Clinton Global Initiative fifth annual meeting in NYC

The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Fifth Annual Meeting started Sept. 22 and continues through Sept. 25. The CGI conference, held in New York City, was kicked-off Tuesday with a keynote address from Pres. Obama.

U.S. President Barack Obama praised the work of former Pres. Clinton and the CGI. He told the crowd that it was "no exaggeration" that the work of CGI could "save the lives of millions" reports CBS News. Further, Pres. Obama said that the work of this organization proved that "you don't have to hold a public office to be a public servant." Moreover, according to CBS News, Obama commended the work of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noting that she “led in the development of a foreign policy that makes it ‘clear the kind of future we want to build,’ and engages political leaders, religious leaders, citizens and nongovernmental organizations.” The CGI’s 2009 action areas are Building Human Capital, Strengthening Infrastructure, Harnessing Innovation for Development, and Financing an Equitable Future. On Wednesday the focus was upon gender inequality. Reuters reports that former Pres. Bill Clinton said:

Even though women make up half the world's population, they do two-thirds of the world's work, produce 50 percent of the world's food, earn 10 percent of the world's income and own one percent of the world's property. Whether the issue is improving the involvement of young women and girls in education to climate change and all political and social economic issues in between, I think empowering women is central to what the world has to do in the 21st century.

Commitments made at the summit to improve gender equality include $1.5 million from Exxon Mobil Corp to aid in the identification and implementation of technologies designed to improve women’s lives. Strengthening infrastructure will be emphasized on Thursday. The morning plenary session “will explore how strategic public investment in smarter infrastructure can create opportunities for industry, address deep social needs, promote effective public-private collaboration, and jumpstart the world economy.” Scheduled program participants at that session include Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman and CEO, General Electric, and Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General, United Nations and President of the Kofi Annan Foundation. The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Fifth Annual Meeting culminates with a closing plenary session on Sept. 25 featuring a keynote address from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton and closing remarks from President Bill Clinton. CGI events may be watched live by going to this link.