Political leaders around the world have rung in the New Year with messages reviewing a tough year that just ended and expressing hope for 2010.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet hailed the country's achievements in 2009 and expressed confidence for the future in her New Year message to the nation.
During 2009, Chile proved the strength and efficiency of its development model, Bachelet
said on Thursday.
Bachelet thanked the Chilean people for their support, saying she was honored to serve
her homeland.
"I am grateful for so much support and affection the entire country has shown and given
me everyday," said Bachelet, who is to finish her term on March 11.
Bachelet, the first female president in the history of the country, enjoyed an approval rate
of 80 percent in a recent poll, the highest of any Chilean president in history.
Bachelet said her government had focused its efforts on "Chile becoming a better country with much humanity."
"Today's Chile is not a result of luck but a fruit of the continuity and consistency of our
public policies," she added.
According to Bachelet, the economy would recover in 2010, with an officially expected
economic growth rate of between 4.5 to 5.5 percent, against 1.8 percent in 2009.
Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Friday that Spain sought to bring Europe out of its economic crisis during its EU presidency.
Zapatero said his country welcomed its EU rotating presidency with enthusiasm, and its
goal for the first half of 2010 was to bring Europe out of the economic crisis and to help
people identify themselves more as Europeans.
Admitting that Europe still faced great challenges to make its economy "more productive,
more innovative and more sustainable," he said Spain planned to increase Europe's international influence, and to defend and spread cooperation, peace and dialogue among the people and nations.
The Lisbon Treaty, which came into effect on Dec. 1, 2009, would allow Europe to become more efficient and dynamic, he noted.
In a message for the New Year posted on the White House website, U.S. President Barack Obama encouraged his compatriots to meet challenges with braveness and determination.
"As Americans across the country gather with family and friends, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year," said Obama.
"While 2009 was difficult for many Americans, we must also look back on this year with the knowledge that brighter days are ahead of us -- that although our challenges are great,each of us has the courage and determination to rise up and meet them," said the U.S.president.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus called on his nation to concentrate on its own pressing issues in his New Year message on Friday.
"Let us do the best we can today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow," Klaus said in his
New Year speech, broadcast on Czech TV and radio channels. He stressed that people should concentrate on the issues that are relevant for them.
"Let us think about the future rationally and let us reject artificially created hysterics of those who try to force us into believing that we have to stop the growth of the national
economy and social development," he said.
Klaus, who is known as an opponent of many theoretical concepts of Western Green parties, called for more help to fellow countrymen.
"Before we send some money to the accounts of some groups who then send part of this
money abroad, let us first look at the life of people in our house, in our villages, in our city,"he said.
He reiterated that the Czech national economy was now in the deepest crisis since the
founding of the Czech Republic 17 years ago. But he forecast a "very mild" growth for 2010.
In Finland, President Tarja Halonen was cautiously upbeat on economic prospects in
2010, calling for continued efforts for economic recovery during her New Year speech on Friday.
"The past year's economic picture was bleak," Halonen said, "We can look to the year
that is just beginning with cautious hope, although the international economic situation is still marked by considerable uncertainty."
"Owing to the structure of Finland's economy, recovery may take somewhat longer in
our country. Continued joint action is therefore needed," she said.
Last year's recession has caused high unemployment in the Nordic country and the
number of jobless people may reach 300,000 this year.
Halonen said Finland should increase business diversity, strengthen competitiveness and
pay special attention to small and medium-size enterprises that have a large impact on
employment.
Finland should actively develop promising environmental technology and make full use of
the country's advantage in the field, she said.
In Nigeria, the federal government vowed to tackle poverty in 2010,Vice President Goodluck Jonathan identifying it as the number one challenge.
"In many parts of the country, poverty remains a number one problem that must be
confronted," the vice president said.
Jonathan said the government would double its efforts in the areas of fiscal discipline,
commitment to budgetary implementation, projects completion and cutting down on waste.
The Vice President said policy measures would be announced to ensure that individuals
who were directly affected by the fallouts of the banking reforms were spared undue hardship through job creation and economic stimulus programs.