Powell, who flew in to the Kenyan capital from a tour of earthquake and flood-stricken southern Asia, will attend the historic signing of the agreement on Sunday, aimed at ending a 21-year-old conflict which has killed some 1.5 million people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

The outgoing secretary of state is due to look on as Sudan's President Omar el-Beshir and Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) leader John Garang ink the document that will put oil-rich southern Sudan on the way to peace.

Powell is scheduled to meet Sudanese leaders and discuss ways of ending 22 months of another conflict in the country's western region of Darfur, as well as confer with Kenyan government officials.

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