With his fortune, Bill Gates was able to put pressure on governments and influence how much money they invested in international vaccination programs. This is revealed by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who also describes how the billionaire gained access to world leaders at a level usually reserved for heads of state.

In a special edition of the Handelsblatt podcast Meckel & Matthes, Merkel shares her experiences with Gates and his foundation. She describes how, over time, the billionaire became someone world leaders were eager to meet.

However, it wasn’t only Gates’ access to political leaders that impressed Merkel. She also describes how Gates could use his wealth to influence governments and create a kind of moral pressure regarding their financial contributions to international vaccination efforts.

One example highlighted by Merkel is the vaccine alliance Gavi, the international organization that works to improve vaccine access in low- and middle-income countries. The Gates Foundation has long been one of the leading private actors behind the organization.

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Gavi brings together governments, international organizations, companies, and private financiers. The model means that private funds can directly influence which global health problems are prioritized and the scale of resources deployed.

This is also where Merkel’s account becomes politically sensitive. She describes how Gates could use comparisons between countries’ financial contributions to put pressure on politicians.

According to Merkel, Gates could tell African heads of state that Germany had been stingy with its contributions. She believes this gave Gates a significant position of power.

When Philanthropy Meets Politics

However, Merkel’s account is not just about Gates’ considerable political influence, but also about the areas he wanted governments to invest in. Gates’ foundation had chosen vaccinations as one of its main focus areas.

Merkel states that she asked why the foundation didn’t invest more in, for example, education, to which Gates, according to her, replied that results in education were significantly harder to measure. At the same time, Gates wanted governments to contribute more to international vaccination programs, including Gavi.

When a private foundation controls billions and at the same time has close contacts with governments, international organizations, and leading politicians, it can wield influence far beyond what ordinary citizens or smaller organizations can achieve.

This does not mean that Gates unilaterally decides over governments or vaccination programs. But Merkel’s own account shows that she regarded his financial resources as a tool for political influence.

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