More Than $200 Million Pledged at Clinton Global Initiative for HIV/AIDS, Development Projects Worldwide

More than $200 million was pledged on Thursday at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York for HIV/AIDS and development programs worldwide, Reuters AlertNet reports. Former President Clinton launched the three-day meeting to address poverty, religious conflict, climate change and corruption worldwide (Fine, Reuters AlertNet, 9/15). Approximately 800 heads of state, business leaders and other officials were expected to participate in the meeting, which was scheduled to coincide with the U.N. 2005 World Summit (Kessler, Washington Post, 9/16). Participants were asked to commit in writing to take action on one of the initiative's focus areas, and Clinton plans to report on their progress during the next year (Ho, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/16). Clinton opened the meeting by announcing four commitments, including a joint initiative between World Vision International and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS. The groups' initiative, called Impact! HIV/AIDS, aims to raise funds from corporations for programs targeted at women and children affected by the pandemic (Reuters AlertNet, 9/15). The other three initiatives aim to encourage economic and environmental development worldwide (Clinton Foundation release, 9/15).

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