Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed receives Bill Gates on Thursday. WAM

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed discussed with Gates cooperation in combating diseases. They also reviewed the outcomes of joint cooperation and future initiatives after a decade of charitable collaboration.

Sheikh Mohamed lauded the levels of cooperation between the two sides and the results achieved, emanating from shared desire to help provide decent and healthy living standards to all people.

He also stressed the importance of rallying efforts to eliminate preventable communicable diseases and to improve living conditions in the world's poorest communities.

Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, praised the role of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed and thanked him for his global humanitarian initiatives and his commitment as key partner of the Foundation in its efforts to eliminate diseases.

He referred to the important support provided by the UAE, which contributed to improving living standards in many nations through better healthcare services and elimination of diseases.

Niger recently announced that it had completed the necessary evaluations to certify the elimination of river blindness.

The decade long collaboration between the UAE and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has led to many initiatives and achievements in global health sectors.

WAM