Oslo - Donor countries and international agencies on Wednesday pledged 4.8 billion dollars to shore up a three-year old peace deal on Sudan at a donor conference hosted by Norway.

Norway helped broker the 2005 peace deal that ended a two decade long civil war between the government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement
(SPLM), and also hosted an initial donor conference in April 2005.

Hartwig Schafer, director of operations and strategy in the Africa region at the World Bank, who announced the tally made for the period 2008-2011 said Sudan "would remain at the top of the bank's agenda."

He added that the division between pledges made for development and humanitarian programmes was not complete and that some donors were unable to make specific pledges over ongoing budgetary processes.

Schafer said peace in Sudan "would not only benefit the Sudanese but have a ripple effect in the region."

Chaired by Sudan, the government of southern Sudan and the organizers, the World Bank and the United Nations, the meeting also discussed the ramifications of the conflict in Darfur.

Sudan's Second Vice President Ali Osman Taha said in his concluding remarks that he was "encouraged by the open constructive discussions" at the conference saying "while seeking a final political solution in Darfur it should not derail or overshadow" the need to refocus on the comprehensive peace deal between the north and south.

Norway's Environmnent and International Development Minister Erik Solheim underlined the need for "political will" and that "peace must be homegrown" but the international community could offer support with funds and political support.

Solheim said he was encouraged by the "mood" at the conference.

UN special envoy for Sudan, Ashraf Qazi, said the pledges "exceeded" what had been expected.

An assessment prepared by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and United Nations suggested that Sudan would fail to achieve several of the UN development goals aimed at reducing poverty, including child mortality and providing water and sanitation unless more progress was made. (dpa)