U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Irish rock singer Bono revealed strong differences Monday over how rich nations should help poverty-stricken Africa.
The pair, in Uganda on the third leg of a debt-study tour that has taken them to Ghana and South Africa and will end in Ethiopia, differed on whether more aid money and increased debt forgiveness could help Uganda.
As the pair toured an elementary school outside Kampala, O'Neill expressed surprise that six or seven children had to share one book and suggested voluntary aid could ease such shortages.
"I think if people understood they could give six copies of Dr. Seuss and every child could have one ... that translates better than saying give us some more money," O'Neill said.
Dr. Seuss was an American author who wrote children's books.
"If you do something that helps people with real tangible things (it helps more than) some cosmic stuff about billions of dollars," O'Neill said.
Bono, a long-term activist for debt relief and aid to Africa, responded by saying more money was desperately needed from rich Western nations.
"It is going to take billions of dollars ... it's not 'cosmic stuff' though," Bono said, adding more money would allow children to have a meal a day and to prepare themselves for better futures through education.
Later, asked to speak to the assembled school members, Bono broke into a Beatles tune, "The Long and Winding Road."
PROVE FIRST, PAY LATER?
While O'Neill has said efficient aid spending must be demonstrated to ensure generous help in the future, Bono has placed more emphasis on the urgency of debt relief for countries like Uganda.
At a news conference under a spreading mango tree, surrounded by children on benches supported by tree roots, O'Neill praised the Kisimbiri Church of Uganda primary school, which teaches about 700 children, saying it was an excellent example of bottom-up planning.
He was also asked about a U.S. decision to offer subsidies to American farmers, which has been sharply criticized by many African nations -- and Bono -- who say they will make it even harder for African farmers to find much needed overseas markets.
"Trade is not the answer to everything," O'Neill said, but added: "My own belief is there should not be trade barriers anywhere. It's not a simple problem that can be solved with a couple of silver bullets."
Speaking to students at Kampala's Makerere University later, O'Neill praised Uganda for its efforts at economic reform. The country of 23 million has averaged 6 percent growth over the past decade, largely helped by donor funds.
But O'Neill also noted there was still much to do, both in Uganda and other African nations, including curbing corruption, strengthening banking and financial systems and bettering infrastructures such as telecommunications and roads.
Uganda is ranked 141 out of 162 countries on the United Nations Development Index, and in 2000 around 35 percent of the population was still living on less than a dollar a day -- down from 56 percent in 1992.
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