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U2's Bono to urge Berlusconi to make good on Africa aid promises
Posted on Wednesday, May 28 @ 01:14:16 CEST by Macphisto
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MODENA, Italy (AFP) -- Bono, the Irish rock singer turned campaigner, said he plans to corner Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to demand more aid for Africa when the two men attend a benefit concert in Italy.
Speaking before the concert given by Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti and other stars in aid of Iraqi children, the U2 front man said Italy was one of the countries most committed to reducing African countries' foreign debt.
He said he would urge Berlusconi to increase aid to Africa, where "7,000 children die of AIDS every day".
Bono and fellow rockstar-campaigner Bob Geldof are the joint founders of Data, a new organisation campaigning for a Marshall Plan-style devlopment scheme for Africa, and last week met British Prime Minister Tony Blair to push for tougher action to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS on the continent.
Organisers of Tuesday's annual "Pavarotti and Friends" benefit meanwhile said US singer Liza Minelli had been forced to cancel her appearance after falling down the stairs of her hotel in the central Italian city of Bologna.
The 57-year-old singer is in hospital with her right leg in plaster after damaging her knee in the fall on Sunday.
Minelli had been due to sing "New York, New York" in a duet with Pavarotti, but organisers said there were plans for a live link-up to her hospital room instead.
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