Bono echoes call for Edinburgh rally
Rock star Bono today called for a mass movement to Edinburgh to force world leaders to meet commitments made to wipe out the debt of the poorest nations on the planet.
The U2 frontman, who has campaigned for debt relief for the last seven years, said the agreement by the world’s most powerful countries was a great moment.
“Politicians love to sign cheques but they hate cashing them and there will be a lot of rhetoric around this G8,” Bono said.
“The reason why we have to turn up en masse at this golf course – the eight most powerful men in the world are meeting on a golf course in Scotland – if we don’t the debt piece that happened, that will stay, but all the other pieces which are as important or more important, they will fudge.
“We have to give our politicians permission to spend our money and that is why Live 8 is so important.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown announced the deal which will eventually assist 38 countries as leaders prepared for the G8 full summit at Gleneagles in Scotland next month.
Annual repayments of 1-2 billion US dollars from up to 38 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, will be wiped out under the agreement struck by G8 finance ministers who met in London.
The G8 deal means 1.5 billion will be offered in debt relief per year to the initial 18 eligible nations, but MPH campaigners claim they need 10 billion a year.
Bono told RTE Radio: “This was much bigger than all of us. A great moment actually, one of the greatest moments of my life.”
But campaigners said they also hope to secure an annual commitment of 50 billion in aid from donor countries and a rapid move towards the target of offering 0.7% of national income in aid.
The debts are owed to the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and African Development Fund.
Speaking from Cologne on a leg of U2’s European tour Bono insisted the main problem in Africa remained corrupt governments.
“These countries which have their debts cancelled are only the countries we can be sure the money will be spent well in,” the rock star said.
“There will be mistakes, but all in all I think we have confidence that this will only go to the countries that are tackling corruption and where there is a clear and transparent process.”
Bono said he wanted to see Ireland take the lead in Europe in the campaign for development aid.
