Pentagon
23 January 2008
The Pentagon said Wednesday that Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with the Irish rock star Bono on Tuesday for a short discussion of aid for Africa. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.
The press secretary could not say whether Bono raised that concern with Secretary Gates, but he says they discussed what he called "a shared desire to see greater civilian participation in tackling" the region's problems.
Morrell says the two men also discussed a speech Secretary Gates gave in November, in which he called for "a dramatic increase" in U.S. government spending on "the civilian instruments of national security," which the secretary defined as "diplomacy, strategic communications, foreign assistance, civic action and economic reconstruction and development."
Morrell says Bono and Secretary Gates discussed what type of civilian efforts can be brought to bear to help Africa.
Bono, lead singer of the rock group U2, has become a prominent activist for African causes in recent years, and has met with numerous world leaders, including President Bush.