Question: ‘Resilient Dynamism’ is the focus of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland in January. As we face unprecedented adaptive challenges and systemic risks, what are your hopes and fears for 2013?
The greatest challenges for the global community in 2013 will undoubtedly be finding workable solutions to world economic recession and dealing effectively with continuing threats to global peace and security.
As we continue to focus on the urgent tasks of nation building and socio-economic development in Nigeria, we will have to keep an eye during the year on global economic developments which may impact on our efforts to rapidly transform our nation and achieve better living conditions for our people.
While we keep doing our best to diversify our economy, our country still remains dependent to a very large extent on income from exports of hydrocarbons. We will, therefore, continue to be concerned in 2013 with any developments which might threaten income from this vital national resource or the stability of the global energy market.
Also, the effects of the rise in global terrorism have reached our shores in recent years and confronting related security challenges will remain on our front burner in 2013.
We hope that in partnership with our friends in the global community, we will effectively stem the scourge of terrorism in our country, neighbouring countries and the entire West African sub-region to reassure our people and friends of the safety of their lives, properties and investments.
We also expect that in 2013 more of our efforts in the areas of public infrastructure development, improved social services, job creation, privatisation, industrialisation and economic diversification will come to fruition for the benefit of all Nigerians.
