U2 singer Bono has called on governments in rich countries to help Africa fight poverty and disease.

Meeting political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said it was time for rich countries to come good on promises they made to cancel Third World debt.

He said: "There were some serious promises made. The cheques were signed but as you know, politicians like signing cheques but they don’t like cashing them."

At a meeting in 2005, the G8 group of industrialised nations agreed to cancel the debts of 18 low-income countries and pledged to double African aid to about $47 billion (£23 billion) by 2010.

He added: "Two years on, it’s time to take the temperature. If those promises are not kept … it will make a generation of cynics. I don’t believe that’s going to happen, I am optimistic we’re going to get through this."

He pointed to the situation in Liberia, where President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is working to attract aid and get relief for the country’s debt, racked up during years of conflict fuelled by money from the sale of diamonds.

Bono added: "She is trying quell civil unrest and she’s got this ridiculous debt hanging over her head because of two corrupt leaders before and that is just not right."

ITV 

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