Kuwait has donated 500 million dollars for the development of east Sudan, the Gulf state's foreign minister said Wednesday at the start of an international conference for donors and investors.

"I am pleased to announce the donation by the state of Kuwait of 500 million dollars for east Sudan development," Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah announced at the opening ceremony.

Sheikh Mohammad said 450 million dollars would be in the form of development projects to be carried out by the state-run Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the remaining 50 million dollars as a grant for social projects.