Ethiopia worse than I thought - Geldof

Food shortages in drought-stricken Ethiopia are worse than feared with millions at risk of starvation, Bob Geldof said today.

The rock star, who was on the final day of a visit to the famine-hit nation, warned that the lack of provisions equated to “criminal negligence”.

“I’m just as pissed off now as I was in the beginning. What I saw was worse than I imagined,” he told a press conference at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at the Addis Ababa University.

Live Aid campaigner Geldof, who travelled to the northern highlands which were worst hit in the famine of 1984, said that the latest figures showed there was a 20% shortfall in aid and 235,000 tonnes of supplies were needed.

Describing it as an “enormous tragedy”, he added: “If the EU can’t rapidly resolve this problem in four to five weeks the estimated shortfall will rise to about 30%.

“Some NGOs (non-Governmental Organisations) believe there are up to 18 million people at risk.”

Geldof added: “Bush and Blair and Clinton ... sat and watched Live Aid in 84 when they put their hands in their pocket after seeing the state of this country.

“Why is it now they are in a position to do something about it, but they are choosing to ignore it?”

He said that it was not necessary to hold another Live Aid Concert, which succeeded in raising the profile of Ethiopia, adding “There’s no point doing another crap single.”

The former Boomtown Rats star criticised Europe for wasting money on storing, then destroying surplus food.

“Why the f**k can’t we just give food to NGOs to help these people who are in desperate need?” he said.

He added: “I’m a citizen of Europe. The EU has my money and I want the people in power to put my money where it is needed and stop these tragic events happening in Africa.”

“These politicians have been warned and won’t be able to make excuses in the coming months.”

He blasted the “bickering” EU for its “incoherent infrastructure” and said he believed Ethiopia would not even be mentioned during the G8 summit of the main industrialised nations in Evian, France, tomorrow.

He also called on the Ethiopian government, which he described as more stable than in the 80s, to provide help.

During his trip, Geldof has also visited health and youth workers who are battling to control the spread of HIV/AIDS.