The leaders of Congo and Rwanda have proclaimed a peace agreement a key step in efforts to end a war that has embroiled six African countries.
Congolese president Joseph Kabila signed the agreement with Rwandan president Paul Kagame at a ceremony in Pretoria, South Africa.
He said that "no more blood must run".
The deal is the latest in a string of efforts to end the war which has left 2.5 million people dead.
It commits Rwanda to pull its 30,000 troops from Congo in exchange for Congo rounding up, disarming and repatriating thousands of Rwandan rebels who have used the country as a base for attacks on Rwanda.
War broke out in Congo in August 1998 when Rwanda and Uganda backed Congolese rebels seeking to oust then-president Laurent Kabila, accusing him of supporting rebels who threatened their security.
Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia sent troops to support the government.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan brokered the latest agreement.
He welcomed the renewed commitment of Congo and Rwanda to efforts "aimed at making concrete progress toward peace in the region".
UN spokesman Fred Eckhard, added: "The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of the agreement and looks forward to discussing the practical modalities with the parties concerned."
PA