Blair, Geldof to help Africa

2004-10-05 14:02

London - Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has called Africa's poverty and Aids crisis "a scar on the conscience of the world," was leaving on Tuesday for Ethiopia, where he planned to join Band Aid star Bob Geldof in exploring new ways of helping the continent.

A week ago, Blair emphasised his long-standing concerns about Africa by inviting rock star Bono to make a speech at the governing Labour Party's national conference.

The front man of the Irish band U2, a well known activist for the world's poor, urged Europe and the United States to do more to help Africa with its problems, saying it was "bursting into flames."

Bono said 6 500 Africans were "dying a day of treatable, preventable disease, dying for want of medicines you and I can get at our local chemist."

Blair, who last week underwent an operation to correct an irregular heartbeat, decided to go ahead with his three-day trip to Ethiopia, where he was to attend the second session of his Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa. He was to be joined there by Geldof, the Irish rocker whose fund-raising campaign 20 years ago raised millions in donations from around the world for the starving of Ethiopia.

Help Africa help itself

The commission plans to report about the current situation there in time for its findings to be discussed by the Group of Eight industrialised nations when they meet next year in Britain.

Blair has promised to make the plight of Africa one of the twin focuses of his G-8 chairmanship, along with climate change.

The goal of the commission, which begins meeting on Thursday, "is to help Africa help itself," with problems such as Aids, conflicts, weak governance and corruption, Blair's spokesperson said.

"It's important that Africa sees this report has been produced with Africa, rather than for Africa, and that's why it is important we meet in Addis Ababa," he said on condition of anonymity.

"What the prime minister wants is a report which reflects the reality of what works and what doesn't work in Africa," he said, adding that nobody expects "instant solutions" to "deep and entrenched" problems.

Blair also was to make a speech on world poverty during his visit.

- AP