Bill Gates took to the stage at Abu Dhabi’s Manarat Al Saadiyat to praise the UAE’s longstanding support for global health programmes, while urging global leaders to remain committed to accelerating progress on child survival and infectious disease eradication amid cuts to international aid budgets.

His appeal came as data from the Gates Foundation’s 2025 Goalkeepers Report shows that the number of children dying before age of five is projected to rise for the first time in a century.

The Microsoft founder also presented a lifetime achievement award to Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, wife of the UAE’s founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, for her pioneering work advancing women’s education, health, and leadership in the UAE and beyond.

"It’s thanks in part to Her Highness’ influence that the UAE has done such extraordinary work to support maternal and child health around the world," Gates told an audience of more than 500 philanthropists, health experts, government officials, and nonprofit leaders.

Referencing swingeing cuts to overseas aid budgets, he added: "With this year’s funding challenges putting the lives of so many mothers and children on the line, that work is more important than ever."

Led by acclaimed British-Nigerian actor David Oyelowo under the theme "Imagine the Possible", Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi was co-hosted by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity.

The event, held for the first time in the Middle East, featured music from award-winning artist Adekunle Gold and the Bait Al Oud ensemble.

It brought together notable health champions who shared optimism about what could be achieved if everyone works together—and why urgent action is needed to reverse rising child deaths, stop preventable maternal deaths, and finish the job of ending diseases like polio.

In a keynote address, Dubai Abulhoul, the Emirati founder of the Fiker Institute, stressed that the Goalkeepers event united people “around the clear and urgent priority that every child has the right to survive and to thrive, and that every mother should have access to the support that she needs.” She warned that at a time when global systems are “under strain,” collaboration and partnership are more important than ever.

Other highlights included:

• A moving conversation between midwives Eva Nangalo (Uganda) and Neha Mankani (Pakistan).
• An interactive presentation from Dr Hadiza Galadanci, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Nigeria, on low-cost, high-impact tools to improve health outcomes for women and children.
• A heartfelt intervention from Tunisian tennis star turned philanthropist Ons Jabeur on the importance of maternal vitamins and nutrition.
• A powerful speech from polio survivor Ramesh Ferris, who shared his personal story of being paralysed by polio as a baby in India, adopted to Canada, and later becoming a global advocate.

There was also a discussion between Bill Gates and the UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem Al Hashimy, named as a Goalkeeper by the Gates Foundation earlier this year.

Moderated by CNN anchor Becky Anderson, the conversation analysed the devastating impact of recent funding cuts and conflict on development outcomes, while reflecting on new opportunities and the growing role of the UAE on the global stage.

"Hosting Goalkeepers here in Abu Dhabi is demonstrative of the fact that the centre of gravity is shifting and changing," said Al Hashimy, who emphasised that the UAE is "open and agile" to encourage new partnerships and 'foster innovation".

Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi took place just hours after the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity announced a $140m commitment towards global polio eradication efforts. The pledge was made during a polio pledging moment at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, which mobilised a total of $1.9bn for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), including $1.2bn from the Gates Foundation.

The funds will accelerate efforts to reach 370 million children each year with polio vaccines and strengthen health systems in affected countries to protect children from other preventable diseases.

Pledges came from a diverse pool of donors, including:

• $450m from Rotary International
• $100m from Bloomberg Philanthropies
• $154m from Pakistan and $62m from Germany
• $46m from the United States of America
• $6m from Japan
• $4m from the Islamic Food & Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA)
• $3m from Luxembourg

This was the third such pledging event for polio in Abu Dhabi, following earlier summits in 2013 and 2019 that collectively raised $6.6bn for GPEI’s work to end this devastating yet preventable disease.

Since 2011, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has committed $525m  to polio eradication and played a major role in focusing global attention on the cause.

“Decades of progress have proved that a polio-free world is within our reach when we act together,” said Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chair of the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity.

“These pledges demonstrate our shared determination to end polio and protect every child from this preventable disease. We are proud to stand with countries, donors, and partners as we work hand-in-hand to achieve it," she said. - PA