The leaders of opposing factions of the splintered Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) and their backers, Rwanda and Uganda, are gathered in the Zambian capital Lusaka for the official signing ceremony.

President Chiluba brokered the accord

Before the ceremony, Zambian officials held last-minute consultations with the delegations of Emile Ilunga, the leader of the main grouping, and of Ernest Wamba dia Wamba.

"We are set for Tuesday's ceremony. All rebel leaders have now arrived and the signing will proceed as planned at 1330 GMT," said Zambian Presidential Affairs Minister Eric Silwamba.

The BBC's Ishbel Matheson in Lusaka: "The real test will be whether the rebels are ready to implement the deal"

The ceasefire accord will be signed by all of the 50 founding members of the RCD and the ceremony will be attended by the foreign ministers of the 14 countries of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) as well as representatives of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

'Fighting stops after the signing'

On Monday Mr Ilunga said his forces will stop fighting after the signing. He told the Reuters news agency that he backed the truce which is aimed at stopping a year-long civil war.

"We are ready to sign the ceasefire," said Mr Ilunga. "We are signing not as a matter of weakness, but to give peace a chance in our country and to allow for the creation of a new political order through dialogue."

(Click here to see a map of the region)

Both rebel forces and President Laurent Kabila's government have received help during the conflict from neighbouring countries.

Six African countries involved in the war in DR Congo signed a peace accord in Lusaka on 10 July, brokered by the Zambian President, Frederick Chiluba.

However, the RCD did not add its signature because of an internal power struggle between Mr Ilunga and Mr Wamba dia Wamba.

Mr Wamba dia Wamba was ousted as overall leader of the RCD earlier this year, but has continued to receive backing from Uganda and insists he is still in charge.

Neither Mr Ilunga nor Mr Wamba dia Wamba could agree on who had the authority to sign the agreement.

Allies clash

Ernest Wamba dia Wamba: "All founding members will sign"

The rivalry between the two men led to a clash in the Congolese town of Kisangani between Rwandan and Ugandan troops, who are backing different factions of the RCD.

Only a compromise mediated by South Africa and Zambia secured the signatures of all 50 founding members of the RCD.

Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) - another rebel organisation involved in the war - has already signed the peace accord.

At least 25,000 peacekeepers

Under the ceasefire, a Joint Military Commission is due to work out the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers and supervise all-party talks.

On Monday a UN spokesman said, the UN expected to deploy its first 17 military liaison officers in and around the capitals of Congo by the end of the week.

A total of 90 officers will be deployed to Congo for three months in order to prepare the UN's involvement in the implementation of the ceasefire accord.

UN officials estimate that the peacekeeping operation in Congo will require at least 25,000 soldiers.