Summit Communications: In late June, the conference on Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Stability in Africa was held here in Sierra Leone, a clear sign of the international community's confidence in your return to peace and stability. Many nations around the world are attempting to reconcile recent tragedies with modernisation and stability. Sierra Leone has been particularly successful and is held up by some people as a model for emulation in terms of the DDR process. Vice President, we are keen to understand why you feel that the peace has taken root here, while in many other countries, it has failed.

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: Well, my simple answer to that is that the leadership in Sierra Leone - the political leadership was highly committed to the achievement of peace and because of that commitment, it was prepared to go to any length to achieve peace; even including making concessions within reasonable terms to the rebels, to the recalcitrant members of the forces and also it succeeded because we put the issue of national reconciliation at the centre of it all. We did not embark on a vendetta against those who had taken up arms against the people and the country. We were determined to bring them all into the fold and live together with them as Sierra Leoneans. They saw the good intention of the government; they saw the commitment of the government; they saw that the government's policies leading up to the signing of the peace and even there after, was not discriminating against those who were against the government or who had taken up arms against the government. So we tried to build confidence that way; and I think that's the cornerstone of whatever success that we've achieved. If for instance we had tried to be high handed and not conciliatory; not allowed the participation of those who had taken up arms, it would have been a little more difficult and if they were not sure that we were committed to achieving peace and building the nation and getting everybody within it and everybody participating in it, I don't think we would have made much head way.

Summit Communications: There are also some innovative measures that have been taken within Sierra Leone such as the Special Court and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: This is all part of it. We founded the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; we provided for and reintegrated combatants into civil society and civil functions, like the Military and the Police. These are the details of the government policies, which were geared towards reconciliation and the reunification of the country.

Summit Communications: As mentioned; the U.N. peacekeepers are set to be phased out completely by the beginning of next year. Vice President, are you confident that Sierra Leone can take care of it's own security once the international troops leave?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: We have no doubt for the moment, and I hope that our confidence is well placed. There are strong reasons to think so. The internal security of this country in all the regions has for sometime now been handed over to our own security forces. The maintenance of security at our borders has also for sometime, been handed over to our military forces and, so far, they have acquitted themselves well. Both the military and the police are displaying real professionalism. Their standards have improved considerably thanks to IMATT. Their orientation too seems to have improved and above all they are better equipped with the tools of their trade - communications equipment and vehicles and so forth - than they have ever been before. All this gives us good reasons to hope that they will be in the position to give us more sustained security than ever before.

Summit Communications: Another issue that we wanted to talk about was agriculture. Two-thirds of the working population are involved in agriculture and the country has massive potential for export going forward. More specifically, we wanted to deal with the food security plan. We know that in co-operation with the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and various NGOs, the government is really working to achieve President Kabbah's pledge that no Sierra Leonean will go to bed hungry by 2007. Could you please share with the readers of the New York Times, your ideas and strategies to achieve that pledge?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: Well of course, as you've pointed out, the potential for agriculture in this country is massive. We have rich and abundant lands. We have an extensive river system; we have rain fall and dry season evenly divided throughout the year. So the raw materials are there. Because of the war, much agricultural infrastructure and many crops, even the cash crops were destroyed or left to lie fallow without being attended. Even the tractors and machinery that were used in agriculture were deliberately destroyed. So when we came back after the war, all those things no longer existed. The government believes that of all its economic activities, the one that we stand to make the greatest success of is agriculture. So President Kabbah made a pledge to do everything we could by 2007 to ensure that no Sierra Leonean goes to bed hungry. That's what we are engaged in now. How are we going to achieve that? Well, there are many countries, which are helping considerably and also international organisations; the FAO being one. The Germans are doing a lot; the Chinese too are doing a lot. We're hoping that other countries including the Egyptians will come in to help. Many people who are well disposed to our plans in this sector, international NGO's such as World Vision are helping. The provision for agriculture in the national budget is at its highest, this time and farm inputs also generously provided for. For the first time we have a large quantity of tractors and farm machinery in the fields. Of course, there is also a re-organisation in the Ministry of Agriculture itself so as to make it more effective and efficient. So with all those things, we think the pledge will be achieved. There are incentives for farmers to return to the land, and increase the size of their farms. We then assist them so as to increase their yield. Stores have been built so as to ensure that the storage of grains so that they don't waste away. All these things are geared towards the attainment of food security by 2007. So we are very hopeful.

Summit Communications: And so you are confident that you will fulfil the President's pledge?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: Yes, I am very hopeful. Of course, the weather is the one variable in all the equations. Take this year, for instance. There was no clear-cut demarcation between the rainy season and dry season and that obviously effects the farming cycle. These are the types of things that we have no control over. But barring these variables, I'm very hopeful.

