Gates Foundation Ends $5m Pledge Partnership With Saudi Crown Prince's Charity Over Khashoggi Killing

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will end its commitment to partner with a charity in Saudi Arabia closely aligned with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in light of the still-unanswered questions about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a former loyalist murdered while in exile.

The Gates’ organization had pledged $5 million towards a new program, Misk Grand Challenges, along with the Misk Foundation, a group that promotes youth empowerment worldwide, and which is chaired by the prince. A large photo of the crown prince appears on the site’s home page.

The Gates Foundation said in a statement provided to Fortune, “Jamal Khashoggi’s abduction and murder is extremely troubling. We are observing current events with concern, and we do not plan to fund any subsequent rounds of the Misk Grand Challenges program.”