Debt Relief: Bob Geldof urged the G8 yesterday to help millions in Ethiopia hit by food shortages and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The Irish businessman and rock musician, who arrived in the drought-hit Horn of Africa country on Monday for a five-day visit, issued his appeal ahead of a summit in France by the world's top industrial democracies, the Group of Eight.
He met Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who said some government policies were partly to blame for the crisis.
"The G8 must help Ethiopia where millions of people are suffering from the compound effect of food shortages as a result of drought and HIV/AIDS pandemic ravaging the country," Geldof said at a press briefing with Mr Zenawi.
Geldof said that although the G8 nations must deal with the reconstruction of Iraq after the US-led war that toppled Saddam Hussein, they should also seriously consider assistance to countries like Ethiopia.
The group of seven industrialised nations and Russia are to meet from June 1st-3rd in Evian, France. The US has asked some of its members to contribute aid to Iraq. "The G8 must move to reach substantial areas of need, like in Africa and particularly in this country (Ethiopia) which is ... trying to move forward," Geldof said. Aid agencies estimate that 14 million Ethiopians are at risk of starvation after the worst drought in nearly two decades. HIV/AIDS has made the country's plight even worse.
The United Nations had said that Ethiopia needs 1.5 million tonnes of food aid this year. Most of that amount has been pledged or distributed but almost a quarter is still sought.
"No one would want to see the horror of the 1980s, but unless we act immediately it will truly happen," said Geldof, who organised the world's biggest rock concert in 1985 to help Africa's starving. - (Reuters)
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