With Child Deaths Projected to Rise for the First Time in a Century

At Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi, leaders from government, philanthropy, business, and civil society issued a unified call to accelerate progress on child survival and infectious disease eradication. The appeal was anchored by US$1.9 billion in commitments to advance polio eradication announced earlier in the day at Abu Dhabi Finance Week.

The Gates Foundation contributed US$1.2 billion, reflecting its long-term commitment to a future where no mother, baby, or child dies from preventable causes, and where deadly infectious diseases like polio are eliminated forever.

Co-hosted by the Gates Foundation and the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi brought together more than 500 global leaders. The leaders delivered a clear message: the world must act now to reverse rising child deaths, stop preventable maternal deaths and finish the job of ending preventable diseases, starting with polio.