Blair wraps up two-day visit to Sierra Leone

Former prime minister Tony Blair left Sierra Leone Wednesday after a two-day visit to promote tourism to the war-torn West African country and bolster good governance.

Blair held closed door discussions with several ministers in the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown before setting off, presidential press secretary Shekito Tarawallie told AFP.

According to state radio Blair also met with president Ernest Koroma and praised his stance on good governance and democracy.

The ex-premier is credited with playing an important role in ending the brutal 1991-2001 civil war that tore apart the country.

He has taken up Sierra Leone's case and with his Africa Governance Initiative launched after he stepped down as prime minister in June 2007, he has provided a special technical assistance team to the country.

The team "is working hard to rebrand the country as Sierra Leone, an exemplary nation that has lots of potential that needs to be utilised to ensure the desired results," the radio quoted Blair as saying.

The authorities here said Blair has established a liaison office in Freetown with a number of British interns attached to various ministries to boost their productivity and visibility.

The move is described by Information and Communication Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo as "a means to share experience and learn from each other".

On Wednesday Blair visited one of Freetown's beaches and spoke with the head of the national tourism board to focus attention on Sierra Leone as a holiday destination.