Bono joins leaders in the name of poverty

BONO appeared alongside British Prime Minister Tony Blair and ex-US president Bill Clinton yesterday to urge the world to tackle the growing poverty crisis in Africa.

The U2 frontman said there was now an “historic opportunity” for the world to make a difference in Africa.

“We are expecting a lot from this prime minister and I think we are right to do so,” he said.

“I suppose my job as a rock star and activist is to bring applause when people do right and make their lives a misery when they don’t.” He added that tough decisions must be made.

“I think I have some use here to encourage people to take some unpopular decisions at home and to do the right thing on the global stage,” Bono said.

Mr Blair took his message to the glitzy surrounds of the world economic forum in Davos.

The annual gathering in the exclusive Swiss ski resort attracts some 2,500 political and business leaders from around the world.

Flanked by Bono and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Mr Blair told a packed news conference that it was “not sensible” to leave Africa in its present state.

“A few years ago I described Africa as a scar on the conscience of the world,” he said.

“The facts as we see them and as they are happening in the daily lives of people in Africa are so shocking, it almost defies our imagination,” Mr Blair added.

Mr Clinton acknowledged that in the past there had not been popular pressure in the US for the country to give more.

“We never created an effective political constituency but it is coming,” Mr Clinton said.