Sudan sets up mechanism to follow up Oslo conference results

KHARTOUM, Apr 18, 2005 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese government on Monday decided to set up a special mechanism to follow up the results of the Oslo donor conference.

Sudan’s VP Ali Osman Mohammed Taha (L) and Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik attend the international conference on aid for Sudan in Oslo. (AFP).

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail told reporters that this mechanism would work in coordination with different national institutions to ensure that the results of the Oslo conference are adequately implemented.

The top diplomat uncovered that he invited Norwegian Minister of Developmental Aid Hilde Frafjord Johnson to visit Sudan to see the developments of situations in Darfur and the efforts exerted by the Sudanese government to normalize the situations there.

He said the donor conference sent a political message to the international community to support Sudan’s peace process and an economic message to help reconstruct the development projects in Sudan.

Sudan was embroiled in an over 20-year civil war in the south which was virtually brought to an end when the Sudanese government and the southern rebels signed a peace deal in January in Nairobi, Kenya.

Under the sponsorship of Norway, the international community held the donor conference on April 11-12 and pledged 4.5 billion US dollars to help Sudan implement the peace agreement.