South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki was meeting Congo's main political leaders today in a bid to revive a faltering transition from civil war to democratic elections, slated for this year.
Mr Mbeki's one-day visit comes amid growing doubts that a presidential poll will be held by the end of June in line with a 2003 peace agreement meant to end Democratic Republic of Congo's five-year conflict.
More fighting in the east last month highlighted the challenge faced by Kinshasa's divided government to stamp its authority across Africa's third largest country, where swathes of land are under the control of a plethora of armed groups.
In Congo's capital, Mr Mbeki held talks with President Joseph Kabila and a former rebel leader who is now part of the country's transitional government. He was also due to meet the head of another former rebel faction, Jean-Pierre Bemba, who threatened last week to boycott cabinet meetings in a row over ministerial posts.
"What appears to be a row between Kabila and Bemba is also part of the reason for the visit. Mbeki wants to speak to Bemba personally," said a South African diplomat in Kinshasa.
Mr Mbeki flew to Kinshasa after a brief stop on Tuesday in Ivory Coast, where he is also mediating to try and resolve a crisis that has left the world's top cocoa grower split in two. There he took part as guest of honour in a cabinet meeting, which was shunned by rebels holding the north of the country. The rebels say Mr Mbeki's latest peace drive has so far failed to produce any tangible results.