By David Eades in Brussels

President Kabila has hardly been greeted with open arms by the Belgian government.

Listen to David Eades' report

As the former protector of what is now the Democratic Republic Congo, it had expressed a desire to play some role in resolving the country's internal conflict, but had baulked at inviting Mr Kabila to Brussels.

This visit was very much at his own instigation.

Over the course of two days, he will visit the European Commission and the Belgian parliament before seeing the prime minister, Jean-Luc Dehaene, on Thursday.

Already he has made the sort of promises the international community has been demanding.

In a speech to businessmen shortly after he arrived, he promised open elections and the freedom for individuals to form political parties.

But that alone will not guarantee the international aid he needs to start rebuilding the republic.

Belgium holds a substantial Congolese community, many of them fiercely opposed to the one-time rebel.

Four legal cases have been filed against Mr Kabila in Brussels in recent days, alleging human rights abuses, crimes against humanity, even genocide for his actions against Hutus when he first came to power last year and against Tutsis last summer.

Mr Kabila has strenuously defended himself and there seems little likelihood the Belgian courts will pursue such cases against a current head of state.