Musician Bob Geldof, who organized the 1985 Live Aid benefit concert, has called for more help for the poor of Africa. "While some aid has still got through to the Third World, Western governments have done little to change the overall situation," he said Monday, publicizing a report, called "Listen to Africa," by the charity Christian Aid.

"I don't think anyone sets out to malign poor people but certainly that's what we do through organizations such as the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund," Geldof said.

The Christian Aid report looks at three major problems facing the continent -- conflict, trade with the West, and the way aid is given to African countries. The report said efforts to resolve the problems have failed to take into account the opinions of African countries themselves. Christian Aid director Daleep Mukarji also issued an open letter to U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, saying the world has given little attention to Africa's war on poverty.

The trans-Atlantic Live Aid rock extravaganza on July 13, 1985, raised more than $100 million for starving Africans. As previously reported, U2 frontman Bono will join U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill for a tour of destitute African countries later this month.


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