President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that any instability in Africa affects the prospects for growth and development across the entire continent, calling on support for the diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a peaceful resolution, including honouring the Luanda Process, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that strong political will and leadership will be required from all parties to the conflict, as well as respect for the territorial integrity of the DRC.

He pointed out that some have questioned South Africa’s presence in eastern DRC, while some said South Africa have no business being there.

Last week 13 SANDF members were killed during combat in DRC. They were stationed as part of the Southern African Development Community and the United Nations peacekeeping deployments to the area and were engaged in intense combat over two days with the M23 rebel group near Goma, the provincial capital of the eastern DRC.

“…but violence and conflict in Africa is the business of all Africans. The humanitarian, economic and social effects of these conflicts are felt across borders and regions. Instability in any part of the continent affects the prospects for growth and development across the continent,” Ramaphosa said.

He noted that for a lasting peace in eastern DRC, there must be an immediate end to hostilities and a ceasefire that must be respected by all parties.

He explained that South Africa’s participation in the DRC is subject to the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) mission, which he said has operational timeframes and an end date.

“The mission will wind down in accordance with the implementation of various confidence-building measures and when the ceasefire we have called for takes root,” he added.

He pointed out that South Africa has been a troop-contributing country to MONUSCO since 1999 and has lent its support to the SADC mission deployed to the region in 2023.

“This is anchored in our commitment towards silencing the guns across Africa,” he said.

Supporting peacebuilding and the resolution of conflict in Africa has been a cornerstone of South Africa’s foreign policy since the advent of democracy, he said, as it has sought to draw on its experience of political dialogue and national reconciliation.

“As this happens, securing the safety of our troops remains paramount. The situation in the areas where our troops are stationed remains highly volatile. We are making every effort to ensure that our soldiers are well-equipped and sufficiently supported during the mission,” he assured.

Diplomacy is the most sustainable pathway to achieving a lasting peace for the DRC and its people, he added.

He said South Africa endorses the call by the UN Security Council for the reversal of the territorial expansion by the M23 rebel group and for the exit of external forces from the DRC.

“As a country, we have a duty of support towards the nations of Africa whose solidarity and material support helped secure our liberation. South Africa will not let up in its support to the people of the DRC so that they may have the peace and security they rightfully deserve,” he said.