Global leaders have called for accelerated action on child survival, maternal health and infectious disease eradication, following US$1.9bn in commitments to advance the global fight against polio.
The appeal was made at Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi, co-hosted by the Gates Foundation and the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, which brought together more than 500 leaders from government, philanthropy, business and civil society.
Held in the Middle East and North Africa region for the first time, the event focused on the need to reverse rising child deaths, prevent avoidable maternal deaths and end preventable diseases, beginning with polio.
The commitments announced earlier in the day at Abu Dhabi Finance Week included US$1.2bn from the Gates Foundation, reflecting its long-term focus on ensuring no mother, baby or child dies from preventable causes.
New data from the Gates Foundation’s 2025 Goalkeepers Report suggests the number of children dying before the age of five is projected to rise for the first time in a century.
Leaders said the findings represented a critical turning point and called for renewed financing, stronger health systems and scaled-up innovation to save millions of lives by 2045.
The US$1.9bn in commitments, announced during a pledging event convened by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, included around US$1.2bn in newly pledged funds.
The funding reduces the remaining resource gap for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s 2022–2029 Strategy to US$440m.
The money will be used to strengthen global health systems, expand immunisation and accelerate progress towards polio eradication.
A significant portion of the funding will also support child survival efforts, including expanding vaccine access, protecting newborns and sustaining immunisation programmes in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, said: “Far too many children are still dying from diseases we know how to prevent.
“The tools exist — vaccines, treatments, and proven delivery strategies — and countries are working hard to get them to those who need them most.
“The support announced today will strengthen those efforts, protect the most vulnerable children, and help the world stay on course to end polio for good.”
Polio is now 99.9 per cent eradicated, but leaders at the event stressed that closing the final gap remains both a moral imperative and a demonstration of what coordinated global action can achieve.
Her Excellency Dr Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei, acting director general of the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, said: “Polio eradication is within reach and today’s generous pledges bring us closer than ever to this goal.
“Both Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi and today’s pledging moment underscore what is possible when countries and donors act together: a world free from polio and a healthier, more resilient future for all.”
The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, under the leadership of His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, works with partners to support progress towards a healthier and more equitable world.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has personally committed US$525m to polio eradication since 2011, helping reach more than 400 million children each year with vaccines.
This year’s Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi theme, Imagine the Possible, focused on the role of courage, partnership and innovation in improving health outcomes for women and children worldwide.
The event included an address by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, honouring H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Nation”, and recognising decades of progress for women and children.
Other speakers and contributors included actor and advocate David Oyelowo, CNN International managing editor Becky Anderson, UAE minister of state for international cooperation Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, and polio survivor and global advocate Ramesh Ferris.
The evening also featured storytelling from global changemakers focused on child survival and equity, alongside a musical performance by Adekunle Gold.