January 27, 2007 14:43

U2 singer calls for Third World debt cancellation

Bono urges world leaders to fulfil their promise

U2 singer Bono has called on world leaders to fulfil their promise to fight African poverty.

The star, who was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, urged rich countries to cancel Third World debt.

His comments come after the G8 group of industrialised nations agreed to cancel the debts of 18 low-income countries in 2005 and pledged to double African aid to about $47 billion (£24 billion) by 2010.

"There were some serious promises made," he said. "The cheques were signed but as you know, politicians like signing cheques but they don't like cashing them.

"Two years on, it's time to take the temperature. If those promises are not kept ... it will make a generation of cynics. I don't believe that's going to happen, I am optimistic we're going to get through this."

Bono also argued that debt cancellation programs had already opened the way for 20 million African children to go to school but there was still "lots, lots, lots to do", reports Reuters.