Bono calls for aid reform

Irish star Bono was expected today to urge EU development ministers to reform aid development in Africa as a matter of urgency.

The U2 star was addressing representatives from all 25 EU states at the informal summit in Dublin Castle.

He claims European policies on trade, debt and its joint failure to keep to a promise to give 0.7% of GNP in aid are part of the reason for Africa’s extreme poverty.

Despite certain progress, a major breakthrough is needed if Africa is to meet the millennium development poverty goals that all European countries have signed up to, he will insist.

Ministers were being urged to campaign hard in their own countries for a Marshall-type plan for Africa to be introduced next year.

Bono was also due to speak to Hilary Benn, British International Development Secretary, about imminent decisions on the UK budget which campaigners claim could see increases to overseas aid affected by competition from domestic and defence spending.

Data (Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa), the organisation co-founded by Bono and Bob Geldof, is calling on the UK to announce a large increase for the Department for International Development to tackle the Aids emergency and extreme poverty in Africa.

Activists have also called on the British government to announce a timetable by which the UK will meet the O.7% target.

Bono and Geldof have written to all UK MPs calling on them to urge both Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown to dramatically increase the aid budget beyond 0.4% GNI in the next budget.

The letter highlights Britain’s chairmanship of the G8 next year, describing it as a “a unique opportunity to lead an historic initiative for Africa”.