DR Congo minister to visit France

The Information Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Raphael Ghenda, is due to meet French officials in Paris shortly.

He's expected to brief them on the policies of his government.

Originally Mr Ghenda was also due to visit Brussels, but the Belgian government refused to grant him a visa.

The refusal followed a row between Kinshasa and Brussels over allegations that Belgian diplomats had been smuggling arms into the former Zaire.

The main Congolese opposition party, the UDPS, has criticised France's decision to go ahead with Mr Ghenda's visit.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service