Gates Foundation CEO urges billionaires to increase philanthropic contributions in annual letter

Gates Foundation CEO urges billionaires to increase philanthropic contributions in annual letter
Suzman described the foundation as “a long-term development organization rather than a humanitarian organization,” striving to make permanent changes. (AFP)
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Updated 31 January 2024
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Gates Foundation CEO urges billionaires to increase philanthropic contributions in annual letter

Gates Foundation CEO urges billionaires to increase philanthropic contributions in annual letter
  • The foundation will allocate $8.6bn in funds for 2024, making it the largest budget ever for a philanthropic organization
  • CEO Mark Suzman talks to Arab News about ongoing projects in the MENA region

LONDON: In his annual letter published on Thursday, Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, urged philanthropists to increase their donations and take immediate action to address the unparalleled struggles countries face in combatting poverty, diseases, and inequality.

The Gates Foundation, one of the largest contributors to global health worldwide, revealed its plans to allocate $8.6 billion in 2024 — its largest budget so far.

The increase in budget corresponds with the decline in progress made by nonprofits in their efforts to eliminate poverty, combat treatable illnesses, and eradicate hunger.

Reasons for this regression are primarily attributed to factors such as the pandemic, ongoing wars, and the substantial debt burdens in numerous nations.

“We think the most impactful area for philanthropy is in addressing human equity, inequity, and investing in human capital writ large, which is essentially health and education, the next generation of the planet, because that’s the way we provide opportunities for the poorest and most vulnerable,” Suzman told Arab News.

Amid the devastating ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Yemen, the foundation has provided financial aid to UNICEF with the aim of assisting in the provision of essential medications and medical care.

Suzman highlighted the importance of forming partnerships, particularly in the Gulf, due to the substantial governmental and philanthropic resources that have the potential to make an impact not only within the region but also on a global scale.

Suzman gave Arab News insight on the contributions and ongoing partnerships of the Gates Foundation in the Middle East and North Africa region, stating: “In the UAE, we have helped form the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, which aids to end neglected tropical diseases. In Qatar, we have a joint fund called Nanmo, which works on agricultural innovations.

“We’re working with the International Livestock Research Institute, which is based in Ethiopia, to then expand that across many African countries.

“We also invest in people. We have a partnership with the ICBA (International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture), which provides fellowships for Arab women.

“We have a very big partnership with multiple countries and the Islamic Development Bank — the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, which has funding from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Qatar and the Gates Foundation.”

In the past, Lebanon received assistance from The Gates Foundation and benefited from its development of a waterless toilet technology that was used in some refugee camps.

The foundation’s appeal builds on the Giving Pledge, launched by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010 as a commitment for billionaires to donate the majority of their wealth while they are alive or at the time of their death to any cause.

The foundation and Suzman have been committed to making an impact, which has been evident through their emphasis on research and the development of multiple projects.

These projects include the development of a worldwide agricultural information system that would benefit impoverished farmers worldwide, as well as cost-effective measures for reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.

“We helped co-found and launch the GAVI Vaccine Alliance, which helps provide and purchase vaccines for low-income countries, and there also have been significant advances in the development of new vaccines in areas like rotavirus and meningitis,” Suzman explained.

“The aggregate impact of that has been that preventable child deaths have dropped from over 10 million a year in 2000, to the low 5 million a year. Currently, we think that can be accelerated. You will see many of those drops reflected across the MENA region, which (has seen) significant progress,” he continued.

Suzman described the foundation as “a long-term development organization rather than a humanitarian organization,” striving to make permanent changes.

The Gates Foundation intends to raise its annual budget to $9 billion in the upcoming year and maintain it at that level.

Although the foundation board has endorsed this year’s budget, they have also urged the foundation to explore sustainable funding options for their work once the budget growth ceases.

Since its inception, the Gates Foundation has given out more than $71.4 billion.


Lebanon media says UN peacekeepers hurt in Israeli strike

Lebanon media says UN peacekeepers hurt in Israeli strike
Updated 5 sec ago
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Lebanon media says UN peacekeepers hurt in Israeli strike

Lebanon media says UN peacekeepers hurt in Israeli strike
  • National News Agency: ‘Enemy aircraft targeted a car in Sidon near the army checkpoint’
  • Vehicles from the UNIFIL peacekeeping force were in the ‘same lane’ during the raid
SIDON, Lebanon: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon were wounded on Thursday in an Israeli strike near their vehicle at the entrance to the southern city of Sidon, the official National News Agency said.
“Enemy aircraft targeted a car in Sidon near the army checkpoint,” NNA said, adding vehicles from the UNIFIL peacekeeping force were in the “same lane” during the raid, which led to injuries among its members who were receiving treatment at the scene.

