Sudan's government will pledge a total of US$300 million in compensation payments to the Darfur region, of which US$200 million will come from loans from China, the Financial Times reported. News of the payment was reported by former US president Jimmy Carter, who met with Sudanese president Omar Ａｌ-Bashir on Wednesday. If the loan from China is provided specifically for compensation, it would mark a significant departure for the country whose financial support to African countries has normally been strictly for trade and infrastructure projects. China imports large volumes of oil from Sudan, and has received criticism from the United Nations Security Council and US activists for blocking attempts to quell violence in Darfur. Last year, Sudan unsuccessfully signed a peace agreement to provide US$30 million in compensation to the region, but the funds have not yet been paid due to competing claims from different ethnic groups and areas.
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