Summit Communications: It is testament to the renewal of your country that there are so many people now looking to invest here, not just in agriculture but also in mining. Vice President what do you think that these investors who are coming to Sierra Leone, say about the country and also what are the main misconceptions or challenges that you face when you're trying to attract investment to Sierra Leone?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: Well the fact that the investors you've named and many more who are coming have chosen to invest here, says a lot about the present state of affairs in Sierra Leone. The confidence they have in Sierra Leone now; the fact that security is being sustained and that there is peace assures that we've the proper environment for investment. We're increasingly investor friendly as a nation; and are putting all the laws and regulations in place to reassure anyone looking to invest here. We have that type of democratic and economic system and the kind of open door policy that attracts investors. Also, we are working hard to provide electricity round the clock to the western area of Sierra Leone including Freetown. We are working hard to upgrade the Hotel facilities so that investors have somewhere to stay. We are working hard on the roads. Much of our infrastructure was destroyed by the war but the good thing is that by the day we are working day in and day out to put it right.

Summit Communications: Foreign investors have made to us in interviews that the change even in the last two years let alone the last five years has been incredible.

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: That's it. If you had seen the extent of the destruction in this country in 1999 to 2000 you would not believe how far we have come. We urge them to come and see it all change with us. There are also complaints about governance and corruption. One cannot blame them for that. The government that was in place for years before our time was notoriously corrupt and its record of governance was so bad that Sierra Leone acquired some notoriety for that particular reason. Now since 2000 when the war was about to end, we started putting in place actively, mechanisms to combat corruption. It was taboo but now everybody talks about it freely. Before, it was more or else sanctioned by the highest level of government. Now we are trying to root it out wherever we see it. We have already exposed a lot of corruption matters which ironically can count against us as it suggests we are a very corrupt country. However, before it was all always hush hush and only now is it coming to the surface. Our record in terms of governance was similarly bad but now, I can assure you, but now we are putting in place a number of mechanisms to ensure that there is transparency and accountability.

Summit Communications: It's interesting that you mentioned the governance, because just in July there was the very historic decision by the G8 to cancel 40 billion dollars worth of debt. Unfortunately, Sierra Leone missed out on the first round of debt relief. How, would you convince the G8 and others that Sierra Leone 's improvements in governance merit debt relief in the coming years?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: We have put many mechanisms in place to promote good governance, transparency and accountability starting with public procurement of goods and services. That has been the source of the bulk of the corruption. We have now put together a National Procurement Act with rigid procedures on how to carry out procurement for government. Through that single act, we're hoping to be able to eliminate a huge percentage of corruption. We have an independent Auditor-General's Department which audits all financial and other transactions in parts of the government. It used to be a department of the government but now it's an autonomous and wholly independent department, not subject to government control. That will help massively in the accountability process. Then of course we've introduced other measures. We've a system called Public Expenditure Tracking Survey where amounts released by government to go to the provinces for various projects and services are tracked by University students and other people who are traditionally fairly critical of the government, to pursue those amounts to see whether they really get to their destinations and whether they are used for the purpose they were intended. None of these measures would ever have been considered in the times before us but these are new things and although some are already working very effectively, some have teething problems and some are still to really make an impact.

Then to address the corruption itself we now have an Anti-corruption Act which excludes nobody from its purview because we want it to be really effective and transparent. We even have Judges from the United Kingdom who sit on those corruption cases. No local Judge sits on them as ours is such a small society that we have brought foreign Judges to sit on them who don't know any of the possible accused persons appearing before them. We even have foreign Prosecutors who work partly with the Anti-Corruption Commission and together with the Attorney-General's Office to decide which matters, after investigation, deserve to be taken to court or the ones that have no merit. All these are measures that will help in the fight against corruption in the country. All these things are there and many more; all aimed at enhancing accountability, transparency and governance.

Summit Communications: The World Bank recently approved Sierra Leone's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. How does this fit into this general progress towards better governance, more transparency and economic growth?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: The PRSP is divided into several pillars dealing with governance and transparency, of course, agricultural development and security. This shows the importance we give to those first few topics. They take centre stage in the PRSP by emphasising them we want to be able to tackle these within the first three years of the implementation of the PRSP.

Summit Communications: Obviously our reports are going to be published in the New York Times, which is considered to be the most powerful print audience in the United States. The United States has been a very strong supporter of peace, stability and development in Sierra Leone and outside of Europe, is the largest bi-lateral trading partner for Sierra Leone. My question to you Vice President is, what do you feel are the most important opportunities to highlight for U.S. How can donor aids and cooperate investment best be used for Sierra Leone?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: The last area you mentioned corporate investment is the most important. I want to be able to get as many U.S investors to come and invest in Sierra Leone. Now is the right time. You can see many Chinese investors are coming here. We would love the U.S Citizens and corporate bodies to come as well.

