Addis Ababa: Bill Gates has urged African leaders to join him in advancing health and development on the continent. He says his foundation will partner with nations putting people’s health first. US billionaire Bill Gates on Tuesday announced that the majority of his philanthropic Gates Foundation’s $200 billion endowment will be spent in Africa over the next two decades. Gates, who on May 8 said he would wind down the foundation by 2045, made the pledge while addressing African leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to Deutsche Welle, Gates emphasized the importance of investing in primary healthcare, noting its significant impact on health and wellbeing. He highlighted the importance of maternal health and nutrition, both before and during pregnancy, and stressed the need for good nutrition during a child’s early years. Gates identified Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe as countries showing strong leadership in fostering innovation, despite not commenting on allegations of au
thoritarianism and rights abuses in some of these nations.
Gates stated that his foundation has a growing commitment to Africa, with offices in Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal, which strengthens partnerships. His announcement comes at a time when US foreign aid has been halted on the advice of US President Donald Trump’s donor and budget oversight advisor, Elon Musk. Musk, the world’s richest man, has been quoted as saying he is “feeding USAID to the wood chipper.”
A recent study in The Lancet warned that cuts to American spending on PEPFAR could lead to the deaths of 500,000 children by 2030. Another study in Nature suggested that sustained halts in US aid funding could result in 25 million additional deaths over 15 years. The Gates Foundation has invested heavily in projects aimed at reducing childhood and maternal deaths, advancing vaccines for infectious diseases, and lifting impoverished populations out of poverty. The foundation claims it has contributed to over 100 innovations tha
t have saved more than 80 million lives, citing partnerships with GAVI and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
Gates, who co-founded Microsoft and the Gates Foundation with his ex-wife, Melinda, has urged other wealthy individuals to prioritize philanthropy over personal accumulation. When asked by The New York Times about his motivations for donating his fortune, Gates pointed to the immediate impact of spending on developments in agriculture and AI. He emphasized the societal benefits of philanthropy and encouraged other affluent individuals to follow suit.
During his visit to Africa, Gates is also scheduled to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss AI and healthcare reform in their countries.