Egypt's capital, Cairo, will host on Sunday an international donors conference aimed at raising up to $2 billion for reconstruction effort in the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur.
The one-day event has been organized by the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and will be co-chaired by Egypt and Turkey.
Over 20 non-OIC member states and 50 international humanitarian organizations have also been invited to take part in the conference which aims to "send a clear message to the international community that development is a key factor in achieving peace and stability in Darfur.
The organizers of the ministerial-level conference are planning to raise $2 billion to finance various reconstruction and development projects in agriculture, water supply, health and education in Darfur.
The participants of the Cairo forum also hope to "provide an incentive to all Darfur movements to join the peace talks" which have been taking place in the capital of Qatar, Doha.
The civil war that broke out in the western region of Darfur in early 2003 has claimed the lives of more than 300,000, according to United Nations estimates, and forced 2.7 million people from their homes. The Sudanese side puts the number of dead at 10,000.
Several Sudanese rebel groups have recently signed peace accords with the government in Khartoum but a key rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army, has so far rejected negotiations with Khartoum and fought fierce clashes with the Sudanese army earlier this month.
Russia has been maintaining a peacekeeping contingent in the war-torn country since April 2006 as part of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
The contingent comprises 120 personnel and four Mi-8 helicopters, equipped to UN and international standards. The helicopter group provides transport services for UN military observers in Sudan and also carries out rescue operations.
CAIRO, March 21 (RIA Novosti)
