By Damian Zane BBC, Addis Ababa

South Africa is making progress with its plans to deploy an African peacekeeping force in Burundi.

All but one of Burundi's warring parties signed a ceasefire last year that was supposed to end nine years of civil war. But the violence has not stopped.

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The plans were announced at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopa's capital, Addis Ababa, by South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, the facilitator of the Burundi peace process.

He said that South Africa, Mozambique and Ethiopia have all agreed to send peacekeeping troops to Burundi.

The troops' role will be to oversee the ceasefire, but exactly what their mission will entail and when they will arrive is not yet clear.

Mr Zuma said that will be decided when the signatories to the ceasefire discuss its specific details.

Those negotiations, due to take place in South Africa, could start by Thursday.

'Not future'

Whatever the exact mission, Mr Zuma is sure that the African countries will have to provide a "robust" peacekeeping force.

Hundreds of thousands have been displaced by the fighting

One Burundian rebel group, the Forces for National Liberation (FNL) has not signed up to the ceasefire and the FNL continues to carry out acts of violence around the capital, Bujumbura.

But Mr Zuma said that it is not premature to talk about sending peacekeeping troops in.

He said that he will try to bring the FNL on board.

He added that if it does not cooperate it will have no future.