CGI Closes: Amidst Glitz and Pomp, Substance

The Clinton Global Initiative is coming to a close and as I sit here listening to Gordon Brown talk about the importance of the global economy and the gap between the rich and poor, I find myself also thinking about the images of Drew Barrymore, Matt Damon, Muhammad Yunus, Bono, Bill Gates, Wylclef Jean and Bill Clinton on my camera, and last nights performances of James Taylor and Yousoo Ndour’s. Waking up from my day dream, I realize that this conference could have easily succumbed to three days of a star-studded, papparazzi-riddled social affair. And perhaps in some ways it is.

But as I go through the notes I’ve taken over the last three days, I am quite pleasantly surprised by the amount of substance and the breadth of issues and innovations covered over the last three days. Indeed, I’m so impressed that I find myself at the end of this conference in 30 minutes unwilling to end my blogging on its sessions and commitments. Over the next week, I plan to continue providing commentary on CGI sessions, issue areas and commitments. Here is a sampling of topics I plan to cover:

• Asset Building Beyond Microfinance? The Forgotten Bottom and the Missing Middle
• Rural Finance: a New Frontier for Global Asset Building?
• Technology, Information and the New Age of Access
• Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development: An Opportunity for Microfinance?
• Food Prices Shifting Microfinance Focus?
• CGI Commitments: My Top 10 List