Gates Asks Wealthy Countries to Continue Foreign Aid Efforts in Developing Nations

"Despite [the] economic crisis rippling around the world," Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, "is pushing countries to continue foreign aid efforts to poor and developing nations, saying that every dollar of aid 'makes a huge difference,'" ABC News reports. ABC's "This Week" anchor Christiane Amanpour interviewed Gates last week after he visited Capitol Hill "to make his case to members of Congress." Gates is expected to "present a plan at the G20 Summit next week in France calling on the wealthiest countries to continue their aid efforts, despite austerity measures being taken around the world," the news agency writes.

"Gates said that despite general opposition to foreign aid, Americans have remained 'very generous' on efforts to supply AIDS drugs and malaria bed nets to at-risk nations overseas," but that "current foreign aid promises are at risk as focus turns to budget cuts, and making greater investments and 'nation-building' at home," ABC notes (Delawala, 10/30).