CAIRO (AFP) – Egypt is to host a reconstruction conference for the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan on March 21, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

"The conference for the development and reconstruction of Darfur will be hosted by Egypt on March 21," ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in a statement that did not give details about who would attend.

The announcement followed talks between Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the meeting's co-sponsor.

Ihsanoglu and Abul Gheit also discussed Egypt's succession of the OIC presidency next year as well as its role as host for the organisation's 2011 summit, Zaki said.

The Jeddah-based OIC with its 57 members is the world's largest Islamic assembly.