Bill Clinton gets $2.5b in pledges to tackle world’s woes

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Healthcare for athletes with mental disabilities, organic know-how for Indian farmers and solar technology for isolated communities were among the pledges made at former United States (US) President Bill Clinton's philanthropic summit, which ended on Tuesday.

With its theme of "Designing for Impact" and an emphasis on improving the lives of women and girls in the developing world, heads of states, business leaders and humanitarians at the eighth annual Clinton Global Initiative made 150 new pledges valued at about US$2 billion (S$2.5 billion) to tackle some of the world's woes.

The three-day summit, scheduled when world leaders are in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, also featured appearances from US President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, as well as Egypt's new Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi.

"I am convinced that cooperation, not conflict, will define this century," Mr Clinton said.