U2 France

CAMPAIGNER: Bono has written a new song for poverty

When 116 million people recently stood up against worldwide poverty, their cry failed to make big headlines, but they did inspire rocker and activist Bono to write a new song for U2.

In an interview yesterday, Bono said the Stand Up and Take Action campaign in 131 countries had moved him to start writing a song.

"It’s not finished yet but it’s inspired by this concept of standing up. It’s a little diamond, though," Bono said, speaking by telephone from Los Angeles.

"It’s not a ’let’s hold hands and the world is a better place sort of song.’ It’s more kick down the door of your own hypocrisy," he said.

Organisers said the 116 million people who called on global leaders not to forget their promise to reduce world poverty and hunger by 2015, represented nearly 2pc of the world’s population and was a Guinness World Record "for the biggest mass mobilisation on a single issue".

In 2000 world leaders agreed a series of targets on poverty, education, health, equality and malnutrition known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

But there are fears that rich nations will use the financial crisis as an excuse to scale down their promises.

African leaders have already accused rich donor nations of not keeping to their aid commitments, which have become critical to combat the effects of higher world food prices.

Moral

"Although they were not a legal contract, and we wish they were, a moral contract was made," Bono said.

"To break a promise to yourself, to your partner, to your family or a politician to his constituents, is bad, but it’s a heinous crime to make a promise to the poorest most vulnerable people on earth and break it. That’s just not acceptable," he said.

The Stand Up and Take Action events around the world on Oct 17 to 19 showed that people knew this and weren’t going to "let politicians think ’oh we can get away with it because no one really knows about it’’ Bono said.

"It is dreadful to think that we could take the foot off the pedal at our end and they run out of road on theirs," he said of concerns that less aid will slow Africa’s progress.

Bono noted the region had demonstrated significant economic potential after several years of strong economic growth, led by a new generation of leaders.

"I have faith in Africans who are adept at balancing necessary aid flows and realising that business, commerce and investment can take you out of catastrophe," said Bono.

by Lesley Wroughton