Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, Bono and Mark Dybuk, executive director of the Global Fund, left to right, hold an impromptu meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Global Fund conference Saturday, September 17, 2016 in Montreal.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
September 17, 2016 - 4:30 PM
MONTREAL - Rockstar Bono is praising Canada as a leader in the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Bono was joined onstage by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates for the second day of an international donor conference in Montreal that hopes to raise $13 billion to replenish the Global Fund for the fight against these three major infectious diseases.
The U2 frontman and humanitarian also saluted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's commitment to equality, especially to girls and women, in a keynote address.
He also met privately with Trudeau and will host a meeting with him later today.
The conference is designed to show Canadian leadership on the international stage ahead of what is expected to be Trudeau's first address to the United Nations General Assembly next week.
Canada has already promised more than $800 million for the 2017-19 funding period.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016