Minister to make visit to Sudan

Junior Minister Conor Lenihan is due to visit western Sudan this week to assess the situation in the war-torn Darfur region.

Tens of thousands of Africans have been killed in Darfur and more than a million more have been displaced from their land due to a campaign of ethnic cleansing by roaming Arab militias.

Mr Lenihan, who has responsibility for overseas aid and development, is due to meet Sudanese ministers and Irish and international aid agencies during his trip this week.

The fact-finding mission comes ahead of a donor conference in Norway next week designed to raise aid for Darfur.