Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Irish rock singer Bono on Tuesday that a summit of the world's leading industrial nations in June would do all it could to help Africa. Increased investment and ways to promote sustainable development and good governance in Africa are key topics to be discussed by the Group of Eight (G8), a government spokesman said after the meeting with the U2 frontman.
Bono, co-founder of the organization DATA which seeks to raise awareness for Africa, said the chancellor was "the most important voice for the world's poor" this year because of the G8.
"I think she is ready to fight for the world's poor, as long as she can prove and promise to the German taxpayer that the money will not go to corrupt governments," Bono said.
"She understands that promises have been made over the years and there is a sense of jeopardy that some countries maybe will not live up to their promises," the singer added.
At their 2005 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, G8 leaders promised to double their assistance to Africa and add 50 billion dollars a year to global aid by 2010.
But aid to Africa from the world's richest countries stalled last year, excluding one-off debt relief to Nigeria, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said last week.
Merkel praised Bono's "deep personal commitment" to development issues, particularly those related to Africa.
Tuesday's meeting at the chancellor's office comes less than two months before the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Britain, Japan, Canada, the United States and Russia meet in the northern town of Heiligendamm from June 6-8.
