Live Aid 2

[Bothwell]

So Saint Bob Geldorf has spoken and there are to be several Live Aid type concerts in the summer (google will give loads of links) to raise awareness for the suffering in Africa.

"BOB GELDOF: It is an intellectual absurdity that more people die of hunger every year in Africa than die of AIDS, TB, malaria, polio and conflict combined."

It is primarily an effort to get the world leaders at the G* summit in Edinburgh to pay attention to Africa's plight.

How do FG's feel about this, are these problems of Africa's making? are we the ex colonial powers responsible? when will it ever stop. How do members from settled and wealthier African Nations (help me here Polycarp) feel about huge amounts of aid being targeted to the countries ripped apart by civil wars.

Listening to Geldorf last night he raised the issue of trade, citing the recent expansion of Vietnam into the coffee trade which has hit the Ethiopian market, so Vietnam should suffer to fund Ethiopia?

Another small point I need some clarification on. It's the figures, is what he saying true. he states 50,000 people a week die from starvation more than AIDS, TB, Malaria Polio and Conflict combined?

As of 2003 the latest UN report put the figure of those suffering with AIDs at 23 Million in sub saharan Africa, 1 Million die each year from Malaria, I have no source for Bob Gledorfs claims, the ones I quoted came from the UN.

On a lighter note do we have to have Mariah carey singing here, cant the French have her at the concert in Paris

[john8pies]

I`ve brought this subject up elsewhere, when I congratulated them on banning the Spice Cows from the event! I `d now like to say that I`d like to see all the rich pop stars publicly sit down and write a cheque for about 5 million quid (c. 8million dollars?) each, to set a good example.......................

[gmc]

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index ... =600522005

Never mind the concert the away day in Edinburgh is the main attraction. A single traffic shunt at rush hour causes chaos never mind demonstrations. It's all right for those attending g8 they can get a helicopter. I don't actually live in Edinburgh but I do need to get about round it. Week off I think. There is one main road north and it goes past Gleneagles

posted by bothwell

Listening to Geldorf last night he raised the issue of trade, citing the recent expansion of Vietnam into the coffee trade which has hit the Ethiopian market, so Vietnam should suffer to fund Ethiopia?

Another small point I need some clarification on. It's the figures, is what he saying true. he states 50,000 people a week die from starvation more than AIDS, TB, Malaria Polio and Conflict combined?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_repo ... 711906.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalisation ... 92,00.html

http://www.gapresearch.org/

http://www.healthmatters.org.uk/stories/pollock.html

http://www.resurgence.org/resurgence/is ... iva202.htm

There's actually a whole swathe of issues behind this that affect everybody.

Do a search under globalistaion and you will get a rainbow of opinion.

[Bothwell]

GMC. that is my problem it's the huge range of opinions and the disparity in the figures depending whose you read. I just dont think it's as simple as St Bob says.