Blair To Vist Ghana Next Month

The Prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, will visit Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Sierra Leone in February. Details of the trip are not yet available

In his conference speech last October, Blair said that Africa is a 'scar on the conscience of the world'. Whether he has anything more than a sticking plaster to offer as a cure will soon become clear.

The Prime Minister's African odyssey has taken two years to plan. The events of 11 September and Blair's desire in his second term to make his mark on history have given added impetus. Blair has told colleagues that Britain has paid little more than lip service to the problems of Africa for too long. With the country's colonial history, it has a duty to attempt to aid conciliation.

Blair asked for a 'bundle of material' to be collated on the major African issues by officials. During his summer holidays he read not only about the Middle East and Islam's role in the world, but also about Central Africa, the intractable problems of Rwanda, development issues and aid. He started telling his inner circle that foreign affairs was to be a major theme of this Government.

The African alliance, cemented when Blair invited six African leaders to Chequers the week after 11 September, has to be kept onside. It is only by showing willing on development aid and support for economic reform that Blair can hope to stop the coalition falling apart over future American action against Somalia and possibly Sudan. Aides have said that the Blair mission will have a different feel to it. Fewer state occasions, more visits to 'ordinary people'.