UAE President, Bill Gates discuss ways to enhance humanitarian cooperation

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call on Thursday from Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. During the call, Mr Gates extended his congratulations to His Highness on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, extending his wishes for the ongoing prosperity and progress of the UAE and its people.

His Highness and Mr Gates explored ways to strengthen their collaborative efforts towards combatting infectious diseases such as polio, underscoring the substantial advances made recently in this area. They also emphasised the critical need to enhance international efforts aimed at helping vulnerable communities to eradicate diseases that hamper their progress, wellbeing, and overall quality of life.

The call also noted the historic outcomes of the COP28 climate conference hosted by the UAE last year, which resulted in the landmark UAE Consensus, a key milestone in promoting unified climate action and accelerating global endeavours to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The two sides highlighted the importance of modern technology and innovation in enhancing sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, alongside preserving natural resources and achieving sustainable development.

The call also discussed the significant efforts made by the UAE to address the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and facilitate the flow of relief and medical aid since the beginning of the crisis.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed thanked Bill Gates for his Eid Al-Fitr greetings and reaffirmed the UAE's dedication to fostering international cooperation and bolstering future initiatives to address diseases that endanger communities.

Mr Gates lauded the UAE's significant humanitarian efforts in supporting communities around the world, noting their profound impact. He further commended His Highness for his pivotal contributions towards eradicating polio and his endeavours to bolster global initiatives against the disease, thereby enhancing the wellbeing of communities worldwide.

WAM