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Reason To Celebrate: Sierra Leone's Marks Its 50th Anniversary of Independence

Tony Blair congratulated Sierra Leone on its 50th anniversary of independence today. On the 27th April, Golden Jubilee celebrations will take place throughout a country which has seen remarkable progress ten years since the end of its civil war.

In a video address to the people of Sierra Leone (above) Tony Blair said,

"It’s true that this country has come through some tough times in the past 50 years - not least the devastation of the ten year civil war. But it is wonderful to see how far Sierra Leone has come since then, only a decade after the British military helped to end that war. The country has seen two sets of free and fair elections, its first peaceful transfer of power and, according to the World Bank, one of the fastest improvements in political stability of any country in the world."

For Tony Blair, Sierra Leone holds a special significance. As a boy, his father taught in Freetown's Fourah Bay College. It was during his premiership that British troops were able to end the civil war. And now the Africa Governance Initiative, the charity he founded upon leaving office, works with President Koroma and the government of Sierra Leone to foster better governance and sustainable economic development. Teams of public and private sector experts work to develop the capacity to continue Sierra Leone's transformation, supporting President Koroma to deliver his priorities of health, agriculture and private sector development. Another of Tony Blair's charities, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation has also begun work on interfaith relations in Sierra Leone.