Bill Gates Addresses G20 at the Invitation of Nicolas Sarkozy

Microsoft co-Founder and Chairman Bill Gates addressed the G20 this week, underlining the importance of remaining committed to alleviating poverty for the members that are part of the group.

French President and G20 Chair President Nicolas Sarkozy invited Gates to speak, with the billionaire philanthropist focusing on financing for development.

The Microsoft co-Founder stressed that it was a privilege to “hear, in person, world leaders’ strong commitment to ensuring that the needs of the poorest are not neglected," he revealed.

The G20 Leaders Summit Final Communiqué reflected many of the aspects of Gates’ ‘Innovation with Impact: Financing 21st Century Development’ report.

Gates applauded G20 leaders for seeing eye to eye with him on a number of topics, “including the need for developed countries to meet their aid commitments and explore innovative financing options, and the need to promote triangular partnerships that draw on the expertise and experience of big emerging economies in key areas like health and agriculture."

It would be a mistake to cut aid, Gates stressed, since such a measure would end up heavily impacting the poorest, while doing extremely little to help countries better their economies, even in the context of the current tough times.

Aid ultimately ensure that approximately a billion people worldwide won’t starve or die from disease.

“Nothing has greater potential to build broader global stability and long-term economic growth while making deep inroads into poverty than major new investments in boosting agricultural productivity in the developing world,” Gates commented.

"I’m encouraged by the G20's strong commitment to build on the unprecedented progress in health and development achieved in the last decade and to improve the lives of the world’s poorest.”

Gates also made it clear that the improving the lives of the world’s poorest people is more about concrete actions and less about rhetoric, and offered Presidency (host of the 2012 G20 Summit) help from the Billl & Melinda Gates Foundation.