All sides in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) war agreed today to set up a transitional government to lead to the first democratic elections in 40 years.
Today was the final session of the talks in South Africa aimed at ending the country's four-year conflict - which has killed 2.5 million lives, either directly through fighting or indirectly through famine and illness, according to United Nations estimates.
"You are making history," the chairman of the talks, Sir Ketumile Masire, told delegates as the summit opened at the luxury casino resort of Sun City, northwest of Pretoria.
The 360 delegates attending the final session of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue adopted agreements reached in Pretoria on December 17th last year. These provide for a two-year transition government culminating in the DRC's first democratic elections since those on independence from Belgium in 1960.
They also adopted a constitution, which was agreed on March 6th.
This morning, delegates from the DRC government, rebel movements and political opposition went into the final plenary session of the marathon peace process, which began 14 months ago. Within ten minutes, they had approved the new constitution and transition government.
AFP