Posted on May 10, 2005

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Former President Clinton Launches Initiative to Tackle Global Problems

The William J. Clinton Foundation in Little Rock, Arkansas, has announced a new effort to harness the resources of global corporations, nongovernmental organizations, and governments to take on some of the world's biggest problems, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The Clinton Global Initiative, which will hold its first meeting September 15-17 in New York City, will focus on issues that have bipartisan support and that don't fall exclusively under the domain of governments. Among the possible topics: building the integrity and capacity of developing-nation governments, addressing global energy and environmental problems, and attacking global health crises such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

According to former president Bill Clinton, the effort builds on two trends that create new opportunities for addressing global problems in creative ways. The first is the increased willingness of large corporations to get involved in addressing global social problems — something Clinton experienced firsthand when he and former president George H. W. Bush were appointed by the current President Bush to coordinate aid for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami. The second is the rise of nongovernmental organizations, a development that Clinton called one of the "two most remarkable things that have happened since the fall of the Berlin Wall."

"By identifying specific ways to address the challenges of our time, I believe the Clinton Global Initiative will prove to be a unique and useful forum for leaders and communities around the world," said Clinton. "And what we begin during three days in September will not end with the closing session of our event. My foundation will take the ideas we develop and keep working with our Global Initiative participants and others to achieve tangible results."