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Blair begins Sierra Leone visit Blair attacks Africa trip critics
(about 4 hours later)
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has arrived in Sierra Leone on the second leg of a week-long tour of Africa. Prime Minister Tony Blair has attacked UK critics of his week-long trip to Africa, after receiving a warm welcome on his arrival in Sierra Leone.
Mr Blair, who sent peacekeeping troops there in his first term of office, is expected to meet the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. Mr Blair's trip, just before he steps down as PM, has been dubbed a "vanity tour" by some UK newspapers.
He is also due to be made a paramount chief in the West African state - a mark of respect in the country. But Mr Blair said: "The one thing I have come to despise more than anything else in my 10 years is cynicism".
On his last major tour before he steps down, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He said there had been real progress in Sierra Leone where he sent peacekeeping troops during his first term of office.
Mr Blair is a popular figure 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 move made him a popular figure in the West African state, as it proved decisive in preventing rebels from taking over.
During his visit he will see a display by the new army and police force. British troops have led efforts to rebuild the national army since 2000. Paramount chief
'Continuing engagement' He is due to be made a paramount chief later - a mark of respect in the country - during a ceremony in the village of Mahera.
Talks with President Kabbah and the leader of neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, will be held. Speaking after talks with the country's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mr Blair said: "However ferocious the challenges are in this part of Africa it's better to intervene and try to make a difference than stay out and try to cope with the consequences at a later time."
All I'm saying to cynics back home is if we care it might make a difference Tony Blair
Asked about criticism of his visit, Mr Blair said just a few years ago Sierra Leone had been in danger of being taken over by gangsters - while today it was approaching elections.
"I don't say that is perfection, but I say it's a darned sight better than it was before," he said.
"All I'm saying to cynics back home is if we care it might make a difference and making a difference is what politics should be about."
Corruption problem
During his visit he saw a display by the new army and police force. British troops have led efforts to rebuild the national army since 2000.
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". It is now stable but it remains desperately poor and high levels of corruption are a major problem.
Sierra Leone is now stable but it remains desperately poor and high levels of corruption are a major problem. Mr Blair inspected a guard of honour at Lungi airport
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.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.
Asked by local reporters about allegations of poor governance in Sierra Leone, Mr Blair admitted development was "painfully slow" but said he was sure President Kabbah would do everything he could to make the forthcoming elections free and fair.
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. EU reserve
He said the transformation could provide a precedent for Iran. He is also calling for a strengthened African Union peacekeeping force, to intervene in the continent's conflicts, backed by a £25m reserve fund from the EU.
"Had we not intervened here we would have been unable to set Africa's beneficial path going," he said.
"If we hadn't decided to make that intervention (then) not just this country but the countries of the whole of this area would have been adversely affected."
He added: "Yes it's Africa's responsibility for peacekeeping, but we in the West have a responsibility to fund it, to help to train the force and with logistics. If we do not do that, the impact is faced not just here but in the wider world."
On his last major tour before he steps down as prime minister at the end of June, Mr Blair has already held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.