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EU's Barroso to Join Bono in Africa Appeal
Associated Press
BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Wednesday he would use a meeting with U2 singer Bono to appeal to government leaders to double development aid to Africa and other poor regions over the next 10 years.
Barroso said he hoped leaders of the 25 EU nations would back the plan at a summit meeting next week.
"With decisions on the European constitution and future budget on the table, there is a risk that important decisions on EU aid fall away from the public eye," said Barroso who meets the campaigning Irish rock star Thursday.
"My determination is clear: not let the issue of Africa fall back in the political landscape," he added.
Ministers from the EU nations have already endorsed the aid plan, which aims to take the EU's €46 billion (US$57 billion) annual development aid to over €90 billion (US$111 billion) by 2015. However Germany, Italy and Portugal have expressed reservations, citing an economic slowdown.
Bono and other music artists and movie stars have backed a worldwide campaign, the Global Call to Action against Poverty, aiming to push richer Western governments to boost aid and offer better trade deals to poorer countries.
Bono is to participate among other stars in a five-city concert next month to push governments to find a solution to African poverty.
Barroso said he hoped the European nations would take a lead on aid ahead of the G8 meeting of the world's economic powers in Scotland next month where aid to the poor is expected to top the agenda.
Associated Press
BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Wednesday he would use a meeting with U2 singer Bono to appeal to government leaders to double development aid to Africa and other poor regions over the next 10 years.
Barroso said he hoped leaders of the 25 EU nations would back the plan at a summit meeting next week.
"With decisions on the European constitution and future budget on the table, there is a risk that important decisions on EU aid fall away from the public eye," said Barroso who meets the campaigning Irish rock star Thursday.
"My determination is clear: not let the issue of Africa fall back in the political landscape," he added.
Ministers from the EU nations have already endorsed the aid plan, which aims to take the EU's €46 billion (US$57 billion) annual development aid to over €90 billion (US$111 billion) by 2015. However Germany, Italy and Portugal have expressed reservations, citing an economic slowdown.
Bono and other music artists and movie stars have backed a worldwide campaign, the Global Call to Action against Poverty, aiming to push richer Western governments to boost aid and offer better trade deals to poorer countries.
Bono is to participate among other stars in a five-city concert next month to push governments to find a solution to African poverty.
Barroso said he hoped the European nations would take a lead on aid ahead of the G8 meeting of the world's economic powers in Scotland next month where aid to the poor is expected to top the agenda.
