Geldof urged Blair to take international lead on aid for Africa
Newly released government files show the LiveAid campaigner was ‘scathing’ about ‘weak’ African leadership.
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Your support makes all the difference.Bob Geldof urged Tony Blair to take the lead in overhauling the system of international development aid for Africa as he considered African leadership on the issue to be “very weak”, according to newly released government files.
The LiveAid campaigner and former rock star was instrumental in persuading Mr Blair to establish his Commission for Africa which paved the way for a landmark agreement by the world’s richest nations to boost aid and write off debt.
Official papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London, show that behind the scenes he cautioned the then prime minister not to share leadership with an African co-chair as he was “scathing about the ability and worthiness of virtually all African leaders”.
Geldof first raised the the prospect of Mr Blair developing a “Marshall Plan” for Africa – a reference to the US plan to rebuild Europe after the Second World War – in a telephone call in October 2003.
He suggested that the UK’s presidency of the G8 group of industrialised nations in 2005 – coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the original LiveAid concert – would be the “perfect time” to unveil a fresh vision for the future of the continent.
He argued that “unless we found a way to allow Africans to make livelihoods at home they would would come to our shores, resulting in massive social upheaval”, adding African leadership had been “very weak”.
In a follow-up letter, he said the result should be an “age-defining document” which provides a “a holistic, coherent, rather than piecemeal rescue plan for the beleaguered billion of Africa”. And he stressed that Mr Blair’s personal leadership was vital if it was to succeed.
“I do think this needs to be a direct commission from you personally – your vision, your authority, your weight,” he wrote.
“As you rightly said, Africa is not politics, it’s a passion. Your passion on this stuff is what gives us the hope we have and makes the issue alive, which is why this must come from you personally, clear of the levelling, deadening hand of government initiative.”
He is scathing about the ability and worthiness of virtually all African leaders
He also stressed the need for urgency if the commission was to complete its work in time for the G8 summit Mr Blair was hosting at Gleneagles in July 2005.
“I know I’m pushy, and I know you’re up to your neck, but something short of the normal seven-week delay response would be welcome (do you use Royal Mail?). Seriously though, this must be implemented almost immediately,” he wrote.
The prime minister was clearly enthusiastic, but some Downing Street officials urged caution. One warned they could face “opprobrium” from Geldof and his fellow LiveAid campaigner Bono if they were unable to deliver on the plan.
Liz Lloyd, a senior adviser on international development, expressed concern over Geldof’s desire that the commission, while being chaired Mr Blair, should still be independent.
“If this document is going to have your name and be sold by you, he must accept that we have the final editing role,” she wrote.
She said the issue of whether there should be a chairperson from Africa – which Geldof strongly opposed – was particularly “tricky”.
“He is scathing about the ability and worthiness of virtually all African leaders and sees the audience as primarily the US,” she noted.
“He therefore does not want an African co-chair, content to ride with your name to give it credibility.”
While Ms Lloyd said that they “should be able to get away without an African co-chair” they would need “prominent African involvement”.
She suggested that Mr Blair should “talk carefully” to South African president Thabo Mbeki beforehand to secure his support.
At a meeting with Geldof on January 6 2004, the prime minister stressed that he would have to agree with the commission’s findings if he was to recommend them to his fellow G8 leaders.
In particular, he said the section on financing had to contain “credible commitments” and that then chancellor Gordon Brown would lead on the issue.
“Large spending demands would not be well received by other G8 colleagues,” he said.
In the event, Geldof hailed the ensuing agreement at Gleneagles to double aid and extend debt relief as “mission accomplished” – although some anti-poverty campaigners complained that he had got too close to government and that it did not go far enough.