Bono meets Barroso in Brussels

9 June 2005

BRUSSELS – U2’s lead singer Bono was in Brussels on Thursday morning to meet the European Commission’s president.

Bono, who was in Belgium in preparation for the band’s concert on Friday, met Jose Manuel Barroso to talk about aid to Africa.

“Africa is a chance for Europe to redefine its values,” Bono told the press.

“People don’t feel Europe because it doesn’t have a visionary project.”

The rock activist called on the EU to double development aid from now until 2015.

Bono also said European leaders should “lower their national flags and lift their noses out of the figures” to concentrate on the priorities for development.

Barroso agreed with Bono that development in Africa should be a priority for Europe.

“The current problems of Europe shouldn’t make African disappear from the political agenda,” he said.

“On the contrary, the problem of Europe is its lack of vision. Europe must do a lot more.”

Subject: Belgian news