The upper house of the U.S. Congress has approved $300 million to help victims of violence in west Sudan's Darfur region and support peace talks between the Khartoum government and southern rebels.
The senate bill, passed Tuesday, also calls for sanctions on Sudan's government and authorizes money for the deployment of more African peacekeepers in Darfur.
Earlier, a top U.N. official warned of impending chaos in the Darfur region - blaming both the Khartoum government and rebels for the worsening situation in the 22-month conflict.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Richard Lugar said the Darfur crisis shows the "importance of a long-term investment in Africa's future."
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
