Bill Clinton philanthropic summit to start

Former President Bill Clinton will push corporations and nonprofit groups at his philanthropic summit this week to create jobs as U.S. unemployment hovers at 9.1 percent and poor nations worry that the economic crisis will stall their labor growth.

More than 1,200 people, including at least 50 heads of state, including President Barack Obama, business leaders, humanitarians and celebrities are due to attend the seventh annual Clinton Global Initiative, which starts a three-day run Tuesday in Manhattan.

The meeting will focus on three areas -- creating jobs, sustainable consumption and programs for women and girls. To attend Clinton's summit, companies and individuals had to commit to tackle the focus issues. Those who do not keep their pledge cannot return.

Clinton, president from 1993 to 2001, told Reuters in an interview there needed to be a global focus on creating jobs, as there were several wealthy countries suffering like the United States with high unemployment.

"And there are a lot of developing countries that are afraid the global economic crisis is going to stop them from creating sufficient employment to continue to grow," Clinton said.

"Everyone understands that we don't have any control over what the EU decides to do about Greece or whether America decides to clean up its housing debt more quickly or all those sorts of things, but that there are lots of things that can be done everywhere to create more employment," he said.