Blair Embarks on Farewell Trip to Africa

Tony Blair set off on a farewell tour of Africa today, his last major trip before he steps down as prime minister next month.

During the next five days, the premier will visit Libya, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Mr Blair was the first British leader in 60 years to visit Libya in 2004, after Colonel Gadafy agreed to give up developing nuclear weapons and handed over agents blamed for the Lockerbie airplane bombing.

This week's trip to the continent is designed to highlight the issues of aid, climate change and fair trade.

A spokeswoman for Mr Blair said he hopes it will "build momentum for progress" ahead of the crucial G8 international summit in Germany next month.

Downing Street said that "all three countries he will visit illustrate, in different ways, the benefits of this government's active, values-driven foreign policy engagement with Africa".

Mr Blair is due to hold talks with the South African president, Thabo Mbeki, and will give a speech on African policy while he is visiting the country on Thursday and Friday.

His trip to Sierra Leone is expected to be warmly received. In 2000, deployment of British troops helped end a lengthy civil war characterized by atrocities against civilians.

Mr Blair has devoted more of his time in office to Africa than many other British prime ministers, putting Africa at the heart of the UK's agenda for its presidency of the European Union.

He hopes the trip will demonstrate his commitment to Africa and reiterate the message that the G8 countries need to deliver on the promises they made at the Gleneagles summit in 2005. The world leaders agreed to double aid to African nations and write off debts totaling more than £20bn.

Mr Blair will also seek new pledges on education and Aids at this year's summit.

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, will also be high on the agenda as Mr Blair talks with African leaders.

He will also call for more support for the African Union's efforts to train and deploy African peacekeepers in areas like Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.