Bill Gates has praised Europe for being “the most generous region in the world” and underscored the necessity to enhance cooperation with local governments. The founder of Microsoft is touring European institutions in an effort to get more support for Gavi, the public-private partnership that helps buy vaccines for the world’s poorest children.
American businessman and philantropist Bill Gates (69), one of the world’s wealthiest persons, arrived to Brussels on Tuesday, 24 June to meet top EU politicians. He keeps urging wealthy nations to invest more money to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance that delivers lifesaving vaccines to children and runs programmes to prevent diseases in the world’s most vulnerable communities.
“We are facing unprecedented difficulties. I have witnessed personally in several African countries the consequences of radical foreign aid cuts: Health personnel losing their jobs as there is no money for their wages, loads of medicines deteriorating in warehouses,” Mr Gates said during the panel discussion with MEPs and top-ranking EU politicians.
Prioritisation is essential now
Mr Gates chairs The Gates Foundation, which belongs to the largest charitable foundations in the world. It has announced a commitment of $1.6bn over the next five years to support Gavi. In Mr Gates’ words, however, it will take much more money to make a difference.
Europe is the most generous region in the world as regards foreign aid. – Bill Gates, co-founder of the Gates Foundation
“The United States has recently made the biggest cuts in development funding, but it is not alone. As a result, we may soon be facing a real global health crisis. Dealing with less money, our current agenda is prioritisation so that as little harm as possible would emerge,” Mr Gates told members of EP’s Committee on Development (DEVE) at an event later during the day.
In his speech at DEVE, the founder of Microsoft labelled Europe “the most generous region in the world when it somes to foreign aid,” and not only in terms of funding. “Thanks to you, we (Gates Foundation) are now pretty good in measuring risks. We know well which programmes work and which not,” he said. The businessman-turned-philanthropist also stressed the necessity to work closely with local governments in poor countries, especially in the case of health and education issues.
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“Technically, it is relatively easy to invest into vaccines or health research. Doing so, however, you are investing in something that will pay off only after a number of years. To make the success sustainable, you need to cooperate closely with local decision-makers—something we now try to improve,” Mr Gates said.
The Global Summit: Health and Prosperity through Immunisation was to take place in Brussels on Wednesday, 25 June. It was to be co-hosted by the European Union and the Gates Foundation. At the summit, Mr Gates was to join global leaders, many of whom are expected to announce new commitments to Gavi’s mission.
