Qatar, which has sponsored peace talks between the Sudanese government and rebels, plans to contribute $1 billion to a fund to reconstruct the African country, the Qatari emir said.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, whose country is the world's top exporter of liquefied natural gas, also said the ceasefire deal was a 'steadfast step toward a peaceful solution'.

Sudan's President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir is expected to sign the ceasefire deal with the main Darfur rebel group, which is intended as a framework for a broader peace deal. - Reuters