King Albert II of Belgium will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo in June to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the former Belgian colony's independence.

The Belgian government has given the green light for the royal visit following an invitation from Congolese President Joseph Kabila.

It will be the first visit by a Belgian monarch in 25 years. Relations between the two countries have been tense since the DRC became independent in 1960.

In April last year, both countries closed their embassies, after Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht accused the Congolese authorities of corruption. Recently, the countries agreed to reopen two Belgian consulates in the DRC.