Millennium Development Goals: Gates' praise Africa progress Bill and Melinda Gates have said they are pleased with the "huge progress" made by African countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The couple have touched the lives of millions of people in Africa since starting the world's biggest private foundation dedicated to improving health and reducing poverty. They said new MDGs - which are pledges set by UN member countries to increase living standards in poorer parts of the world - would be made once the current ones expire in 2015.