President Clinton Announces Next Global Initiative Action Network Meeting in Puerto Rico

NEW YORK, Sept. 27 -- The William J. Clinton Foundation issued the following news release:

Following successful meetings in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this year, President Bill Clinton will convene the fifth meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Action Network on Post-Disaster Recovery in San Juan, Puerto Rico in February 2020.

The announcement took place this week at a convening of government, business, and nonprofit leaders as well as Action Network members at the Clinton Foundation offices in New York, where President Clinton spoke on how to most effectively continue the work started in 2018 in direct response to Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

"Island states are already bearing the brunt of climate change, and now is the time to act to avoid its most catastrophic effects. I'm grateful to all of the members of the CGI Action Network who continue to prove the power of collective action as they work to build a resilient future for the Caribbean," said President Clinton.

Following President Clinton's opening remarks, leaders took part in a panel discussion titled The Caribbean at an Inflection Point: Balancing Long-Term Resilience with Short-Term Preparedness. Addressing the group, Dr. Ronald Jackson, executive director, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, delivered a briefing on the current disaster relief and recovery efforts in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. He explained that despite the ongoing obstacles and challenges, including how poverty-stricken communities continue to be disproportionately affected by natural disasters, progress is being made toward future resilience with a focus on building back better while also ensuring no one is left behind.

The Clinton Foundation established an Action Network focused on Puerto Rico and the greater Caribbean region in the aftermath of the 2017 hurricane season. Most recently, members of the CGI Action Network responded to the needs of the communities in the Bahamas devastated by Hurricane Dorian. Members are committed not only to disaster relief and recovery but also to the long-term support of climate preparedness, economic development, education, and community resilience.

Returning to San Juan next year will help focus on the status of ongoing efforts and will highlight new opportunities for the Action Network to support the transformation toward a resilient, prosperous future for the Caribbean.

At this week's event at the Clinton Foundation offices, featured participants included President Bill Clinton, founder and board chair, Clinton Foundation; Prime Minister Leona Marlin-Romeo, Sint Maarten; Prime Minister Mia A. Mottley, Barbados; Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath, Curacao; Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes, Aruba; Premier Victor Banks, Anguilla; Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Turks & Caicos Islands; Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, secretary-general, Caribbean Community; Kevin Thurm, chief executive officer, Clinton Foundation; Jose Andres, founder, World Central Kitchen; Richard Carrion, non-executive chairman, Popular, Inc.; Katherine Cheng, head of global corporate citizenship and community relations, Expedia; Frank Fernandez, senior vice president, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation; Rolando Gonzalez Bunster, chairman and chief executive officer, InterEnergy; Francis Greenburger, chairman and chief executive officer, Time Equities Inc.; Ronald Jackson, executive director, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency; Jake Kheel, vice president, environment, Grupo Puntacana; Matt Klein, senior vice president and chief commercial officer, Spirit Airlines; John Lepore, general counsel, policy and advocacy, Mastercard; Dorine Manson, managing director, Nationale Postcode Loterij; Luis A. Moreno, president, Inter-American Development Bank; Angela Mwanza, senior vice president and private wealth advisor, UBS Private Wealth Management; Mary G. Powell, chief executive officer, Green Mountain Power Corporation; Sharon Prince, chair and founder, Grace Farms Foundation; Tahseen Sayed, regional director for the Caribbean, World Bank Group; Margriet Schreuders, head of charities, Nationale Postcode Loterij; Nikhil da Victoria Lobo, managing director for the public sector, Swiss Re; and Niki G. Zoli, director of social impact, Marriott International, Inc.

Members of the CGI Action Network continue delivering on their Commitments to Action, specific and measurable projects that address critical challenges such as climate resiliency, clean energy, economic development, disaster preparedness and response, housing, health care, and education. When these commitments are fully implemented, they will drive $156.3 million in investment to affected regions in the Caribbean. A full list of commitments can be found here: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments

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About the Clinton Foundation

Building on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together. For nearly two decades, those values have energized the work of the Foundation in overcoming complex challenges and improving the lives of people across the United States and around the world.

As an operating foundation, we work on issues directly or with strategic partners from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service. Our programs are designed to make a real difference today while serving as proven models for tomorrow. The goal of every effort is to use available resources to get better results faster - at the lowest possible cost.

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