LOC19:31
16:31 GMT
GHADHAREF, East Sudan, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir thanked the State of Kuwait Sunday for sponsoring the conference of donors and investors for East Sudan, which was held in the Gulf state early this month.
"We are grateful for our brothers in Kuwait, the Amir, the government and people, for their generous hosting and sponsoring of the donors and investors conference for East Sudan, and for the generous support they offered for the development of the East," Al-Bashir told a rally in the eastern city of Ghadharef.
Kuwait donated USD 500 million to the International Donors and Investors Conference for East Sudan. The donation will help promote investments and development in the eastern region.
Total contributions of the conferees totaled USD 3.574 billion.
Al-Bashir, meanwhile, said the constitution of Sudan would be amended if the south separated from the north in a referendum of self-determination, due to be held on January 9.
He said the new constitution would be derived from the Islamic Sharia, which would be the prime source of legislation.
Islam will be the official religion and Arabic will be the official language, he added. (end) hhi.bs KUNA 191931 Dec 10NNNN