Arab League earmarks 200 million dollars to reconstruct southern Sudan

NAIROBI, June 4 (AFP) — The Arab League has earmarked 200 million dollars (164 million euros) for the reconstruction of southern Sudan, devastated by 21 years of civil war, the organisation’s head, Amr Mussa, announced on Friday.

“The money has already been earmarked, not pledged anymore. Feasibility studies for projects are underway,” Mussa, an Egyptian former foreign minister, told a press conference in Nairobi, where he is due to attend Saturday’s formal launch of the final phase of peace talks for southern Sudan.

“As for the future work in the field of reconstruction, it will have to be coordinated with other donors on one side and the government of Sudan that will be established in accordance with the new (final) agreement.

“We are ready, we will be very active in this, we will participate in all activities to reconstruct the south,” he added.

Khartoum and Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) last week signed three accords on the last issues that were standing in the way of a final peace deal to end the conflict, leaving only details of a ceasefire and implementation modalities.

The war in Sudan erupted in 1983 when the south, where most observe Christianity and traditional faiths, took up arms to end the domination and marginalisation by the wealthier, mainly Muslim north.

Together with recurrent famine and disease, the war has killed at least 1.5 million people and displaced four million others.