Hezbollah does not pin ceasefire hopes on any US administration, lawmaker says

Hezbollah does not pin ceasefire hopes on any US administration, lawmaker says
Updated 19 min 17 sec ago
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Hezbollah does not pin ceasefire hopes on any US administration, lawmaker says

Hezbollah does not pin ceasefire hopes on any US administration, lawmaker says

BEIRUT: Hezbollah welcomes any effort to stop the war in Lebanon but does not pin its hopes for a ceasefire on any particular US administration, Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Al-Moussawi said on Thursday, when asked about Donald Trump’s election victory.


France sees ‘window’ to end Gaza, Lebanon wars after Trump win

France sees ‘window’ to end Gaza, Lebanon wars after Trump win
Updated 37 min 18 sec ago
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France sees ‘window’ to end Gaza, Lebanon wars after Trump win

France sees ‘window’ to end Gaza, Lebanon wars after Trump win

JERUSALEM: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday in Jerusalem he saw prospects for ending Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon after Donald Trump was elected US president.
“I believe a window has opened for putting an end to the tragedy in which Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region have been immersed since October 7” last year, Barrot told reporters in Jerusalem.
Speaking alongside outgoing Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Barrot cited Trump’s “wish to see the end of the Middle East’s endless wars” as well as Israel’s recent “tactical successes.”
Barrot said he hoped a “diplomatic solution” would emerge “in the coming weeks.”
“Force alone will not be enough to guarantee Israel’s security,” he said, adding that “military success could not be a substitute for a political perspective.”
“It is time to move toward a deal that would allow for the liberation of all hostages, a ceasefire and the mass entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and to prepare for the day after.”
Barrot said “Israel has the right to defend itself” but pointed to “colonization,” “humanitarian aid restrictions” and “the continuation of air strikes in north Gaza” as risk factors for Israel’s security.
Barrot is expected to speak with Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas and his prime minister, Muhammad Mustafa


Israel signs $5.2 billion deal to acquire 25 F-15 fighter jets from Boeing

Israel signs $5.2 billion deal to acquire 25 F-15 fighter jets from Boeing
Updated 57 min 56 sec ago
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Israel signs $5.2 billion deal to acquire 25 F-15 fighter jets from Boeing

Israel signs $5.2 billion deal to acquire 25 F-15 fighter jets from Boeing
  • The $5.2 billion agreement was part of a broader package of US aid
  • Delivery of the new F-15IA aircraft will begin in 2031

JERUSALEM: The Israeli defense ministry said on Thursday it had signed an agreement to acquire 25 next generation F-15 fighter jets from Boeing Co.
It said the $5.2 billion agreement was part of a broader package of US aid approved by the US administration and Congress earlier this year and included an option for 25 additional aircraft.
Delivery of the new F-15IA aircraft will begin in 2031, with 4-6 aircraft to be supplied annually, it said.
The aircraft will be equipped with weapons systems integrated with existing Israeli weapons as well as having increased range and payloads.
“These advantages will enable the Israeli Air Force to maintain its strategic superiority in addressing current and future challenges in the Middle East,” the ministry said in a statement.
“This F-15 squadron, alongside the third F-35 squadron procured earlier this year, represents a historic enhancement of our air power and strategic reach — capabilities that proved crucial during the current war,” the director general of the defense ministry, Eyal Zamir, said in the statement.
Zamir said that the government has secured procurement agreements worth nearly $40 billion since the onset of the war in Gaza that began Oct. 7, 2023.
“While focusing on immediate needs for advanced weaponry and ammunition at unprecedented levels, we’re simultaneously investing in long-term strategic capabilities,” he said.
For Boeing, the F-15 agreement is the second major deal this year. In August, flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines, signed a deal with Boeing for the purchase of up to 31 737 MAX aircraft worth as much as $2.5 billion, beating out rival Airbus.
Ido Nehushtan, president of Boeing Israel, said the company’s relationship dates back to Israel’s establishment and “will continue working with the US and Israeli governments to deliver the advanced F-15IA aircraft through standard military procurement channels.”


Erdogan phones Trump to discuss cooperation

Erdogan phones Trump to discuss cooperation
Updated 07 November 2024
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Erdogan phones Trump to discuss cooperation

Erdogan phones Trump to discuss cooperation

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken by phone with US president-elect Donald Trump to discuss cooperation between the two countries, the presidency said on Thursday.
Erdogan “congratulated Trump on his election victory” and “expressed his desire to develop cooperation between Turkiye and the United States in the period ahead,” it said in a statement.
Erdogan was twice hosted at the White House by Trump during his first term, but has never been received there by current President Joe Biden.