Suzman says the setback shouldn’t be permanent and lays out a roadmap to reclaim momentum and accelerate progress through 2045, even amid significant financial constraints globally
SEATTLE, WA, USA, 03 February 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-Today, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman released his 2026 Annual Letter, The Road to 2045, warning that the recent reversal in global health progress raises urgent moral choices and outlining a 20-year agenda to accelerate impact as the foundation works toward completing its mission.
Suzman’s reflections come at a consequential moment for global health and development and for the foundation itself. After years of stalled progress, foreign aid has fallen sharply by more than 25 percent, with low income countries also facing mounting debt that is constraining investment in their people. Against this backdrop, the Gates Foundation has moved to accelerate its work and sharpen its focus at a moment when global need is growing.
“In 2025, for the first time this century, it’s almost certain that more children died than the year before. That’s a sentence I hoped I’d never have to write,” Suzman says. “It’s not as if the world forgot how to save children’s lives. It just wasn’t prioritized.”
Suzman notes that while recent setbacks driven by declining development assistance and growing debt burdens are serious, they are not permanent and can be addressed through renewed political will, sharper prioritization, and sustained investment.
Reflecting on what is at stake, Suzman writes, “Over the years, I’ve held fast to the conviction that poverty is not a sad inevitability but a solvable problem, one we have a moral obligation to take on.”
Building on Bill Gates’ May 2025 announcement committing the Gates Foundation to spend a total of $200 billion over the next 20 years before closing in 2045, Suzman reaffirms three core goals that will guide the foundation’s work:
No mother or child dies of a preventable cause
The next generation grows up in a world without deadly infectious diseases
Hundreds of millions of people break free from poverty, putting more countries on the path to prosperity
Suzman’s Annual Letter makes the case that achieving these ambitions is possible if resources are focused where they save the most lives. He writes that the foundation will concentrate its accelerated spending on scaling proven interventions such as immunization, nutrition, and maternal health care, while investing in new tools to combat malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.
Suzman points to the foundation’s recent announcement of a historic $9 billion annual payout as evidence of both urgency and disciplined stewardship. His letter also highlights how responsibly deploying innovation, including generative AI, can help limited resources go farther by strengthening delivery systems, improving decision-making, and expanding access to care.
As one example, Suzman highlights the foundation’s recent investment to expand access to AI tools in global health and development, including new partnerships focused on strengthening primary health care systems in Africa. He emphasizes that technology must be paired with equity, strong public institutions, and local leadership to deliver lasting impact.
Suzman underscores that progress at this scale depends on deep partnerships. “None of the progress of the last 25 years would have been possible without our partners,” he writes. He emphasizes the foundation’s role as a catalyst that takes risks others cannot or will not take and works alongside governments, businesses, and communities to ensure solutions last long after its funding ends.
Looking ahead, Suzman frames the coming years as a pivotal time. “My hope is that future generations will look back on this period as a small spike, an almost forgotten moment when progress hung in the balance before the world got back on track.”
“When the foundation closes its doors,” Suzman adds, “I’m confident that where a child is born will no longer determine whether they live, learn, and thrive.”
The full 2026 Annual Letter is available at [LINK].
About Gates Foundation Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
At 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates lays out roadmap for saving millions more children’s lives by 2045 if governments stretch every dollar and scale a pipeline of affordable, lifesaving innovations
Announces new pledge to the Global Fund 2026-2028 replenishment to prevent deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria
Honors President of the Government of Spain with 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award and 10 champions for their ingenuity and resilience, and for offering hope, solutions in the face of steep funding cuts
NEW YORK, United States of America, September 23rd, 2025 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- At its 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates stood before an audience of more than 1,000 global government, community, philanthropy, and private-sector leaders and issued a stark but hopeful call to world leaders: save millions of children’s lives and make some of the deadliest diseases history by 2045.
