Egypt hosts Darfur reconstruction conference next March

February 6, 2010 (CAIRO) – The Egyptian foreign ministry announced today that Cairo will host a conference on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the war ravaged region of Darfur next March.

Since last December Egypt confirmed that it had received a letter from the Sudanese government asking to organize Darfur reconstruction conference. Since the signing of Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006 Cairo suggested to host the conference as part of Egypt’s drive at the regional and international levels to take serious and fruitful steps on the road to build peace in Darfur.

However Sudan last month asked to associate Turkey which will co-chair the meeting with Egypt.

“The conference for the development and reconstruction of Darfur will be hosted by Egypt on March 21,” ministry spokesperson Hossam Zaki said in a statement released on Saturday.

The announcement followed talks between Egypt’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the meeting’s co-sponsor.

The invitation list would include all possible donor countries and organizations as well as the IMF and World Bank to help contribute to the redevelopment of the restive region, whether in infrastructure or education.

The Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Moussa, will pay a visit to Darfur next week to inaugurate a number of model villages built under the auspices of the League in the region.

Also the Arab League delegates will hold its first meeting outside the headquarters of the organization in Darfur where they will visit the three states to show Arab concern and interest for the restive region where Arab militias recruited by Sudanese government killed thousands of civilians and burnt their villages.

(ST)