Bono: Feels hopeful of Barack Obama's African visit

Bono: Feels hopeful of Barack Obama's African visit

Pop star and longtime Africa activist, Bono, said that he was eager for President Barack Obama's visit to the country of Ghana in Africa that began on Saturday.

In an article for a popular newspaper Bono wrote, "The president can facilitate the new, the fresh and the different,"  "Many existing promises are expiring in 2010, some of old age and others of chronic neglect."

Bono further wrote that he hoped that President Obama's visit would help in drawing attention to the African continent, which has been continuing to struggle with poverty and corruption.

He continued, "The United States is one of the countries on track to keep its promises, and Mr. Obama has already said he'll more than build on the impressive Bush legacy." "President Obama plans to return to Africa for the World Cup in 2010. Between now and then he's got the chance to lead others in building -- from the bottom up -- on the successes of recent efforts within Africa and to learn from the failures. There's been plenty of both. We've witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly in our fraught relationship with this dynamic continent."

The singer urged others to get involved beyond the visit of President Obama.

He further wrote, "If more African nations (not just Ghana) are going to meet the millennium goals, they are going to need smart partners in business and development," "That's Smart as in sustainable, measurable, accountable, responsive and transparent."