“Humanity is at a crossroads. With millions of children’s lives on the line, global leaders have a once-in-a-generation chance to do something extraordinary,” said Gates. “The choices they make now—whether to go forward with proposed steep cuts to health aid or to give the world’s children the chance they deserve to live a healthy life—will determine what kind of future we leave the next generation.”
This year, donor countries dealing with domestic challenges, high debt levels, and aging populations made dramatic funding cuts to global development assistance for health (DAH). According to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), global DAH fell by 21% between 2024 and 2025, and is now at a 15-year low. With key global health funding decisions expected before the end of the year, total funding levels could rise. However, if the current cuts hold, they threaten decades of progress that saw child mortality cut in half since 2000—from 10 million children to less than 5 million children a year—one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
During the annual event, which this year focused on reigniting a shared commitment to saving children’s lives, Gates announced his foundation’s pledge of $912 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s 2026-2028 replenishment. The Global Fund is one of the most effective lifesaving initiatives of the 21st century. Its fundraising replenishment cycle ends this November, underscoring the urgency for governments to make pivotal decisions in the coming weeks and months for the lives of millions of people.
“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realize, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” said Gates. “I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist, and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible,” said Gates.
With shrinking global health budgets as the backdrop, the Goalkeepers event highlighted the people, science and innovations, and policies that are accelerating solutions for how leaders can do more with less.
A Roadmap to a Healthier Future
“We have a roadmap for saving millions of children and making some of the deadliest childhood diseases history by 2045,” Gates asserted. “I’m urging world leaders to invest in the health of all people, especially children, to deliver this future.”
Results from work by the Gates Foundation and the IHME indicate that sustaining global investments in child health and scaling lifesaving innovations could cut child deaths in half again over the next 20 years.
The roadmap includes:
Renewing investments in proven initiatives, such as the Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help countries make smarter, more cost-effective health decisions; gain access to proven vaccines, medicines, and treatments; and focus on sustainability and transitioning to self-reliance
Prioritizing primary health care systems—even in the face of challenging budget decisions—to prevent, detect, and treat childhood illnesses early
Investing in further R&D and effectively rolling out breakthrough innovations that include:
A suite of new approaches to combating malaria, including innovations that prevent mosquitoes from carrying parasites and single-dose treatments to accelerate eradication of the disease
Long-acting HIV drugs and prevention options that replace daily pills to drive AIDS deaths down to single digits
New maternal vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and group B streptococcus (GBS) that have the potential to protect babies from deadly respiratory illnesses
Artificial intelligence to leverage smarter, faster, and cheaper delivery of safe, cost-effective medicines to dramatically improve lives
A New Three-Year Commitment to the Global Fund
Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved more than 70 million lives; reduced deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria by more than 60%; and strengthened global health security. Each dollar invested in the Global Fund delivers an estimated $19 in health and economic returns.
The foundation’s new pledge brings its total commitments to the Global Fund to $4.9 billion since 2002, making it one of the foundation’s largest investments. The pledge aims to galvanize governments, philanthropists, and the private sector to come to the table with significant investments for the fund’s Eighth Replenishment, which is co-hosted by South Africa and the United Kingdom. With millions of lives on the line, the level of investment in the Global Fund over the next three years will determine whether the world saves millions of lives; curbs HIV, TB, and malaria; and bolsters economies and global health security.
“An entire generation is alive today thanks to the world’s generosity, smart investments, and the hard work of governments and Global Fund partners,” Gates said. “Now, we must go further so the next generation grows up in a world where no child dies from preventable causes.”
Celebrating Goalkeeper Award and Champions
In recognition of his continued commitment to advance the Global Goals, the foundation announced President of the Government of Spain Pedro Sánchez as the winner of its 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award. Under Prime Minister Sanchez’s leadership, Spain increased contributions to the Global Fund this year by nearly 12% and to Gavi by 30%, expanded official development assistance (ODA), and hosted the landmark International Conference on Financing for Development in June 2025.
