LIVE 8 – ONE YEAR LATER

(VIDEO) How have countries fared in their Live 8 aid and debt promises? Find out here!!

This month marks one year since the historic Live 8 concerts were staged around the world, and audiences gathered to lend support to debt relief for Africa. The purpose of the show was to lobby members of the G8 nations to forgive their debts against the impoverished country so it can use its resources to feed and care for its people.

DATA otherwise known as Debt AIDS Trade Africa, a group trying to bring attention to the problem, released a report saying that many nations are failing on their pledges. Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof said that it’s imperative that the follow-through be maintained.

“We achieved the political result. What we have to do is ensure that those leaders — and [Tony] Blair is suspicious of this — usually you get a communique, like in Sea Island you’ve got a communique, and Blair made them sign it. So the communique became a contract. Now we have to hold them to that promise or else it will be a great betrayal of the Live 8 generation, and worse a greater betrayal of the poor in Africa.”

Geldof added that he was proud to galvanize support of the musical community and people all around the world to put pressure on politicians to do the right thing.

“As it was people went home euphoric filled with the sense of possibility that rock and roll gives you. Like I said that bountless Yes in the face of endless no’s just pushed… It was political impossible to ignore this scale. They bent to the force of our noisy gale.”

The report by DATA was critical of virtually all of the countries, and it indicated that the combined totals of aid plus debt reduction should amount to 5 billion dollars each year. The summit at Gleneagles produced a signed document with goals to alleviate Africa’s suffering. Missing the Gleneagles targets would mean that 1.4 million people in Africa will not receive treatment in 2010 for AIDS and other diseases. The U.S. was one of the countries that increased aid to the impoverished nation along with the U.K. and Italy. Canada decreased aid, Germany shelled out the same amount, and figures were not available for Japan.

The Live 8 concerts are available on DVD, and it featured Green Day, U2, Paul McCartney, Madonna, and the crown jewel, the reformation of the classic line-up of Pink Floyd.