"Outeniqua" spent much of May 1997 at Pointe Noire in the Republic of the Congo to serve as a venue for peace talks between Zaire's President Mobuto Sese Seko and rebel leader Laurent Kabila chaired by South African President Nelson Mandela, with the intention of ending the First Congo War. While talks were held on board the ship on 4 May, Kabila withdrew from a second meeting which was planned for 14 May and little came of the discussions. Between May and September 1997 she received another refit.