The event also honored Goalkeepers Champions—experts, innovators, and advocates driving progress in child survival worldwide. They include:
Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang (India) – Pioneering community-based health care in India
David Beckham (UK) – Advocating for child health and education
Krystal Mwesiga Birungi (Uganda) – Championing youth-centered policies and equitable health access across Africa
Toni Garrn (Germany) – Mobilizing resources to expand education and health care for girls
John Green (USA) – Using storytelling and advocacy to spark vital conversations on tuberculosis and mental health among young people
Osas Ighodaro (Nigeria) – Driving awareness and action in the fight against malaria
Dr. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda) – Advancing global health financing for effective health system strengthening and expanding access to health care worldwide
Jerop Limo (Kenya) – Advancing HIV awareness and care for children and families across Africa
Reem Al-Hashimy (United Arab Emirates) – Championing investments in health and education through initiatives like Dubai Cares
Dr. Naveen Thacker (India) – Advancing child health through community-based innovations
“We Can’t Stop at Almost”
The Goalkeepers event was co-hosted by singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste, who returned as musical curator for the second year with the PS22 elementary school choir, and actress and director Olivia Wilde. Together, they urged the audience to remember that while the world has made progress, “we can’t stop at almost,” which was the event’s theme.
Community champions, scientists, health workers, faith leaders, and activists from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and the United States shared powerful stories of resilience and innovation. Several showcased breakthrough technologies already saving lives and moving the world closer to eradicating deadly diseases.
“Every year, Goalkeepers unites changemakers to inspire and push one another forward,” said Dawda Jobarteh, deputy director of the foundation’s Goalkeepers campaign. “Together, we can reimagine a future without preventable child deaths and unlock the next wave of breakthroughs for the world’s children.”
Event session presenters included Rick Warren, pastor and author; El Hadji Mansour Sy, co- president of World Council of Religions for Peace; Ingrid Silva, ballet dancer and activist; Krista Tippett, journalist and author; Latif Nasser, co-host of “Radiolab”; and Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia’s minister of health.
Looking Ahead
Later this year, Goalkeepers will expand to the Middle East for the first time, convening leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the region and beyond in Abu Dhabi on December 8.
Ahead of that, the foundation will release its 2025 Goalkeepers Report, focusing on the impact that leaders’ choices between now and the end of the year will have on saving children’s lives.
Earlier this year, Gates made a historic announcement that he would give away virtually all of his wealth to the foundation to advance progress on saving and improving lives. He also announced the foundation would spend $200 billion over the next 20 years, working with its partners to make as much progress as possible towards three primary goals: end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensure the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lift millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. At the end of the 20-year period, the foundation will sunset its operations.
Photos and b-roll from the event, full bios of the Goalkeepers champions, and more can be found here.
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
About Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, the Gates Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders— Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.
At 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates lays out roadmap for saving millions more children’s lives by 2045 if governments stretch every dollar and scale a pipeline of affordable, lifesaving innovations
Announces new pledge to the Global Fund 2026-2028 replenishment to prevent deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria
Honors President of the Government of Spain with 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award and 10 champions for their ingenuity and resilience, and for offering hope, solutions in the face of steep funding cuts
NEW YORK, United States of America, September 23rd, 2025 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- At its 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates stood before an audience of more than 1,000 global government, community, philanthropy, and private-sector leaders and issued a stark but hopeful call to world leaders: save millions of children’s lives and make some of the deadliest diseases history by 2045.
“Humanity is at a crossroads. With millions of children’s lives on the line, global leaders have a once-in-a-generation chance to do something extraordinary,” said Gates. “The choices they make now—whether to go forward with proposed steep cuts to health aid or to give the world’s children the chance they deserve to live a healthy life—will determine what kind of future we leave the next generation.”
