Although conflicts continue to smoulder in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), most refugees could soon return to their homes in Equateur Province, in the northwest of the country.

Women are still under represented at decision-making levels in the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC's) institutions, reduced to the role of house help and have even become victims of repeated sexual violence, women's representatives said on Tuesday during the International Women's Day.

Looting, stealing and burning of villages in North Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was carried out by armed militias and by members of the newly integrated national army. This was the result of a special inquiry of the UN Mission in the DRC, or MONUC, which was published on 24 February.

Congolese and Rwandan military officers have activated a joint verification mechanism for the common border between the two countries, an administrator in Congo's eastern province of South Kivu said.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has held talks with key political leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo in a bid to lessen tension within its government and save the democratic transitional process from collapse.

Since an announcement on Friday that the electoral commission of the Democratic Republic of Congo may not be able to hold elections by 30 June as scheduled, various political groups and officials involved in the transition have been accusing each other of causing the delay.

The Armed Forces High Command of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has transferred the military commander of the 8th Military Region - North Kivu Province - in a move aimed at ending clashes between factions of the army in the province.