The Role or Track two Diplomacy in the Democratic Republic of Congo Conflict.

Negotiating a cease-fire and a political solution, at the top political and military level, was an obvious first priority for peace-brokers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict. A flury of first track and official diplocatic efforts were pursued with the aim of convincing the Kabila government, rebel movements and regional states, to negotiate and implement a cease-fire agreement. Track two diplomacy played a minimal role in facilitating the signing of a cease-fire agreement. It however, served as a reconciliatory effort at the civil society level. Track two diplomacy made a critical contribuation to the official peace process by providing the unarmed actors with an opportunity to voice their position on the conflict. The de facto partitioning of the country during the war made contact between civil society organisations from mthe occupied zones difficult, if not impossible. Unofficial track two diplomatic efforts conducted outside the DRC served to provide cicil society groups with a platform of interaction and engagement. These exercices