This year, donor countries dealing with domestic challenges, high debt levels, and aging populations made dramatic funding cuts to global development assistance for health (DAH). According to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), global DAH fell by 21% between 2024 and 2025, and is now at a 15-year low. With key global health funding decisions expected before the end of the year, total funding levels could rise. However, if the current cuts hold, they threaten decades of progress that saw child mortality cut in half since 2000—from 10 million children to less than 5 million children a year—one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
During the annual event, which this year focused on reigniting a shared commitment to saving children’s lives, Gates announced his foundation’s pledge of $912 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s 2026-2028 replenishment. The Global Fund is one of the most effective lifesaving initiatives of the 21st century. Its fundraising replenishment cycle ends this November, underscoring the urgency for governments to make pivotal decisions in the coming weeks and months for the lives of millions of people.
“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realize, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” said Gates. “I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist, and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible,” said Gates.
With shrinking global health budgets as the backdrop, the Goalkeepers event highlighted the people, science and innovations, and policies that are accelerating solutions for how leaders can do more with less.
A Roadmap to a Healthier Future
“We have a roadmap for saving millions of children and making some of the deadliest childhood diseases history by 2045,” Gates asserted. “I’m urging world leaders to invest in the health of all people, especially children, to deliver this future.”
Results from work by the Gates Foundation and the IHME indicate that sustaining global investments in child health and scaling lifesaving innovations could cut child deaths in half again over the next 20 years.
The roadmap includes:
Renewing investments in proven initiatives, such as the Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help countries make smarter, more cost-effective health decisions; gain access to proven vaccines, medicines, and treatments; and focus on sustainability and transitioning to self-reliance
Prioritizing primary health care systems—even in the face of challenging budget decisions—to prevent, detect, and treat childhood illnesses early
Investing in further R&D and effectively rolling out breakthrough innovations that include:
A suite of new approaches to combating malaria, including innovations that prevent mosquitoes from carrying parasites and single-dose treatments to accelerate eradication of the disease
Long-acting HIV drugs and prevention options that replace daily pills to drive AIDS deaths down to single digits
New maternal vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and group B streptococcus (GBS) that have the potential to protect babies from deadly respiratory illnesses
Artificial intelligence to leverage smarter, faster, and cheaper delivery of safe, cost-effective medicines to dramatically improve lives
A New Three-Year Commitment to the Global Fund
Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved more than 70 million lives; reduced deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria by more than 60%; and strengthened global health security. Each dollar invested in the Global Fund delivers an estimated $19 in health and economic returns.
The foundation’s new pledge brings its total commitments to the Global Fund to $4.9 billion since 2002, making it one of the foundation’s largest investments. The pledge aims to galvanize governments, philanthropists, and the private sector to come to the table with significant investments for the fund’s Eighth Replenishment, which is co-hosted by South Africa and the United Kingdom. With millions of lives on the line, the level of investment in the Global Fund over the next three years will determine whether the world saves millions of lives; curbs HIV, TB, and malaria; and bolsters economies and global health security.
“An entire generation is alive today thanks to the world’s generosity, smart investments, and the hard work of governments and Global Fund partners,” Gates said. “Now, we must go further so the next generation grows up in a world where no child dies from preventable causes.”
Celebrating Goalkeeper Award and Champions
In recognition of his continued commitment to advance the Global Goals, the foundation announced President of the Government of Spain Pedro Sánchez as the winner of its 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award. Under Prime Minister Sanchez’s leadership, Spain increased contributions to the Global Fund this year by nearly 12% and to Gavi by 30%, expanded official development assistance (ODA), and hosted the landmark International Conference on Financing for Development in June 2025.
