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Blair set for Sierra Leone visit Blair set for Sierra Leone visit
(about 1 hour later)
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to arrive in Sierra Leone on the second leg of a week-long tour of Africa.UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to arrive in Sierra Leone on the second leg of a week-long tour of Africa.
Mr Blair, who sent troops to the West African state in the early days of his premiership, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.Mr Blair, who sent troops to the West African state in the early days of his premiership, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.
On his last major tour before he steps down as prime minister, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He is also due to be made a paramount chief - taken as a sign of how respected he is in the country.
He said relations between the countries had been "transformed" in recent years. On his last major tour before he steps down, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The BBC's Will Ross, in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown, said Mr Blair is hugely popular there because of his decision to send troops in 2000. Mr Blair is hugely popular in Sierra Leone because of his decision to send in several hundreds troops in 2000 - an intervention which proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over the country.
The intervention of several hundred British soldiers proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over the country. One man even named his son after the British leader, but while Mr Blair will be visiting a primary school during his brief visit it will not be the one that Tony Blair Kamara attends.
He will also see a display by the new army and police force. British troops have led efforts to rebuild the national army since 2000.
'Continuing engagement''Continuing engagement'
The outgoing British leader will hold talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, will be held.
Sierra Leone is expected to hold presidential elections in August - the first poll since UN peacekeepers left in 2005.Sierra Leone is expected to hold presidential elections in August - the first poll since UN peacekeepers left in 2005.
A spokesman for Mr Blair said the elections were possible only "because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves".A spokesman for Mr Blair said the elections were possible only "because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves".
Sierra Leone is now stable but it remains desperately poor and high levels of corruption are a major problem.
Many people would like to see donor countries like Britain put more pressure on the government of Sierra Leone to ensure aid reaches the people who need it.
The prime minister had said he hoped his tour would help to focus attention on Africa and climate change in the run-up to the G8 summit.The prime minister had said he hoped his tour would help to focus attention on Africa and climate change in the run-up to the G8 summit.
On Monday, the prime minister described his meeting with Muammar Gaddafi as "positive", saying relations between the two countries had been "completely transformed" in the years since Libya gave up its nuclear arms ambitions.On Monday, the prime minister described his meeting with Muammar Gaddafi as "positive", saying relations between the two countries had been "completely transformed" in the years since Libya gave up its nuclear arms ambitions.
He said the transformation could provide a precedent for Iran.He said the transformation could provide a precedent for Iran.