I am inspired by the depth and breadth of Bono's efforts to improve the prospects of the poor in Africa. He uses his platform as a megastar to put the spotlight on one of the central issues of our time: crushing global poverty. He is innovative in his approach and constantly looks to include new people in his cause célèbre. For instance, he has recently initiated the RED Campaign to encourage consumer's involvement to reduce the spread of AIDS. Add this to his NGO called DATA which is dedicated to the issues of AIDS, Debt, Trade and Development Assistance, his work on behalf of the ONE Campaign and his much publicized 2002 trip to Africa with former Secretary of Treasury O'Neil and we can see that his commitment and zeal are unquestionable.

Bono and other stars from the entertainment world are not alone in their efforts to address the issues of world poverty. Business leaders, like rock stars, are a group of people who are not risk-adverse, and who have judged that answering the call to end extreme global poverty will require some people to get their hands dirty to take some real chances. The Initiative for Global Development (IGD) is a movement of private sector leaders dedicated to pushing global poverty alleviation to the top of the agenda for national policymakers. While the focus of Bono, Oprah, and others is primarily on the problems of Africa, IGD takes a world wide view. Believing that global poverty is the root cause of many of the gravest challenges facing the world, IGD takes the position that the interests of global stability and economic health are bound up with the fate of the world's poor. At the IGD National Summit in June of 2006 President George Bush, Madeline Albright and Colin Powell stood with IGD to ask other policy makers, the media and the nation to recognize that the problems of the worlds poor are the problems of us all.

Everyone dedicated to the reduction of world poverty needs to be focused on offering assistance in ways that encourage, if not demand, good governance as a prerequisite for further aid.

When debt forgiveness and foreign aid are discussed, many people rightly note how often past funding has found its way into the hands of unscrupulous governmental leaders for their own enrichment. Such concerns are totally understandable and valid. In May of 2006 World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz laid out a comprehensive strategy for tackling corruption, noting that it is the most serious impediment to development and effective governments. Everyone dedicated to the reduction of world poverty needs to be focused on offering assistance in ways that encourage, if not demand, good governance as a prerequisite for further aid. In fact, there is strong movement in that direction. The Millennium Challenge Corporation established by the Bush Administration evaluates the applicants for new foreign assistance based on how they are doing in creating good governance, and approves aid only to those who are meeting performance standards.

Bono understands the importance of these issues. In a recent interview with Spiegel, he states that, "We have to have a very simple standard of doing business, which is: If you are not tackling corruption, if you are not allowing civil society to do their job, we are not giving you any money." But good governance is a complex challenge. A recent study (UNESCAP) lists eight characteristics of good governance: participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective, equitable, and follows the rule of law. Not only is the issue of good governance multifaceted, but the timing and sequence of implementing reforms plays a crucial role in their success begetting the question: how far along the road to good governance does a country need to get before additional aid is forthcoming?

The Millennium Challenge Corporation has been criticized for providing too little too slowly. On the other hand, Bono's tendency might be to not be tough enough. Bono pushes for aid and development that "does not punish the children and the poor for the weaknesses of their governmental leaders", but if he provides monetary assistance without demanding specific performance standards preceding the infusion of money then he enables corrupt leaders and perpetuates a cycle of dependence.

In the Spiegel interview mentioned above, the interviewers try to probe Bono about his stance on aid by highlighting this very concern, "There are more and more African intellectuals saying that aid causes more problems than Africa is able to solve. As long as the rich countries push so much money into the continent Africa would never stand on its own feet. This money from donors mostly ends up in the pockets of corrupt leaders." Further recognition that most African States fall woefully short of good governance as of October 2004 is presented in an article by Justice Amina Augie of the Nigerian Court of Appeals (Human Rights and Good Governance in Africa).

The search for the right balance in administering tough love is a difficult one. Bono ends the Spiegel interview with this thought, "We cannot leave the people in their hour of need, let the government fall, let there be chaos. It's very, very heavy. This position is understandable, but it is completely immoral."

Enabling fraudulent leaders and prolonging the life of regimes that do not provide benefit to their citizens merely means that we are stretching Africa's hour of need out into the next millennium.

Being tough does not mean failing Africa. Enabling fraudulent leaders and prolonging the life of regimes that do not provide benefit to their citizens merely means that we are stretching Africa's hour of need out into the next millennium. As an individual member of Initiative for Global Development, I feel kinship with Bono in trying to follow the moral path on this issue. But right now I see an opportunity. At this time, an unprecedented amount of interest, will and financial means exist to confront poverty and despair at its roots. Let's marshal our global resources around long term benefits. Bono wants to prevent a child's death tomorrow; I want to ensure that this same child can offer her children a future of hope and possibility. I think we need to be tougher when we are providing assistance.




Written by Bill Early. Bill is the Oregon Co-chair for the Initiative for Global Development (IGD), a Member of The Bretton Woods Committee, the Founder of Global Envision, and he serves on the Board of Ambassadors for Mercy Corps.

To read more Global Envision articles about Bono and his humanitarian work, see Bono's Developing Business, and U2's Bono Rocks the World.



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