The event also honored Goalkeepers Champions—experts, innovators, and advocates driving progress in child survival worldwide. They include:
Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang (India) – Pioneering community-based health care in India
David Beckham (UK) – Advocating for child health and education
Krystal Mwesiga Birungi (Uganda) – Championing youth-centered policies and equitable health access across Africa
Toni Garrn (Germany) – Mobilizing resources to expand education and health care for girls
John Green (USA) – Using storytelling and advocacy to spark vital conversations on tuberculosis and mental health among young people
Osas Ighodaro (Nigeria) – Driving awareness and action in the fight against malaria
Dr. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda) – Advancing global health financing for effective health system strengthening and expanding access to health care worldwide
Jerop Limo (Kenya) – Advancing HIV awareness and care for children and families across Africa
Reem Al-Hashimy (United Arab Emirates) – Championing investments in health and education through initiatives like Dubai Cares
Dr. Naveen Thacker (India) – Advancing child health through community-based innovations
“We Can’t Stop at Almost”
The Goalkeepers event was co-hosted by singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste, who returned as musical curator for the second year with the PS22 elementary school choir, and actress and director Olivia Wilde. Together, they urged the audience to remember that while the world has made progress, “we can’t stop at almost,” which was the event’s theme.
Community champions, scientists, health workers, faith leaders, and activists from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and the United States shared powerful stories of resilience and innovation. Several showcased breakthrough technologies already saving lives and moving the world closer to eradicating deadly diseases.
“Every year, Goalkeepers unites changemakers to inspire and push one another forward,” said Dawda Jobarteh, deputy director of the foundation’s Goalkeepers campaign. “Together, we can reimagine a future without preventable child deaths and unlock the next wave of breakthroughs for the world’s children.”
Event session presenters included Rick Warren, pastor and author; El Hadji Mansour Sy, co- president of World Council of Religions for Peace; Ingrid Silva, ballet dancer and activist; Krista Tippett, journalist and author; Latif Nasser, co-host of “Radiolab”; and Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia’s minister of health.
Looking Ahead
Later this year, Goalkeepers will expand to the Middle East for the first time, convening leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the region and beyond in Abu Dhabi on December 8.
Ahead of that, the foundation will release its 2025 Goalkeepers Report, focusing on the impact that leaders’ choices between now and the end of the year will have on saving children’s lives.
Earlier this year, Gates made a historic announcement that he would give away virtually all of his wealth to the foundation to advance progress on saving and improving lives. He also announced the foundation would spend $200 billion over the next 20 years, working with its partners to make as much progress as possible towards three primary goals: end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensure the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lift millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. At the end of the 20-year period, the foundation will sunset its operations.
Photos and b-roll from the event, full bios of the Goalkeepers champions, and more can be found here.
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
About Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, the Gates Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders— Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.
House Republicans passed a rescissions bill taking back $9 billion in funding for public media and foreign aid. President Trump says he intends to sue the Wall Street Journal after they published an article about his relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, and President Trump was diagnosed with a common medical condition affecting the veins in his legs.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Gerry Holmes, Padma Rama, Jane Greenhalgh, Janaya Williams and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from David Greenburg. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.
Senate Republicans voted to take back billions of dollars in funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, President Trump has been threatening to fire Fed chair Jerome Powell before his term ends next year, and Israel launched airstrikes into Syria’s capital of Damascus.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Gerry Holmes, Dana Farrington, Miguel Macias, Janaya Williams and Mohamad ElBardicy.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from David Greenburg. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
Starting today, the tax on imported steel and aluminum doubles to 50 percent. The White House has formally asked Congress to take back $9.4 billion dollars in funding for foreign aid and public media. And, the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation pauses food distribution for the day following another deadly shooting by the Israeli military near one of its sites.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Pallavi Gogoi, Gerry Holmes, Carrie Kahn, Lisa Thomson and Adriana Gallardo. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from David Greenburg and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been the backbone of humanitarian response in north-eastern Nigeria for many years.
It has helped non-government organisations provide food, shelter, and healthcare to millions of people.
But early this year, US President Donald Trump’s administration cut more than 90 per cent of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall global assistance, hitting programmes that serve the most vulnerable..
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that since then, the number of children in desperate need of assistance in Nigeria has doubled.
