Bob Geldof dismissed African leaders as ‘very weak’ – as he lobbied Tony Blair to spearhead a marketing campaign to spice up support to Africa, state papers reveal
Bob Geldof dismissed African leaders as ‘very weak’ as he lobbied Tony Blair to spearhead a campaign to boost aid to Africa.
The former rock star was ‘scathing about the ability and worthiness of virtually all African leaders’, according to newly released files in the National Archives in Kew, west London.
The LiveAid campaigner persuaded the former PM to establish a Commission for Africa which led to a landmark agreement to help the continent.
But behind the scenes, Mr Geldof was not keen on the idea of Mr Blair sharing leadership of the report with an African leader.
The idea was first mooted by Mr Geldof in 2003 when he called for a ‘Marshall Plan’ for Africa – in a reference to the US plan to rebuild Europe after the Second World War.
He said the 20th anniversary of LiveAid and the UK’s presidency of the G8 would be the ‘perfect time’ to propose more help to the continent.
He also warned that ‘unless we found a way to allow Africans to make livelihoods at home they would come to our shores, resulting in massive social upheaval’.
African leadership had been ‘very weak’, he said, with him going on to criticise the ‘ability and worthiness’ of the continent’s leaders.
Bob Geldof (pictured) was not keen on Tony Blair sharing leadership of a Commission for Africa with an African leader, dismissing the continent’s leaders as ‘very weak’
The PM’s officials warned him that the Government could face ‘opprobrium’ from Mr Geldof if they were unable to deliver on the plan
LiveAid Campaigner Mr Geldof persuaded Mr Blair to set up the commission, an eventually paid tribute to the agreement which included a pledge to double aid and cancel debt
The files reveal he wrote to Mr Blair saying: ‘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.’
The PM’s officials warned him that the Government could face ‘opprobrium’ from Mr Geldof and his fellow LiveAid campaigner Bono if they were unable to deliver on the plan.
Liz Lloyd, a senior adviser on international development, voiced concerns over Mr Geldof’s desire that the commission, while being chaired Mr Blair, should still be independent.
She also said the issue of whether there should be a chairperson from Africa – which the former rock star 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.’
Mr Geldof later paid tribute to the agreement and said the pledge to double aid and cancel debt was ‘mission accomplished’.
