Bill Gates explains why

Bill Gates He wants to share all his good fortune, literally.

The billionaire businessman and philanthropist exclusively revealed “News Mornings” on Thursday that he will give virtually all his wealth in the next 20 years through the Gates Foundation. He says that a total of $ 200 billion will go to causes that will help save and improve lives worldwide.

“When deciding to spend all this money in the next 20 years, we can do much more,” Gates said in an interview recorded last week, days before announcing the initiative. You are sure that money will save “dozens of millions of lives.”

A change of plans

It is a decision that Gates did not take light, explaining in a letter published online on Thursday that was inspired by a famous appointment of the 1889 essay by Andrew Carnegie “The Gospel of wealth”, which argued “the man who dies like this rich dies dishonorted.”

Gates said his net assets, which is currently $ 108 billion, will fall 99% in the next two decades.

“People will say many things about me when they die, but I am determined that ‘Rico died’ will not be one of them. There are too many urgent problems to solve to cling to the resources that could be used to help people,” Gates wrote.

Then, he changed his plans. The Gates Foundation, which was originally supposed to be obtained decades after yours and ex -wife Melinda Gates French‘Deaths, will now close in 2045.

The Gates Foundation, which marks its 25th anniversary this year, has already spent $ 100 billion to help reduce the global infant mortality rate by investing in medical innovations. Gates said he has seen first hand how impressive the distribution of vaccines such as diarrhea and pneumonia can be. That is why he is determined to “duplicate.”

It has three main objectives: to stop the death of mothers and children for preventable causes, eradicate mortal infectious diseases and put more countries on a path to prosperity, with an focus on improving education.

Gates says that more children could die due to the trump administration cuts

But progress worries him could stagnate as US and European countries become foreign help and reduce Humanitarian financing.

In 2023, it is estimated that 4.8 million children died before reaching the age of 5, according to a UNICEF report published in March. Without substantial government assistance, Gates says that number will increase.

“Therefore, we should go from 5 million children who die per year for the next five years to 4 million. And now with these cuts, if they are not reversed, we will go to more than 6 million to die. Then, instead of going down, we will rise again,” Gates said.

Gates said he has been in contact with President Trump and had a “great discussion” about some of the initiatives of its foundation, including HIV prevention and polyomyelitis, during dinner at Mar-A-Lago in December.

“Since then, some of the programs have been cut,” Gates said. “And I hope, both with the president and the Congress, to restore some of those aid activities.”

The first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order to start the country Withdrawal of the World Health Organization. In March, the Trump administration revealed plans to reduce the Department of Health and Human Services, a Important review That hit thousands of employees. Part of his plans to cut federal spending also included the suspension of the United States foreign assistanceessentially destroying the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID.

Last week, a senior official of the Office of Administration and Budget said Mr. Trump Proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 It also includes “huge cuts to foreign aid”, focusing more on foreign aid “directed” in situations in which it is in the interest of the United States.

The Gates Foundation is not large enough to replace the foreign aid of the United States. Only in fiscal year 2024, the Federal Government of the United States disbursed almost $ 72 billion in foreign aid, according to the PEW Research Center, which quoted foreigners .gov. The United States federal government spent four times more on global health than the Gates Foundation, Gates said.

“You always want more money in these things you are saving for lives for a few thousand dollars. And I will be an defender of that,” Gates said, praising global health initiatives headed by former President George W. Bush, as his emergency plan for the relief of AIDS launched in 2003, which he says It must be maintained.

“The last stage” of a long career

Gates, who will turn 70 this fall, said that this movement marks the beginning of the “last chapter” in his career. But certainly expects to be close to see the impact it has.

“Well, I would like to have even more time. But I have to say: ‘Ok, this is the last part of my life. And I am an administrator of these resources,” he told “News Mornings.” “I must make sure I am well spent. And now this is the last stage of all that.”

When asked if he will miss his fortune of one billion dollars, Gates laughed out.

“No, I will not.

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• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Bill Gates