And it’s mother’s like Yagana Bulama, who have experienced the most unthinkable impact – the death of a child.
Cradling a malnourished baby, she said she has been entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. Eight months ago, she gave birth to twins.
“Unfortunately, both were diagnosed with malnutrition by the Mercy Corps Nutrition team and were enrolled in their Outpatient Therapeutic Program at Fulatari,” she said.
But after about three weeks of treatment, the programme was abruptly halted due to the stop work directive.
“As a result of the interruption in their care, my twins’ health deteriorated. Tragically, I lost one of them.”
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) remains a lifeline for Yagana’s surviving child, but it is severely overstretched.
It has had to turn back many others previously served by NGOs which have pulled out due to funding cuts.
Trond Jensen, the head of OCHA’s office in Nigeria, said the situation is dire.
“What we are seeing is that 50 per cent of the nutrition efforts that we have put in place are now gone. And 70 per cent of health support is under threat, if it hasn’t disappeared already.”
This means that the figures for children in need have doubled, but he said the organisation’s capacity to deal with it “has halved or even worse”.
Jensen says immediate support is needed if they are to have any hope of saving the children.
The United States said on Thursday that it will cut $50 million in annual aid to Zambia because of what it described as the “systemic theft” of donated drugs and medical supplies.
Washington’s ambassador to the country, Michael Gonzales, said the “difficult” decision comes after repeated warnings to the government to safeguard the vital medicines.
These included life-saving drugs to treat malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis.
He said the US discovered in 2021 that medicine and medical supplies that were meant to be provided free to Zambians were being taken and sold by pharmacies across country.
An investigation of around 2,000 pharmacies in Zambia between 2021 and 2023 found that nearly half of them were selling medicines and products paid for by US aid funds.
Gonzales said the Zambian government failed to do enough to address the corruption after being informed of the theft scandal last year.
He said the US was no longer willing to “underwrite the personal enrichment of fraudsters” with American taxpayers money.
The embassy in Zambia said it accounts for about a third of public health spending in the country.
There was no immediate comment on Thursday from the Zambian government.
The cuts are separate from a broader review of foreign aid spend by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Gonzales said he had recommended that the US start cutting the aid from January next year to give Zambia time to plan new procurements of the life-saving drugs.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GCON, Director General, World Trade Organization and Ms. Yvonne Ike, Managing Director & Head of Sub-Saharan Africa (Ex RSA), Bank of AmericaKanayo Adibe | Photographer
Washington, D.C. 5 May 2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- African Business Stories (ABS) convened the third edition of its Roundtable Series during the 2025 World Bank Spring Meetings, hosting a high-level dialogue titled “Leveraging Diaspora Investment for Africa’s Economic Growth.” The event featured WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and other leading African and global voices in development and finance.
Launched in September 2024 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the ABS Roundtable Series convenes influential stakeholders to address critical barriers to scaling African businesses — with a focus on closing Africa’s $42 billion financing gap for women-owned enterprises and fostering sustainable growth.
Held at the Washington, D.C. offices of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, the ABS Roundtable was made possible through the generous support of Akin LLP, Bank of America, and Moneda Invest Africa. Their partnership underscores a shared commitment to advancing Africa’s economic growth through innovative investment, strategic collaboration, and inclusive development. Bank of America’s partnership in this event reflects its ongoing commitment to sustainable growth and inclusive finance across Africa. The firm continues to support initiatives that unlock capital, scale entrepreneurship, and build resilient financial ecosystems.
Opening keynote speakers President Admassu Tadesse, Group President and Managing Director of Trade & Development Bank, and Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Executive Director at the World Bank and former Nigerian Minister of Finance, set a powerful tone — challenging participants to move beyond traditional aid models and strengthen Africa’s investment readiness.
