Bob Geldof today criticised wealthy Western nations for failing Africa, as he headed back to Ethiopia to again highlight the plight of millions facing starvation.
The fundraiser, entrepreneur and rock star, returning to the east African state nearly 20 years after his first visit inspired the Live Aid concert, described current food donations to the continent - especially from the European Union - as "pathetic".
Data from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) suggest that Ethiopia is in the midst of a new humanitarian emergency, with 14 million people, many of them children, dependent on food aid.
Geldof's five-day mission is aimed at drawing public attention to Ethiopia's plight ahead of the Group of Eight summit of leading industrialised nations in Evian, France beginning on Sunday.
"The G8 meeting is next week and I think it is going to be somewhat characterised by political spite and backbiting over what has happened in Iraq," the former Boomtown Rats lead singer said.
"But meanwhile, further south is another country which is facing an utter catastrophe this summer because it has failed to receive over two-thirds of the food requirements that have been promised."
A UNICEF spokeswoman said Geldof had planned to travel to Ethiopia on his own to highlight its crisis, but then decided to team up with the agency in order to create "a louder voice to get our message across."
Geldof famously teamed up with Ultravox singer Midge Ure to write the lyrics to the Do They Know It's Christmas?/Feed The Worldsingle recorded by almost 40 pop stars in 1984.
Inspired by a visit he made to then famine-stricken Ethiopia, the song was an immediate hit, selling more millions of copies throughout the world.
In 1985, Geldof pulled together the world's rock elite for a mammoth charity concert, Live Aid, which raised even more funds for famine relief.
AFP