More than 1,500 people attended the 2024 AVPN global conference held in Abu Dhabi in April. During the event, more than US$150 million in funding commitments were made by UAE organisations to causes spanning global health, poverty alleviation, species conservation, and entrepreneurship.
Key announcements included: a US$50 million commitment to the second phase of the Lives and Livelihoods Fund 2.0 (LLF 2.0), a multi-donor development initiative that supports Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) member countries in building sustainable pathways out of poverty; a new $15m grant for Abu Dhabi’s Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE); $40m for the UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund); and $27m from the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation to finance micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
It was the first time AVPN (formerly known as the Asia Venture Philanthropy Network) had held its annual gathering outside of Asia but this was its largest conference to date, attracting international investors, philanthropists, researchers, policymakers, and other professionals seeking to unite on social and environmental challenges.
Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, said: “The UAE and Abu Dhabi’s leadership within global development and philanthropy demonstrates our commitment to advancing the humanitarian agenda to uplift vulnerable communities around the world.
“In hosting the AVPN Global Conference 2024,” he added, “the UAE further highlights the opportunity to work in partnership with countries and communities to address global challenges and promote prosperity worldwide.”
"The UAE leadership within global development and philanthropy demonstrates our commitment to advancing the humanitarian agenda to uplift vulnerable communities around the world."
Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council.
The LLF funding will be deployed in support of critical projects in health and infectious diseases, agriculture, and social infrastructure in low and lower-middle income IsDB member countries.
In addition to targeting root causes of poverty, food insecurity, and poor health outcomes, the investments aim to support 32 member countries to achieve 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The financing will be administered by the Abu Dhabi Development Fund (ADFD) and is in addition to the US$50m the UAE has contributed to the LLF since its launch in 2016.
Reaching the Last Mile, a portfolio of global health programmes driven by the philanthropy of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, used the event to announce a new $15m commitment to the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), which amplifies last-mile efforts to vanquish neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Meanwhile, Clean Rivers, a global nonprofit dedicated to tackling riverine plastic pollution, committed up to $20m in a landmark UAE-Indonesia partnership to reduce ocean plastic pollution from Indonesia’s waterways.
The UAE and Indonesia will cooperate on several vital areas, including capacity building and increasing stakeholder awareness, and the design and delivery of economically-sustainable circular waste systems.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced $40m million for the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund), increase the fund’s endowment to more than US$70 million by 2028.
Separately, the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation announced plans valued as $27 to finance micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with the aim of developing projects that nurture entrepreneurship, building capacity and capability among young entrepreneurs in some of the least developed countries in the world.
And the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Astana City in the Republic of Kazakhstan to establish a rehabilitation centre for people of determination (people with disabilities). The centre will be located in the Yesil area of Astana city and will provide rehabilitation services. The partnership represents Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation's commitment to comprehensive development efforts in Kazakhstan.
AVPN is the world's largest network of Social Investors active in Asia, with over 600+ diverse members across 33 markets. AVPN enables collaborations between policy makers, family offices, foundations and the private sector to increase the impact & flow of capital deployed towards closing SDG gaps in Asia. AVPN’s mission is to catalyse the movement toward a more strategic, collaborative and outcome focused approach to social investing, ensuring that resources are deployed as effectively as possible to address key social challenges facing Asia today and in the future.
