Fighting for the Soul of Africa
By BOB GELDOF
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| BRUNO VINCENT / GETTY |
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Just Like Bill?
No, but like Clinton, Britain's Tony Blair has found success in the political center [4/28/1997]
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Gordon Brown has an assured place in British history. As Chancellor of the
Exchequer, he gave the Bank of England its independence and has presided over
consistently strong economic growth. But for many, it's his commitment to
Africa that matters most. He and Prime Minister Tony Blair created the
Commission for Africa, and they are pushing G-8 leaders to adopt its
recommendations at this year's summit. The pair's efforts give hope to the
continent and could even keep millions alive.
Brown, 54, isn't one for small talk. There is a story—maybe apocryphal, but it
rings true—that on his recent trip to Africa, he asked a food seller in a
burned-out, desolate township if she had trouble accessing micro-credit! But in
Africa, Brown and Blair have rediscovered the wellspring of their commitment to
politics, and when they speak of Africa, their rhetoric rises. Brown's speech
in Cape Town—"One moral universe where progress is ... all of us advancing
together"—was brilliant. Brown is high-minded and earnest but not the brooding
character of press lore. Many find him warm, with a sudden unexpected laugh and
bone-dry wit. He is also patient: Brown seems ready to wait a while longer for
the moment when many believe he will succeed Blair as Prime Minister.
Geldof, a musician, inspired Live Aid and the Commission for Africa
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FROM THE ARCHIVE
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