Timeline.

 Rise of the Kongo empire -Centered in northern Angola and extreme western Congo.  Diogo Cao, a Portuguese navigator, becomes the first European to visit the Congo.  British, Dutch, Portuguese and French merchants engage in slave trade through Kongo.

 Belgian King Leopold II sets up a private venture to colonize Kongo  European powers recognize Leopold’s claim at the Conference of Berlin.  Leopold announces the establishment of the Congo Free State, headed by himself.

 Belgians conquer Katanga.  Eastern Congo taken from the control of East African Arab and Swahili- speaking traders.  Belgian state annexes Congo during protests over killings and atrocities carried out by Leopold. Millions of Congolese are said to have been killed or worked to death.

 Belgian Professor Antoin van Bilsen publishes a “30- Year Plan” for granting the Congo increased self- government.  Belgium begins to lose control over events in the Congo.  Serious nationalist riots in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa).

 Congo becomes independent with Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president.  Congolese army mutinies  Katanga declared independent.  UN Security Council votes to send in troops to help establish order but are unsuccessful.  Kasavubu dismisses prime minister and Lumumba is arrested. Patrice Lumumba (prime minister)

 Lumumba is murdered, reportedly with US and Belgian complicity.  UN troops begin disarming Katangese soldiers  President Kasavubu appoints Moise Tshombe as prime minister. President Kasavubu

 President Kasavubu and prime minister Tshombe are ousted in a coup led by Joseph Mobutu.  The country is renamed Zaire.  Mobutu nationalizes many foreign-owned firms and forces European investors out of the country then back in because of the increased deterioration of the economy.

 Mobutu agrees to the ban of multiparty politics and appoints a transitional government but remains powerful.  Mobutu agrees to a coalition government with opposition leaders following riots by unpaid soldiers.  Appointment of Kengo Wa Dondo as prime minister.  Tutsi rebels capture much of eastern Zaire. Kengo Wa Dondo

 Tutsi and other anti-Mobutu rebels capture the capital, Kinasha  Zaire is renamed the Democratic Republic of congo  Laurent-Desire Kabila is installed as president  Rifts emerge between Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), supported by Uganda, and Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD)- backed by Rwanda President Laurent-Desire Kabila

 The six African countries involved in the war sign a ceasefire.  The MLC and RCD also sign it.  Although the UN authorized a force to monitor the ceasefire, fighting continues between rebels and government forces and between Rwandan and Ugandan forces.

 President Laurent Kabila is shot dead by a bodyguard.  Joseph Kabila succeeds his father.  Kabila meets with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Washington to agree to a UN pull-out plan.  Uganda and Rwanda begin pulling troops back from the frontline. Joseph Kabila

 Presidents of the DRC and Rwanda sign a peace deal to withdraw Rwandan troops if DRC will disarm and arrest Rwandan Hutu gunmen blamed for killingTutsi minority in Rwanda’s genocide  DRC and Uganda sign a peace accord to withdraw Ugandan troops from DRC.  UN-sponsored power- sharing talks begin in S. Africa

 President Kabila signs a transitional constitution, under which and interim government will rule pending elections.  Leaders of main former rebel groups are sworn in as vice-presidents  International Court of Justice rules that Uganda must compensate DRC for rights abuses.

 Presidential and parliamentary polls are held- the first free elections in four decades  Incumbent leader Joseph Kabila and opposition candidate Jean Pierre Bemba run against each other  Joseph Kabila is declared winner of the presidential elections.

 Heavy clashes erupt in the east of the country between army troops and fighters loyal to rebel leader Laurent Nkunda.  Thousands of people, including Congolese troops, flee as clashes in eastern DRC intensify  Gen Laurent Nkunda is arrested.

 "BBC NEWS | Africa | Country profiles | Timeline: Democratic Republic of Congo." BBC NEWS | News Front Page. 02 Feb  "TIMELINE: Peace deal signed in DRC to end years of fighting | Reuters.com." Reuters.com - World News, Financial News, Breaking US & International News. 03 Feb  "WashingtonPost.com: Congo Time Line." Washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines. 02 Feb