Saving Africa through song

2004-05-20 07:06

Senegal - Holding hands in a show of solidarity, top African musicians on Wednesday announced a collaborative effort to support an international drive aimed at eradicating extreme poverty and combating Aids.

Troubadours from across Africa - including Ivory Coast's Meiway, Congo's Koffi Olomide and Salif Keita of Mali - flew to the capital of this west African nation to announce their as-yet-unnamed song, scheduled for release on October 17.

"We will bring change to Africa if we make the transformation of the continent our responsibility," Kenyan Afro-Jazz singer Achieng Abura told reporters of the project to support the Millennium Development Goals initiative backed by numerous international lending and development agencies.

Launched by the UN Development Programme, the drive is mobilising Africa's hordes of artists, sports stars, filmmakers and writers to achieve goals of halving the number of Africans living on less than $US1 a day, fighting HIV/Aids and providing universal primary education by 2015.

Before clasping hands, all the artists present - expect Keita, who said his moral commitment was stronger than any piece of paper - signed a document pledging to spread the initiative's message through songs and concerts.

- AP