The International Donors Conference for the Reconstruction of Darfur wrapped up here on Sunday with pledges to provide 841 million U.S. dollars for development and reconstruction projects in the war-torn Sudanese region, Xinhua reported.
The major contributions came from the Islamic Development Bank with 355 million dollars, Qatar 200 million, the European Union 95 million, Turkey 70 million, Algeria 10 million, Belgium 5 million euros (6.8 million dollars), and Australia 4 million dollars.
Participants also agreed to form a committee comprising Egypt, Qatar, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and major donors to establish a development bank to receive the funds and take up the mission of financing development projects in the region.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, whose country co- chairs the conference with Turkey, said in a press conference the projects will coincide with the peace process.
"We expect to achieve peace and final settlement between rebel movements and the people of Darfur soon ... when we reach this moment, the projects will come in coincidence." He underlined the necessity to establish the Darfur development bank to administer the budget of the projects.
He added that the pledged funds and any other future contributions will be dedicated to financing a list of development projects that cover agriculture, animal breeding, housing and urban planning, water supply, health, education, rural development, women empowerment and capacity building.
The outcome fell short of the meeting's initial target which was 2 billion U.S. dollars.
However, Abul Gheit said some countries will contribute to Darfur development and reconstruction plan outside this framework according to their own programs, pointing out that his own country will help in training programs and medical aid along with other assistance for the region.
In this regard, he also mentioned that the United States will provide 528 million dollars, France 75 million dollars, and Saudi Arabia 40 million dollars.
"The crux of the Darfur crisis is development ... in order to solve this problem, it is essential to revive and reconstruct local economy and society," said Chinese special envoy to Darfur Liu Guijin.
According to the Chinese envoy, China has so far donated 160 million yuan (about 23.4 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian and development aid to Darfur, 115 million of which has been finished. China built 55 primary schools, dug 10 wells there and donated 120 water pumps and generators. China also provided medical equipment for 120 hospitals and medical centers.
"China will provide 20 mobile medical vehicles and dig 30 more wells for Darfur," he said while addressing the meeting.
The Darfur conflict started in 2003 when the Sudan's People Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) took up arms against the government, accusing Khartoum of oppressing the black Africans in favor of Arabs.
On March 18, the Sudanese government signed in Doha a framework and ceasefire agreement with the Liberation and Justice Movement ( LJM), in the second peace accord of such kind within a month with the aim of bringing a permanent ceasefire to Darfur.
The peace agreement came a few weeks after the Sudanese government and the JEM, a key rebel group, sealed a long-awaited temporary ceasefire in the Qatari capital.
According to a recent study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), one of every 100 women dies in Darfur giving birth, 607,000 infants each year do not live to see their first birthday, one doctor serves the population of 45,000, one midwife for 33,000 women and one health specialist for 7.5 million people.