NAIROBI - Regional leaders called Friday for an immediate ceasefire and the creation of humanitarian corridors in the DR Congo, following a summit here.

The final declaration also urged the implementation of existing agreements on the disarmament of rebel groups in the region and the amendment of the UN peacekeeping force’s mandate to give it peace-making capabilities.

“There should be an immediate ceasefire by all the armed men and militias in North-Kivu,” Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said, reading the text at a press conference.

“There should be establishment of a humanitarian corridor to ensure immediate address of the humanitarian tragedy.”

The final declaration was released after a day-long summit attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete, the African Union chairperson, Joseph Kabila of the DRC, Republic of Congo’s Denis Sassou-Nguesso and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Fighting between rebels and government forces in the eastern DRC has led to the death of at least 100 civilians, international aid and rights agencies said Friday.

The UN said an estimated 253,000 civilians had been displaced by the fighting since September.

However, rebel leader Laurent Nkunda said the summit would not end his rebellion unless it convinced President Joseph Kabila to negotiate directly with him.