Ex-British PM ends visit to Guinea

CONAKRY - Former British prime minister Tony Blair ended his day-long visit in Guinea to seek closer cooperation with the West African country, the presidency said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a conference jointly organized on Monday with President Alpha Conde, Blair said he was in Guinea to help promote the country's economy.

Accompanied by some other members of his institution, the Africa Governance Initiative, Blair said he will lobby the international community and other investors to come and invest in Guinea.

He said Guinea has the potentials which will attract investors. The visiting former British prime minister pledged his institution will help improve the daily life of the ordinary Guinean and to redress completely the Guinea's economy.

Blair praised President Conde for his commitment to curb poverty in Guinea. He said he is very much impressed by President Conde's zero tolerance against corruption and his move towards promoting good governance in Guinea.

President Conde, for his part, commended Blair for promising to help improve Guinea's economy, saying he has no doubt that his aim will go through.

It was the second time Blair had visited Guinea this year. In July, he briefly visited Guinea in a bid to introduce his institution to his long-time friend Conde.

The Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative was founded in 2008 and is now operational in Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia and Guinea.