Of course we want to be able to trade in our own commodities with the US. We're beneficiaries of AGOA Programme in the US. Because our agriculture was damaged in the war it will take us some time to benefit fully from the AGOA programme. We would also want the US to continue to be supportive of us in financing and discussing in Sierra Leone in International Financial Institutions because if we're not able to meet the expectations of our people, to provide for their needs and fulfil the expectations they had after the war, the peace dividend they were looking forward to; if we're not assisted to be able to provide that for them, we may have a number of discontents again that may even endanger our peace and security. We need more assistance to revamp our economy and to improve our social infrastructure. Of course, the US has done quite a lot in that area. They have built a lot of schools, in Kabala and Kailahun and USAID has put up a hospital in Kono and Kailahun. Of course you know if you are asking for assistance from your big brother, then you expect more than if you were asking for assistance from a pure stranger. So we expect the US to really help us on the path to economic development and social transformation.

Summit Communications: There is something else that we want to touch on within the interview. As you can see from the previous reports we don't only interview the institutions, the ministries or the companies in a country. We are also very interested in speaking to the leading personalities. Vice President, you are mentioned as the leading candidate for the Presidency for the elections in 2007. Please share with the readers of the New York Times which of your achievements so far in your political career, be it as a Vice President; be it as Attorney-General, has given you the most satisfaction?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: Satisfaction in terms of meaning accomplishment? Well, I think the one single thing which I look upon and feel quite satisfied about is, the way I handled the Peace Process. It was not an easy task and the fact that it has stuck, the way it has given comfort to every Sierra Leonean and the way it has made Sierra Leone become normal gradually again is the one thing that gives me most satisfaction. Of course, as Attorney General, I succeeded in re-establishing democratic order back in Sierra Leone after the military coups and so forth. You know, we came in just after a Military Junta. So that means we had to remove all the decrees of the Military Junta from our laws and introduce democratic governance. As Attorney General, I was very much responsible for that and again that is something that I feel satisfied about. The way I went about it has helped to sustain us as a democratic country and we are just improving upon them now. Then of course, as Vice President, I am very satisfied working with the President very closely; in trying to articulate his policies and in helping to develop them. They are policies, which I believe, need to be continued with which is one of my motivations for going into the presidential race. Most of them are good policies but they could not all materialise in the term of office of the present President, President Kabbah. His two terms have expired. He has to go and he wants to go. If he goes and a strange new person comes who might wish to dismantle his legacy then we won't be going forward. It would be a retrogression. So that is one of the things I wish to be able to see through.

Summit Communications: I am approaching the end of my interview, I would like to introduce my next question with the words of another great statesman, Nelson Mandela. He said and I quote "After climbing a great hill, one only finds out that there are many more hills to climb." You've travelled a long way since you began your political career and it may be you have a much longer way to travel in the future. What are your hopes and aspirations for Sierra Leone in the coming years and what is the political legacy you personally would like to leave here in this country?

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: My hope for Sierra Leone really is that Sierra Leone continues to be a peaceful and secure country, without sectarian divide; either tribal or religious. I want it to remain as a united country with every Sierra Leonean being able to live anywhere in Sierra Leone without any hindrance. I also wish to see Sierra Leone developed and prosperous. We want all our citizens to feel that they have a stake in the nation and for them to all share in the benefits that could flow from development to be able to have a good standard of education for their children; good medical services and good transportation. Those things which one accepts as normal in any modern state mean that you won't allow somebody to come and trouble your country and send you running as asylum seeker somewhere else. That is the type of country I would like Sierra Leone to be. You go to bed; you sleep fine. You wake up in the morning, have breakfast, have lunch. You have dinner. When members of your family are ill, there is a hospital to go to. There is school for your children that you are able to afford. That is the sort of vision I have for this country. I have no doubt that if we continue the way we are going, we will be able to achieve them before long. It is a small country so it is very easy for these things to happen. We are a very wealthy country in terms of minerals and arable land. We have a young population.

Summit Communications: I would like to give you the opportunity to send a last direct message of friendship or of invitation to the readers of the New York Times. Please go ahead.

Vice-President Solomon Berewa: Well it has been a great privilege and opportunity for me to talk to any body who might read this interview and of course, I hope the things that I'll ask for will not fall on deaf ears. We need assistance. Our country could easily become a small Switzerland in West Africa; but if we are abandoned now, we stand the risk of losing even the small gains we have made. It would be a real disaster for a country that has made so many strides towards peace to slide back into insecurity for want of international support.