Sudan finds oil in strife-torn Darfur region

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Apr 18, 2005 (PANA) — Sudan has discovered an oil field
expected to produce 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day by
August this year in the Darfur region, a cabinet minister
revealed in Khartoum Saturday.

However, the announcement made by the minister of energy and
Mining Awad Ahmed Al-Jazz at a news conference did not surprise
many oil experts here because previous reports had indicated the
region has untapped oil, gold, iron , silver as well as natural
gas.

Most of Sudan’s current oil production comes from oil fields in
southern Sudan, where a peace treaty was signed recently between
the government and rebels on 9 January this year.

According to the accord signed in Nairobi, Kenya, 50% of oil
revenues from the south will go to the Sudan People’s Liberation
Army/Movement (SPLA/M), while Khartoum takes the other half.

The UN and international relief agencies estimate that more than
180,000 people have died in the troubled Western Darfur region
from hunger and disease over the past 18 months. More than two
million persons have fled their homes to makeshift camps in and
out of the country, particularly in Chad.