A collaboration to combat infectious disease
The Gates Foundation collaborates closely with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support global efforts to combat infectious diseases. The UAE’s recent contributions include hosting the 2023 Reaching the Last Mile Forum in Dubai, UAE, where countries and other partners pledged a collective US$777.2 million to fund global efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The commitments included US$100 million each from the foundation and Reaching the Last Mile (RLM), which has since been integrated under the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity.
In 2017, the foundation and the Crown Prince’s Court co-founded the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, a coalition of countries, donors, and other partners working to accelerate the elimination of two NTDs—onchocerciasis (river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (LF)—in seven countries. At the 2023 Reaching the Last Mile Forum, the fund was replenished, and its focus was expanded to cover 39 countries in Africa and Yemen.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity
Over the past 10 years, the UAE has made significant investments in improving global health outcomes worldwide. These initiatives have now been brought together under the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the philanthropic organization through which it channels investments, forges partnerships, spurs innovation, and takes direct action to support global health. The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation is driven by the philanthropy of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, who is a longstanding supporter of global health and disease elimination efforts.
In 2017, His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed, the Gates Foundation, the Helmsley Charitable Trust, and ELMA Philanthropies joined together to fund the first phase of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund to address onchocerciasis and LF. In 2023, His Highness, the foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation launched the fund’s expanded second phase.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity also invests in polio eradication, through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; direct efforts in Pakistan through the Emirates Polio Campaign, and the UAE Pakistan Assistance Program. The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity is a major donor to the Roll Back Malaria partnership and supports the Carter Center’s efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease. It is a partner with the Gates Foundation in the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), which supports advocacy, action, innovation, and research to combat malaria, onchocerciasis, LF, and polio.
Reaching the Last Mile Forum
The RLM Forum is a biennial global health event sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in partnership with the Gates Foundation. The first RLM Forum, held in 2017, saw the launch of GLIDE and the first phase of the RLM Fund. The 2023 RLM Forum took place at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai and included the historic mobilization of US$777.2 million to combat NTDs.
The RLM Forum is host to the Recognizing Excellence Around Champions of Health (REACH) Awards, which recognize people who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment in the field of disease elimination.
Our foundation’s commitment to NTD elimination
The foundation’s Neglected Tropical Diseases program aims to eradicate, eliminate, or control eight of the 10 disease specified in the 2012 London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases, tailoring our approach based on the unique challenges of each disease. We concentrate on areas where existing funds are scarce, and work with governments and other partners to secure resources to accelerate progress toward our shared goal of a world free from the threat of NTDs.
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