I
have witnessed many changes in my long career in the way we approach global
challenges – not all of them, sadly, positive. But the resurgence in recent
years of philanthropy has been a major change for good.
We
have entered a new age of philanthropy and the sick, the poor and the
vulnerable of our world are benefiting. Progress is being made on some of our
world’s most intractable problems and modern philanthropy has played a
significant role in these successes. When, for example, as UN Secretary-General
we launched the Global Fund as an international financing mechanism to tackle
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the early involvement of the Gates
Foundation was of critical importance.
It
was not just the large additional resources which were provided which made the
difference, but also their way of approaching the challenge. Modern
philanthropists have brought a determined focus on outcomes and the courage to
find and try innovative solutions to deliver results.
They
also bring a deep understanding of the need to build the widest possible
partnerships with governments, international agencies, civil society and the
private sector. Despite fears from some NGOs and multilaterals about their
involvement and influence, modern philanthropists rarely operate in isolation
but recognise the importance of collaboration.
The
new age of philanthropy is also marked by a change in where the successors to
Carnegie, Rockefeller and Nobel live. As the economies of Asia, Latin America
and Africa have grown, so has the determination of its business leaders to use
their wealth for the greater good.
We
have seen, for example, the emergence of a growing number of African
foundations set up by those whose companies have thrived on the continent. They
can bring, as is the case with Mo Ibrahim and the work of his Foundation on
African governance and of Tony Elumelu on entrepreneurship, a particular
insight into what’s important, a better understanding of the local and regional
context, and the barriers that must be overcome.
This
experience can also provide a credibility which makes it more difficult for
those in authority to ignore and easier to attract the right partners. The work
of my Foundation on African agriculture and on elections and reconciliation
within the continent – and the wide partnerships we have forged – has benefited
hugely from these partnerships.
The
Ibrahim and Gates Foundations also underline how modern philanthropists are
taking a much more high-profile role in advocacy for the causes in which they
believe and the changes they want to see. Many wealthy individuals, of course,
continue to keep their giving and efforts private, but this new breed of
philanthropy-champions have successfully raised awareness, challenged
conventional thinking and prompted decisive action on issues of huge
importance.
As
we look around our world and the complex challenges we face, it is clear we
need not just more funding but the very best ideas that we can get, and
absolute focus to make these ideas work in practice. I am delighted to see the next
generation of philanthropists leading the way.
This article was
written by Kofi Annan, Chair of the Kofi Annan
Foundation.Credit:
https://ch.linkedin.com/in/kofiannan
