Bill Gates to spend his fortune ‘addressing challenges' in Africa
American billionaire Bill Gates has announced plans to spend the majority of his vast fortune over the next two decades to strengthen health and education systems across Africa, where some of his foundation's past initiatives have drawn criticism.
The Microsoft founder made the commitment in an address at an event hosted at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, on Monday, saying it is intended to help put every country on the continent on a 'path to prosperity.'
'I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa,' he said, noting that his wealth has reached a 'very high level.'
The Gates Foundation said last month it will invest over $200 billion by 2045, the year it plans to conclude its operations. The funding will focus on expanding access to vaccines, improving maternal and child health, enhancing education – particularly for girls – and building digital infrastructure to support public health systems.
Today, at the Inspiring Progress event in Ethiopia, our chair, @BillGates announced that we will spend the majority of our funding to benefit Africa.Read his speech from the AU summit: https://t.co/FwQug2w6ivpic.twitter.com/A4cpHd5E8g
The pledge comes at a time of declining international aid to Africa, highlighted by US President Donald Trump's recent decision to cut more than 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts. The US government's move has lead to the termination of numerous health and development projects worldwide.
The Gates Foundation, one of the largest non-state contributors to the World Health Organization (WHO), has been involved in efforts to combat diseases such as malaria, HIV, and polio, alongside funding vaccine development and distribution programs.
The non-profit agency has been embroiled in controversies over some of its initiatives, however. Advocacy groups have accused it of promoting genetically modified crops and industrial agriculture models that benefit large corporations and sideline smallholder farmers.
Critics have also raised concerns about the foundation's significant influence in the global health sector – including its alleged sway within the WHO – citing a lack of accountability to prevent and address human rights violations linked to its programs.
On Monday, Gates said his goal is to help Africa become a net food exporter by equipping farmers with improved seeds, tools, and data. The tech billionaire urged Africa's innovators to think about how to build Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare on the continent, saying his foundation aims to support top AI talent to ensure the technology benefits everyone—not just rich countries.
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