Former President Rawlings has arrived in New York at the invitation of Ex-American President, Bill Clinton and the Africa House of the New York University.

The former Ghanaian leader will attend events marking the fifth meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative and give a lecture at the Africa House.

President Rawlings will today attend the opening plenary session of the Clinton Global Initiative, which will be addressed by President Barrack Obama.

The Clinton Global Initiative is a government-private sector think-tank initiated by the former American President, which gathers world leaders annually to brainstorm on issues of globalisation.

This year more than 60 former and current heads of state will be attending today’s opening session. They include President John Atta Mills and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The 2009 meeting will Address Global Challenges – Education, Energy & Climate Change, Global Health, and Economic Empowerment – via Four New Action Areas: Harnessing Innovation for Development, Strengthening Infrastructure, Building Human Capital, and Financing an Equitable Future.

Other activities former President Rawlings will participate in during the fifth meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative are a breakout session on Education and Global Health, a plenary session on Strengthening Infrastructure and a special Citizens Awards ceremony.

Former President Rawlings who is accompanied by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings will later today address a selection of Professors, students and members of the public under the auspices of the Africa House, which is an inter-disciplinary institute of the New York University that focuses on Economic, Political and Social Issues on the continent.

The former President will speak on the topic, “Mobilising African People for Economic Development”.

On Thursday former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings will also feature at Africa House with a lecture on the subject “Mobilising Women for Economic Development”.

Nana Konadu will also address a cross-section of staff and students at Monmouth University on Friday.

Visit Former President Rawlings’ blog site - http://jjrawlings.wordpress.com/