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This is Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English
Development Report.
World leaders gathered in New York earlier this month for the sixtieth
anniversary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. At the same
time, another big meeting also took place in the city. It was the first
meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Former President Bill Clinton organized the conference with goals in
four areas. One is to reduce poverty. Another is to use religion as a
force for understanding and conflict resolution. The third is to use
business and technology to fight climate change. And the fourth is to
strengthen governments.
More than one thousand people attended the three-day meeting. They
included current and former leaders from different countries. They also
included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.N. Secretary General
Kofi Annan. Business leaders, educators and representatives of non-profit
groups also attended.
Each person was asked to take action in the coming year in one of the
four areas of the Clinton Global Initiative. By the close of the meeting,
there were promises of more than one thousand million dollars in support.
Among the projects announced were two power stations in the Dominican
Republic to produce energy from wind. They are expected to cost one
hundred thirty million dollars. Also, an international effort was launched
to finance projects around the world that use energy from the sun.
To fight poverty, the former chief of the African wireless-telephone
company Celtel announced an investment program for Africa. Mohamed Ibrahim
said he would launch the African Enterprise Private Investment Fund with a
gift of one hundred million dollars. Money will be directed at small and
medium-size businesses.
Another project brings together the Christian aid group World Vision
and the Global Business Coalition. The plan calls for them to spend tens
of millions of dollars in the next five years to help fight H.I.V. and
AIDS. The work is to be done through small-business development.
Mister Clinton himself plans to work with Scottish businessman Tom
Hunter to launch new development programs. Mister Hunter agreed to give
one hundred million dollars to spend over the next ten years. The project
will be launched in Africa.
Mister Clinton says he plans to hold a global initiative conference
every year.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss.
Our reports are on the Web at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Shep
O'Neal. | 
