German Chancellor Angela Merkel likely saved millions of Africans during her country's presidency of the Group of Eight nations, said Bob Geldof, the Irish rock singer and activist. In September, Germany hosted a conference of donors that ended with pledges of $9.7 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria over the next three years. In an interview with Germany's Bild newspaper, Geldof said Merkel had raised the "understanding of Africa" among Europe's "political class." "There is not a shadow of a doubt that Germany under the government of Angela Merkel has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even millions," said Geldof, who was knighted in Britain for organizing the 1985 Live Aid concerts to highlight the plight of African countries.

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