African leaders will hold a summit in Algiers on April 30 to discuss the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Algerian presidency announced Tuesday.
The summit will be hosted by Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, current chairman of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
DRC President Laurent Kabila, Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, and presidents Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali are among those expected to attend, according to an official communique.
OAU Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim and veteran former Botswana president Ketumile Masire, who has been engaged in mediation attempts to end the civil war in the central African country, will also attend.
A ceasefire agreement was signed by all the parties to the war on April 15, but rebels claimed almost immediately that government troops had breached it.
Six African nations fighting in the Congo signed a peace deal in the Zambian capital Lusaka last year, although armed clashes have continued.
At a meeting in Uganda at the beginning of this month the warring parties reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire deal and the eventual withdrawal of their troops from the country.
Uganda and Rwanda are supporting rebels fighting to oust Kabila, whose army in turn is backed by Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia - (Agencies)
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