Bono For Africa Trip, BBC

15 May 2002
Bono For Africa Trip BBC
Bono For Africa Trip BBC
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At first glance, the former chief of an aluminium firm and the rock starappear to have little in common, reports the BBC, previewing next week'sAfrica trip.

U2 star Bono will team up with US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill for a10-day tour of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

O'Neill, the former chief of the world's largest aluminium firm seems tohave little in common with the eccentric Irish rock star.

But Bono's campaigning against third world debt has made headway inWashington DC, with the U2 frontman gaining the ear of the president.

Now Bono will join O'Neill for whistlestop visits to Ghana, Uganda, SouthAfrica and Ethiopia.

The plan was formed after a meeting in O'Neill's office a year ago, adiscussion the treasury secretary says he was initially very reluctant tohave.

"I said, 'He just wants to use me and I don't have time for this'," O'Neillexplained recently.

He relented and agreed to a 30-minute meeting which expanded into a90-minute brainstorming session with O'Neill coming away impressed at thedepth of Bono's knowledge and commitment.

"He understood economic theory and he understood the impact of colonialism.

"He knew what it was like to go into an HIV-AIDS clinic and see three peoplein a bed all dying together and care about it and know it doesn't have to bethat way," O'Neill said.

Bono's interest in Africa goes back at least to U2's participation in LiveAid. He and his wife spent six weeks working in an orphanage in Ethiopia tolearn how bad conditions were.

Since then, he has become a tireless campaigner for debt to be written offand positive action taken to improve life in Africa.

Heavily involved in the Jubilee campaign, he is also a founder of Debt, Aid,Trade for Africa (DATA).

Since the 11 September attacks, leaders in the west have acknowledged thattackling poverty and maintaining global security are linked.

Bono met President George W Bush in March for the announcement of anincrease in the development budget to $40bn (£27.5bn).

At the time he said: "I am a pest. I am a stone in the shoe of a lot ofpeople living here in this town, a squeaky wheel."

But the extra US money comes with conditions with the money being given onlyto countries that are working to fight corruption and reform theireconomies.

O'Neill backs this stance, arguing trillions of dollars in aid has beenwasted. The Africa trip starts on Monday 20 May with O'Neill and Bonovisiting schools, AIDS clinics and various World Bank development projects.

"It is possible for the two of us to see life through each other's eyes,"O'Neill said last week in previewing the trip.

More at news.bbc.co.uk

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