June 18, 2008 18:39

Bono, Bob Geldof push for more African aid

New report says G8 countries are 'off track'

Photo Gallery: U2

U2's Bono and Bob Geldof are pushing world leaders to make good on their promises to give more financial aid to Africa.

The politically active rockers presented a new report that estimates that the Group of Eight of the world's wealthiest countries have only given a small fraction of the amount they pledged in 2005 to donate to Africa by 2010.

"What this big, long, exact, cold and brutal analysis shows us is that halfway to this historic date of 2010 — halfway — these wealthy countries ... have delivered 14 percent. How tragic is that?" Geldof said.

The report was issued by DATA, an advocacy organisation dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty and AIDS in Africa. Bono sits on its board of directors.

The report also gave statistics on how Africans have benefited greatly from financial aid, with millions of children entering school for the first time because of debt relief and getting immunized against life-threatening diseases, reports the Associated Press.

It also said that France, Germany, Italy and Canada have fallen off track in their pledges, and only the US and Britain appear to be on track to meet their targets by 2010.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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