killing of peacekeepers. “This Council must send a clear message that peacekeepers’ lives matter. We must value and safeguard the contribution of those entrusted to carry out the mandates adopted in this Chamber,” she stated.
M23, one of the groups vying for control in the mineral-rich regions of North and South Kivu provinces near the Rwandan border, has caused significant displacement, with reports indicating that more than 400,000 people have been displaced since early 2025. Joyini condemned the attacks on MONUSCO (United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and SAMIDRC personnel, stating they are deployed to promote peace, security, and stability in the eastern DRC and the African continent.
The Ambassador offered condolences to the families of fallen peacekeepers and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, stressing that the cost of being a UN peacekeeper should not be so high. She urged the Security Council to act decisively against violations against peacekeepers and called on the Rwanda Defence Forces to cease support to M23, demanding that the rebel group stop hostile actions and vacate occupied areas.
Joyini also highlighted the importance of resuming the Luanda and Nairobi Processes to find a lasting political solution to the conflict in the eastern DRC. She commended Angolan President Joo Manuel Gon§alves Louren§o for his efforts in the Luanda Process and urged relevant parties to engage in negotiations for peace and stability in the Great Lakes region and Africa.
UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has echoed calls for Rwandan forces to withdraw from the DRC and halt support for M23 fighters advancing on Goma.