Saudi Arabia Commits $30 Million to Polio Efforts - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

NEW YORK -- The United Nations Foundation and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced today that the Kingdom will contribute $30 million to eradicate polio worldwide, making it only the second disease to be eliminated from the world.  The vast majority of the world is now polio-free, but polio remains endemic in four countries—Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.  Today’s announcement was made by United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner, UN Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal, and Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations H.E. Khalid Abdalrazaq Al-Nafisee during the annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), where Former President Bill Clinton commended the leaders in the fight against polio.

For the full press release, visit the United Nations Foundation Web site.