International leaders, philanthropists, and global health partners gathered in Abu Dhabi on December 8, 2025, to pledge a collective US$ 1.9 billion toward polio eradication. This includes approximately $1.2 billion in new commitments, reducing the remaining funding gap for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s (GPEI) 2022–2029 Strategy to $440 million. The funds aim to reach 370 million children annually with polio vaccines and strengthen health systems in affected countries to protect against other preventable diseases. The pledging event, titled “Investing in Humanity: Uniting to End Polio,” was hosted by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity in partnership with GPEI during Abu Dhabi Finance Week.
High-profile attendees included His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Bill Gates, and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, alongside representatives from governments, multilateral institutions, and private sector donors. Significant pledges came from the Gates Foundation ($1.2 billion), the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation ($140 million), Rotary International ($450 million), Bloomberg Philanthropies ($100 million), Pakistan ($154 million), Germany ($62 million), and other contributors.
The UAE has a long-standing leadership role in polio eradication, contributing $525 million since 2011 and distributing over 850 million vaccine doses in Pakistan through the Emirates Polio Campaign. Abu Dhabi has hosted three major polio pledging summits, including 2013 and 2019, which collectively raised $6.6 billion. The new pledges underscore global commitment to achieving a polio-free world, protecting children from this preventable disease, and strengthening health systems worldwide.
While wild poliovirus remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, variant poliovirus outbreaks continue to threaten children globally. Eradication of polio would mark only the second human disease ever eradicated and is projected to save over $33 billion by 2100 compared to the cost of ongoing outbreak control. The GPEI’s work has already reduced cases by over 99% since 1988, improving routine immunization, surveillance, and emergency response systems.
Global leaders emphasized the importance of sustaining momentum to reach the last children in endemic areas. Dr. Tedros highlighted the need for international cooperation, Bill Gates stressed the critical role of continued funding, and UNICEF, Gavi, and Rotary reaffirmed their commitments. Pakistan and other affected countries are implementing innovative vaccination strategies to reach underserved communities, while donors such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, Germany, and IFANCA emphasized their support for finishing the eradication effort.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity focuses on strengthening health systems, reducing preventable diseases, and empowering communities to thrive. GPEI, a public-private partnership led by WHO, Rotary International, CDC, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and Gavi, has protected billions of children through vaccination and continues to lead global efforts to eradicate polio.
