Germany, Bill Gates, in child immunization pledge

BERLIN—Germany Wednesday pledged 14 million euros ($20 million) this year for child immunization in a deal struck with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The foundation will match Germany’s pledge to the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization and also match any further pledges in the next two years, the development ministry in Berlin said in a statement.

Microsoft founder Gates and Development Minister Dirk Niebel signed a memorandum of understanding to firm up cooperation between Berlin and the foundation.

The cooperation aims “to invest in smart aid that can save lives, improve living conditions and build prosperous and stable societies,” Gates said in the German-language statement.

In Berlin, Gates also met Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff.