Bono is calling on Justin Trudeau to increase Canada’s foreign aid budget ahead of his meeting with the Prime Minister this weekend.
Sitting down for an interview with the Canadian Press, the U2 frontman praised the P.M. and his welcoming ways while urging the politician to help meet a United Nations development goal, even after the Liberal government deemed it far too ambitious.
The UN target recommends that countries set aside 0.7 percent of their gross national income for foreign aid. 2015 saw Canada commit 0.28 per cent of its GNI to development assistance.
Bono will meet with Trudeau, Bill Gates and actress Danai Gurira at a conference for the replenishment of the Global Fund — a partnership that aims to eradicate AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The event takes place in Montreal on Saturday.
Canada has already committed $785 million over two years to the Global Fund, marking a 20 percent increase.
