Former South African president Nelson Mandela and regional African leaders have begun arriving in Kenya for a summit aimed at consolidating a fragile peace accord in the tiny nation of Burundi. Although mediator Mandela persuaded most of Burundi’s political parties to sign a peace deal last month, the two main armed Hutu rebel movements were not involved in the negotiating process and have categorically rejected the accord. Fighting has intensified since the accord was signed, in a war which has already cost 200 000 lives since 1993. Mandela will try to bring the rebels into the peace process and convince them to sign a ceasefire with the country’s Tutsi-led army, but observers say a ceasefire at this round of talks will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. – Reuters