We all know that 2009 was a year of great difficulties, probably the most difficult year for whole world since its incorporation; economically and on the social front.

The global economic and financial crisis in 2008/2009 was not inevitable. It was the result of excesses in the financial sphere that escaped any kind of regulation. It was the result of the bursting of a gigantic bubble of debt, which we had been pushing in front of us for years. It was the result of global imbalances that are unsustainable over time. Despite keeping on explaining that we earn money by going into debt, there comes a time when it has to stop. It had to happen in the end. But these financial crises are not over in 2010. It will take some time.

In the vast arc of crisis, unfortunate and continued violence across the country in 2009 contributed to lack of necessary investments within telecommunications and other infrastructure areas in the world, which in turn hampered  business opportunities. Will the violence be reduced enabling further investments in 2010 and beyond?

Keeping the above in mind, 2010 can be a year of new beginnings – for the world.  It can be a year to see a new world order, a year of decisive progress towards peace and tolerance, the birth of new investment models, and the birth of new business models. Everything is related, so a combination and adaptation of all those could hopefully make us more competitive while maintaining and defending our position and market share – around the world .

I am approaching year 2010 with determination to do everything, to take all possible measures, to enable us emerging from the crisis having resumed our growth to increased revenue, increased/new business partnerships, increased awareness about us as a corporate citizen, and reinforcing our role as an opinion builder in the telecom industry in world. We need you, your support, your talent, your competence and your motivation to gain those goals and to reach success together. No doubt others will find us too ambitious, but let us be it!

I am convinced that time is working against us. Believing that we have time is a major strategic error. In the case of all these financial and business difficulties and crises, everyone is well aware of the conditions that will determine whether we will be successful or not. Time will not help. We already know what we must do. So let’s do it! The ideas are on the table. We know perfectly well where we must make compromises and when we must make them. I would even go a step further: whatever we do not do in 2010, will be even harder to do in 2011. If we do not fight against time already in 2010, there might no longer be any room for maneuver on the table in 2011 and beyond.

This is the reality. It is the priority for 2010, that all women and men within this world use their responsibilities to act. To act and not to wait. Because in the end, waiting without doing anything is nothing more than complicity. These depend only on ourselves: do we want to endure the crisis, or do we want to rebound?

I end right here by quoting Eric Hoffer; “In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists”.

Once again, I wish you all a successful and fruitful year 2010 – on professional as well as on personal level .