Africa will be major beneficiary of a new commitment by top philanthropist Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation totalling Sh154.1 billion (US$1.27 billion)
The commitment, announced by the Foundation CEO Mark Suzman on Wednesday, will help address poverty mainly in Africa and Asia.
Suzman made the announcement during the Goalkeepers event in New York, coinciding with the annual session of the UN General Assembly.
Goalkeepers is the foundation's campaign to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (or Global Goals).
The announcement comes after the sixth Goalkeepers Report by the Foundation showed that nearly every indicator of the Global Goals is off track at the halfway point for achievement by 2030.
“This week has underscored the urgency of the challenges we face, and the promise of sustainable solutions that save and improve lives. We can get back on track toward the SDGs, but it’s going to take a new level of collaboration and investment from every sector,” Suzman said.
He added: That’s why our foundation is significantly stepping up our commitment to help confront crises now and ensure long-term impact across critical determinants of health and development.”
The two-day Goalkeepers event brought together global leaders and changemakers on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss current and future efforts to achieve the Global Goals.
They included Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Bill Gates; Melinda French Gates; more than 300 young changemakers; and other emerging and established leaders from around the world.
A breakdown of the financing shows $912 million will go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
This is the foundation’s largest commitment yet to the Global Fund. Since 2002, health programs supported by the Global Fund partnership have saved 50 million lives.
The Gates Foundation strongly supports open data policies and efforts to produce high-quality, public data to support the SDGs and all humanitarian work.
“This funding will help accelerate efforts to end HIV, TB, and malaria by 2030 and build resilient health systems needed to protect against future pandemics. It also will be instrumental in reducing the disproportionate impact of these diseases on women and girls,” the Foundation said in a statement.
Farmers in Kenya will potentially benefit from another $100 million that will go to help alleviate the food crisis disproportionately impacting communities in Africa and South Asia and address its underlying causes.
The breakdown provided showed this funding will go to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) to support national governments in rebuilding resilient, sustainable local food systems.
It will also support the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) to make fertilizers affordable and accessible for smallholder farmers.
The CGIAR’s Nigeria-based International Institute of Tropical Agriculture research center will also get part of the funding to accelerate work that is already supplying farmers with improved and new varieties of crops, such as beans high in iron; sweet potatoes naturally rich in vitamin A; and naturally hardy cassava, millet, and sorghum.
The foundation said it will also work with partners to supply sustainable feed and fodder to African families that depend on livestock as a critical source of income and nutrient-dense food.
It will also work with partners to strengthen local food systems by empowering women farmers with the tools and resources they need to succeed and support their communities
In addition, the foundation said it will double its previous commitment to the Child Nutrition Fund—from $10 million to $20 million.
“Our investment will support the fund’s expansion beyond ready-to-use therapeutic food to include preventative nutrition products for both women and children,” it said in a statement.
A further $200 million will go to expand global Digital Public Infrastructure.
“This funding will help expand infrastructure that low- and middle-income countries can use to become more resilient to crises such as food shortages, public health threats, and climate change, as well as to aid in pandemic and economic recovery,” the foundation said.
Rwanda will also get $50 million to Partners in Health Scholarship Fund.
This commitment will help catalyze efforts to raise $200 million. The scholarship fund will support students, 75% of whom are women, to attend UGHE and help accelerate efforts to increase the number of health care workers in Rwanda and around the world.
“The last time we gathered in person for Goalkeepers, we talked about how the most well-intentioned programs can perpetuate inequities if the communities they want to reach aren’t involved in the design,” said Co-chair Melinda French Gates.
“A lot has changed since 2019, but one thing hasn’t: We won’t make progress toward the Global Goals unless those with lived experiences have a seat at the table. I’m proud of our Goalkeepers Award winners and the many partners from all corners of the world who are working to develop this next generation of leaders.”
The funding announcement also coincided with the Global Fund Replenishment Conference, where governments and the private sector joined together to pledge a record-high level of commitment that will advance the goal of achieving good health and well-being for all.
“We see the greatest progress when governments, the private sector, and local communities collaborate in global health programs,” said Bill Gates, co-chair. “The commitment this week to combat preventable diseases and save millions more lives through the Global Fund replenishment is a great step forward in getting back on track to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.”