Bill Gates announced that he will donate $200 billion to the poor around the world by 2045 - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
American philanthropist Bill Gates has promised to give away almost all of his wealth over 20 years. He criticized Elon Musk for cutting aid to the world's poorest countries.
American businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates has vowed to give away almost all of his personal wealth over the next two decades and said the world's poorest people will receive about $200 billion through his foundation at a time when governments around the world are cutting international aid. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
Gates also criticized Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a key figure in President Donald Trump's administration, accusing him of "killing the world's poorest children" through massive cuts to the United States' aid budget.
"The image of the world's richest man killing the world's poorest children is not very pleasant," Gates said in an interview with the Financial Times.
Gates recalled that the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Musk, led to the destruction of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which previously provided billions in funding for everything from children's vaccines to emergency food aid.
Gates and Musk once agreed on the role that wealthy people play in giving away money, but have clashed several times since. Gates said he is accelerating plans to sell his fortune and close the Gates Foundation on December 31, 2045.
People will talk a lot about me when I die, but I am determined that "he died rich" will not be one of them. There are too many pressing problems to solve for me to hold on to resources that could be used to help people
In his statement, Gates allegedly rebuked Trump for cutting aid to the poor after returning to office in January. He said he wants to help stop the deaths of newborns, children and mothers from preventable causes. He also seeks to help overcome diseases such as polio, malaria and measles, and reduce poverty.
It is unclear whether the world's richest countries will continue to protect their poorest people
Gates said that despite the foundation's deep pockets, progress would be impossible without government support. He praised the response to aid cuts in Africa, where some governments reallocated budgets, but said, for example, polio would not be eradicated without US funding.
Gates made the announcement on the foundation's 25th anniversary. He founded the organization with his then-wife Melinda French Gates in 2000, and investor Warren Buffett later joined them.
Addition
Bill Gates reported that he has donated more than $100 billion through his charitable foundation. The Microsoft founder plans to give away most of his fortune, leaving his children "not such a huge" sum.