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U2's Bono Wins Fans at Davos
DAVOS, Switzerland (AFX) - He is here, he said, to raise awareness about the plight of Africa, and, as he puts it, to "bring applause when people get it right and to make their lives a misery when they don't."
That's Bono, the rock star turned international development activist, whose presence at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting has become more than just a celebrity publicity event.
Bono's deep familiarity with the issues surrounding debt relief and other development challenges - which he has been interested in since the 1980s -- and an outspoken eloquence has won him acceptance and accolades among the more than 2,200 business and political leaders gathered in this small Swiss ski resort.
"When you have a celebrity who is knowledgeable and articulate, I support it," said Edward Kangas, non-executive chairman of Tenet Healthcare, when asked about Bono's high profile at Davos.
Sporting his trademark tinted, wraparound glasses, though in brown here instead of blue, Bono appeared completely at ease elbow-to-elbow with presidents, corporate tycoons and academics.
He easily stole the show, on a panel examining the role of the Group of Eight rich countries in helping Africa emerge from poverty, from the likes of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former president Bill Clinton, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Olusegun Obasanjo, president of Nigeria and Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.
Convincing presence
At an earlier press conference with Blair and Gates, Bono remained silent until called upon by Blair and then convincingly laid out his views on poverty reduction, the fight against malaria and why the rich countries should help fix the problems.
He is among the clearest when it comes to making the case that it is in the rich world's self interest to raise the continent's hundreds of millions out of poverty.
He suggested that American and other rich country consumer brands were suffering in the developing world because there was a growing perception of the injustice of the current state of the world economy.
"Shopping becomes politics in the 21st century," he said.
Bono praised the Bush administration for launching the global AIDS fund and the Millennium Challenge, aimed at raising a combined $25 billion to fight HIV and poverty, calling the effort a "one-two knockout punch for poverty."
But he urged the United States to push ahead with its pledge to commit $5 billion to the fight this year.
"At the moment we hear they are slipping back on their commitment. We hear the number is going to be lower and that is really, really disappointing. The U.S. should stand by those two initiatives. In terms of value for money, which is what the American people want, there is no better value for money."
DAVOS, Switzerland (AFX) - He is here, he said, to raise awareness about the plight of Africa, and, as he puts it, to "bring applause when people get it right and to make their lives a misery when they don't."
That's Bono, the rock star turned international development activist, whose presence at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting has become more than just a celebrity publicity event.
Bono's deep familiarity with the issues surrounding debt relief and other development challenges - which he has been interested in since the 1980s -- and an outspoken eloquence has won him acceptance and accolades among the more than 2,200 business and political leaders gathered in this small Swiss ski resort.
"When you have a celebrity who is knowledgeable and articulate, I support it," said Edward Kangas, non-executive chairman of Tenet Healthcare, when asked about Bono's high profile at Davos.
Sporting his trademark tinted, wraparound glasses, though in brown here instead of blue, Bono appeared completely at ease elbow-to-elbow with presidents, corporate tycoons and academics.
He easily stole the show, on a panel examining the role of the Group of Eight rich countries in helping Africa emerge from poverty, from the likes of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former president Bill Clinton, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Olusegun Obasanjo, president of Nigeria and Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.
Convincing presence
At an earlier press conference with Blair and Gates, Bono remained silent until called upon by Blair and then convincingly laid out his views on poverty reduction, the fight against malaria and why the rich countries should help fix the problems.
He is among the clearest when it comes to making the case that it is in the rich world's self interest to raise the continent's hundreds of millions out of poverty.
He suggested that American and other rich country consumer brands were suffering in the developing world because there was a growing perception of the injustice of the current state of the world economy.
"Shopping becomes politics in the 21st century," he said.
Bono praised the Bush administration for launching the global AIDS fund and the Millennium Challenge, aimed at raising a combined $25 billion to fight HIV and poverty, calling the effort a "one-two knockout punch for poverty."
But he urged the United States to push ahead with its pledge to commit $5 billion to the fight this year.
"At the moment we hear they are slipping back on their commitment. We hear the number is going to be lower and that is really, really disappointing. The U.S. should stand by those two initiatives. In terms of value for money, which is what the American people want, there is no better value for money."