A dynamic panel discussion followed, featuring Joan Manda (UNDP Timbuktoo Initiative), Barbara Iyayi (Unicorn Growth Capital), and Chidi Blyden (Culturally Bound), moderated by Kenechi Eze (Moneda Invest). The conversation centered on building trust, creating credible financial vehicles, and transforming Africa’s 44 million SMEs into engines of scalable investment.
President Admassu Tadesse, Group President and Managing Director, Trade and Development Bank Group , Ms. Florie Liser, President & CEO Corporate Council on Africa, Ms. Zainab Ahmed, Executive Director for Nigeria, Angola & South Africa, World Bank Group, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GCON, Director General, World Trade Organization, Ms. Akaego Okoye, Founder African Business Stories/Convener ABS Roundtable Series and Ms. Yvonne Ike, Managing Director & Head of Sub-Saharan Africa (Ex RSA), Bank of America.Kanayo Adibe | Photographer
The event culminated in an inspiring fireside chat with Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, moderated by Ms. Yvonne Ike, Managing Director at Bank of America and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa (ex-RSA). Addressing a room of investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala called for a decisive shift away from reliance on foreign aid, urging African countries to mobilize domestic resources, attract private sector investment, and build institutional trust. She emphasized the pivotal moment Africa faces in the global economy:
“Africa’s opportunity lies not in aid — but in adding value, building trust, and using our resources wisely,” said Dr. Okonjo-Iweala.
She stressed that Africa’s critical minerals must be leveraged strategically to drive industrialization rather than perpetuate dependence on raw exports:
“Our critical minerals are in demand — but instead of giving them away raw, we must negotiate smartly, add value locally, create jobs, and become a true hub of global manufacturing and innovation.”
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala also addressed the impacts of global economic shifts — from trade disruptions to shrinking aid budgets — and stressed the urgency of regional collaboration, transparent governance, and strategic investment facilitation to attract both diaspora and global capital.
Closing the session, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala encouraged African entrepreneurs, leaders, and the diaspora to recognize their individual agency:
“Even solving one problem or building one enterprise can have ripple effects across the continent. Everyone has a role to play in building Africa’s future.”
“Events like this roundtable are vital platforms to foster collaboration, deepen trust, and unlock the entrepreneurial potential that exists both within Africa and among its global diaspora,” said Yvonne Ike, Managing Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa (ex-RSA) at Bank of America. “It was an honor to join this important dialogue and help shape conversations that will drive long-term impact.”
Participants committed to deepening collaboration with the African diaspora, creating credible financial structures, and expanding access to capital for the continent’s 44 million SMEs—key pillars for long-term growth.
Akaego Okoye, Founder of African Business Stories and Convener of the ABS Roundtable Series, added:
“Diaspora investment is not just about capital; it’s about building ecosystems and reshaping Africa’s economic narrative. We are proud to create a platform where action-oriented conversations drive real change.”
African Business Stories (ABS) is a platform dedicated to unlocking investment for women-led businesses in Africa by telling their stories and connecting them to investors, resources, and key decision-makers. Through storytelling, strategic convenings, and ecosystem-building initiatives, ABS creates high-impact pathways that accelerate the growth and visibility of female entrepreneurs across the continent.
Press freedom around the world is under greater threat than ever before, according to the latest report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF). For the first time in history, its World Press Freedom Index classifies the global state of press freedom as “difficult”.
Europe is home to the most press freedom in the world according to Reporters Without Borders’ annual press freedom ranking — though Southern and Eastern Europe represent some of the continent’s weak spots.
The top 15 countries were all in Europe, with Norway scoring the highest, followed by Estonia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
In the Middle East, dozens of reporters have been killed during Israel’s military assault in Gaza, the organization said.
Palestine has become the world’s most dangerous state for journalists amid Israel’s war on Gaza, with dozens of reporters likely killed specifically due to their work, a media freedom watchdog has said.
The United States fell two places to 57. President Donald Trump’s administration is bringing about a “troubling deterioration” through funding cuts to public media and foreign aid, RSF added.
