Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently concluded a successful visit to Ethiopia from April 22 to April 26, 2024.
During his time there, he engaged with Foundation partners and grantees, focusing on addressing health challenges and fostering economic opportunities for the Ethiopian people. This visit underscored the Gates Foundation’s dedication to collaborating closely with communities and leaders to advance solutions that accelerate progress and enhance lives throughout Africa.
Suzman used his time to visit different stakeholders involved in the Foundation’s work in Ethiopia, meeting with high-level policymakers all the way to individuals benefiting from BMGF’s initiatives.
On Wednesday, April 24, Mark Suzman flew to Sidamo region. Suzman’s day commenced at Wochabo Basic Health Post, where he observed the essential work of Health Extension Workers, emphasizing immunizations, family planning, and maternal and child care.
He also interacted with Village Health Leaders, pivotal in community-health worker collaboration. Moreover, he engaged with married adolescent girls benefiting from the Smart Start, a nationwide Ministry of Health-led program which empowers them to pursue educational and entrepreneurial goals while managing family planning effectively.
His time in Sidamo was concluded by receiving insights from Amref and the Afar Regional Health Bureau regarding the difficulties in delivering health services in the pastoralist region of Afar, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to address challenges despite difficulties.
Upon returning to Addis Ababa, Suzman had a roundtable discussion on gender transformative outcomes in agriculture with representatives of Minister of Agricultural (MoA). The roundtable also engaged Agriculture Transformation Institute (ATI), ACC and CARE Ethiopia.
On Thursday, Mark Suzman and Haddis Tadesse, Country Director of BMGF Ethiopia, conducted a recorded conversation about DPIs in the presence of relevant stakeholders.
Thursday was concluded with a Government Leaders Roundtable where the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Finance, Ethiopian Investment Commission, Ethio-Telecom, National Bank of Ethiopia and National ID Ethiopia were represented. This roundtable was centred around conversating with government officials on policies affecting the Ethiopian people. Additionally, it gave the Foundation the opportunity to further align its work in Ethiopia with the government’s priorities.
The final day of the CEO’s visit began with National and Pan-African Media Roundtable where Suzman personally engaged media personnel from various backgrounds, answering their questions and sharing the future plans of the Foundation in Ethiopia.
