Bono attends poverty talks - Nov 19 2007
Ireland's historic experience of famine has inspired the country to help tackle global poverty, U2 frontman Bono has said.

The rock legend is part of the Irish government's Hunger Task Force, which was set up last year and met for the second time this afternoon (Friday) in University College Cork (UCC).

It was established to examine how Ireland can help combat world hunger, particularly in Africa.

The singer, who has become as famous for his aid work as his music, said Irish people around the world understood the need to eradicate hunger and poverty because of the country's famine experience.

"All the Irish around the world know and feel the poetry in this idea, with Irish history rhyming to eradicate hunger," he said.

"Ireland deserves real credit for setting course for 0.7 (of Gross National Product (GDP) for Overseas Development Aid), and can leverage this moral leadership to spearhead global efforts on areas of deep concern for us as a nation."

The Task Force was launched by the Government in September 2006 and forms part of Ireland's efforts to achieve the first Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty and hunger by 2015.

The group is due to travel to Malawi before compiling a report for the Government by next summer.

Bono to attend poverty task force talks - Nov 16 2007
U2 frontman Bono will attend talks aimed at improving Ireland’s efforts to combat world poverty.

The Irish Hunger Task Force which also includes leading economists, aid experts and academics will meet in University College Cork today (Friday).

The group is also due to travel to Malawi before compiling a report for the Government by next Summer.

The Task Force was launched by the Government in September 2006 and forms part of Ireland’s efforts to achieve the first Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty and hunger by 2015.

The group will identify additional contributions Ireland can make to help in the international fight to reduce poverty.

Bono, who has become as famous for his aid work as for his music, is part of a panel of experts chaired by Joe Walsh, former Minister for Agriculture.

The Task Force discussions in Cork are the second set of discussions held by the panel.


Bono backs New York Mayor Bloomberg - Nov 2 2007
Rock star Bono sang the praises of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg after meeting him, declaring that his fellow philanthropist "could do an awful lot of good inside or outside the White House."

Wearing his trademark wraparound sunglasses and a black and grey striped shirt, the rock star stopped briefly on his way in and out of New York’s City Hall to chat with reporters.

He said he was invited to meet the mayor, who wanted to know what the singer had been working on with his philanthropic projects.

The U2 frontman, whose real name is Paul Hewson, co-founded the charity Data - Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa - which is dedicated to fighting poverty and Aids in Africa.

Bloomberg, a billionaire, has recently begun shaping and expanding the foundation that will focus on giving his money away.

"I think our paths are going to cross," Bono said. They talked about poverty initiatives as well as fighting malaria, he said.

"What I’m interested in is not just his cash, but his intellect, and how his business acumen could be used to work for the world’s poor," Bono said.

He was asked whether he thought Bloomberg, who dropped his Republican affiliation to become an independent, could do more good as a president or philanthropist.