(05-15-2006) Gordon Brown, Bono, Others to Discuss Aid for Africa -- AllAfrica.com*

[dsmith2904]

PanAfrica: Gordon Brown, Saches Kaberuka, Bono, Others to Discuss $25bn Aid for Africa

Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor
Abuja

A HIGH powered international development conference on Africa development is billed to hold in Abuja later this month. The conference is to discuss how the $25billion aid provided by development partners would be spent, among other issues. Top global development experts and ministers across the continent are expected to be in Abuja later to attend the crucial conference to discuss issues related to increasing aid and reaching the 2015 target for attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa. The theme of the conference is Financing for Development; from Commitment to Action. The conference is being organised by the Federal Government in collaboration with the African Development Bank, ADB.

Disclosing this in Lagos on Friday, Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, said that hitherto issues related to Africa development were conceived and developed out side Africa but that the tale has changed and Africa issues are to be discussed and developed within Africa. She said Nigeria is hosting the first of such meetings which in the future will rotate among Africa countries.

According to the finance minister, "Among those expected at the conference are British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gordon Brown; President of the African Development Bank (ADB), Mr. Donald Kaberuka; Chairman of the African Union, Prime Minister of Mozambique, Ms Louisa Diogo and famous rock musician and activist, Bono (real name: Paul Hewson). Also expected to participate at the conference are Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Abdoulie Janneh; Senegal's Minister of Finance, Bourkinabe Minister of Education, Mr. Mafhieu Quedrougo and many others".

She said "The forthcoming conference is a fall out from the commitments made by the group of eight industrialised countries (G8) and the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2005 to support the implementation of the MDGs. The conference will focus on addressing the challenges of translating these commitments to action by coming up with strategies to encourage the industrialized nations to fulfil their pledges. To achieve this, the conference will examine the impediments in the way of achieving these objectives and proffer solutions to ensure that Africa's development partners deliver on the G8 and UNGA commitments of increased assistance.

--AllAfrica.com

 

[Jamila]

According to the finance minister, "Among those expected at the conference are British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gordon Brown; President of the African Development Bank (ADB), Mr. Donald Kaberuka; Chairman of the African Union, Prime Minister of Mozambique, Ms Louisa Diogo and famous rock musician and activist, Bono (real name: Paul Hewson). Also expected to participate at the conference are Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Abdoulie Janneh; Senegal's Minister of Finance, Bourkinabe Minister of Education, Mr. Mafhieu Quedrougo and many others".



Probably another reason why Bono is travelling to Africa during the next ten days.


It's always nice to walk into one of these meetings with some updated facts (positive and negative) with you.


Gotta love Bono....

 

[sue4u2]

This is an excellent article on a conference call between Bono, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown:

Belfast Telegraph Home > News

Still optimistic, but no sleep until G8 promises fulfilled
Bono has a conference call with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to discuss their shared vision for the prospects of the continent
16 May 2006

Bono: There is a report in The Independent which has the most shocking statistics concerning global warning. It says that Africa will be the worst hit from global warming, which is going to cause huge problems in terms of crop failures and so on. Is this something you are aware of?

Tony Blair: It underscores the need to get an international agreement when Kyoto expires and to make sure that that agreement incorporates all the big countries like America, China, India, the EU and Japan. If we fail to do that, then it is a very serious situation indeed and the poorest are the most vulnerable.

B: Is this an opportunity for the United Kingdom to lead the way in terms of the new industries, like the way Brazil is leading on fuel alternatives, such as ethanol and other biofuels?

TB: We can play a lead role in terms of the science and the technology, but the critical thing is that business will develop these ideas if they are given a binding framework and it becomes in their interest. But this won't happen unless you get an international agreement that incorporates the big players. We are doing whatever we can in this country.

B: Chancellor, can I ask you to comment, and bear in mind countries like Sweden that have made such vast progress to using non-fossil fuels?

Gordon Brown: The international agreement is what we should be looking for. What is incredibly exciting is the World Bank's proposal of loan and grant facilities to developing countries to look at alternative sources of energy and energy efficiency. There is a challenge, but there is also an opportunity.

B: Chancellor, I've just got back from a trip to Washington, where your announcement of $15bn over 10 years for education for the poorest of the poor created a real reverberation. Are you worried that some of your other G8 partners and finance ministers are not coming up with new initiatives to match this and are in fact failing to honour existing ones?

Read the rest..

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=691252