Speaking at the summit, President Kabila said he would invite Mr Masire to Kinshasa in the next few days and he said that the dialogue would lead to avenues for peace in Congo.
The most significant step forward at the summit was the announcement by new DR Congo President Joseph Kabila that he will accept the former Botswanan leader, Ketumile Masire, as mediator.
A definite date of 26 February was also agreed for the deployment of more United Nations peace observers, ahead of UN talks on the peace process next week in New York.
And one of the Congolese rebel groups, the Movement for the Liberation of Congo, has also agreed to disengage its forces from the front lines.
Overshadowed
But the meeting was overshadowed by the refusal of the presidents of Rwanda and Uganda - the main rebel backers - to turn up, as well as one of the main rebel leaders.
Speaking at the summit, President Kabila said he would invite Mr Masire to Kinshasa in the next few days and he said that the dialogue would lead to avenues for peace in Congo.
Mr Masire had been rejected as a mediator by the late Congolese President, Laurent Kabila - Joseph Kabila's father.
Diplomats have described the move to invite him back as a significant step in kickstarting the failed 1999 Lusaka peace accords.
The chief Congo mediator and summit host, Zambia's President Frederick Chiluba, was upbeat as he brought the summit to an end, saying the commitment to finding peace had been re-affirmed.
Analysts say several of the agreements which have been announced are important but the key will be to see if they are implemented.
The DR Congo has been involved in a conflict since 1998 when Rwanda and Uganda backed a rebellion against Laurent Kabila.
The war has drawn five neighbouring nations into active combat and had a major impact on several more.