Following a visit to China, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will be in Niger and Nigeria this week to discuss global health and development with national and local officials, foundation partners, grantees, scientists, and young innovators.
The visit is part of the Gates Foundation’s commitment to work closely with communities and leaders to support innovation that can help accelerate progress and improve lives across Africa, a statement on Saturday said.
Gates and other foundation leaders are visiting to learn from partners helping to address polio, anemia, and other health threats; scientists applying research to develop agricultural innovations that will help with food security and climate adaptation; innovators using technology to improve access to financial services; and others working to improve lives in Niger and Nigeria and throughout the continent.
They will also meet with national and regional leaders to encourage them to make investments and advance policies that promote innovation and provide equitable opportunity, despite challenging economic conditions.
Gates will also participate in a conversation with students and young leaders to gather insights and share perspectives on how science and innovation can accelerate positive change and contribute to a brighter outlook for Africa.
The moderated event, Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation, will be co-hosted by the Co-Creation Hub Nigeria and Lagos Business School and livestreamed across Africa by media partners Africa.com and Channels Television. It will take place at 10am WAT (Lagos) on 21 June. You can register here to attend virtually.
Background On Foundation Investments In Africa, Niger And Nigeria:
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation believes that solutions to Africa’s greatest challenges can come from within Africa. This is why the foundation supports African partners whose bold ideas and creative approaches have the potential to save lives, improve health, and help families across the continent.
• Since the foundation’s inception in 2000, it has supported partnerships with African regional institutions, national governments, and local communities in 49 African countries to contribute funding and scientific expertise in support of their agendas for change. These partnerships have driven the success of numerous health, agriculture, equality, and anti-poverty initiatives.
• In Niger, the foundation works with the government and multilateral organizations to strengthen routine immunization and control polio outbreaks.
• In Nigeria, the foundation works with the government of Nigeria, the private sector, non-profit organizations and civil society to improve health outcomes, boost agricultural productivity, expand access to digital financial services, and empower women and other marginalized populations with greater economic opportunities.
About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.
In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.