$1.25B Pledged at Close of Clinton Global Initiative for HIV/AIDS, Development Projects Worldwide

Representatives of governments, businesses and organizations at the close of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on Saturday had made almost 200 formal pledges totaling $1.25 billion for HIV/AIDS and development programs worldwide, Reuters AlertNet reports. Other summit attendees are expected to make additional pledges in the next few weeks (Fine, Reuters AlertNet, 9/17). Former President Clinton last week launched the three-day meeting to address poverty, religious conflict, climate change and corruption worldwide. Approximately 800 heads of state, business leaders and other officials participated in the meeting, which was scheduled to coincide with the U.N. 2005 World Summit. 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. 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. The other three initiatives aim to encourage economic and environmental development worldwide (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 9/16). Clinton said he will schedule another summit in 2006 and possibly make the meeting an annual event (Reuters AlertNet, 9/17).