Before 2008, economic policy paralysis had largely prevailed in Côte d'Ivoire since an attempted coup and civil war in 2002. A default on commercial debt (mostly Brady bonds) in 2000 had not been cured, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme signed in 2002 had lapsed in 2005 without being replaced, and the country was running arrears to the Paris Club of bilateral creditor governments.

Ajay Chhibber, assistant secretary-general of the UN

Only when natural disasters are properly managed and prepared for can vulnerable countries escape the cycle of crisis and recovery that hinders their development.

Eugene Ludwig, Founder and CEO of Promontory Financial Group

Capital should simply be one of the barons of good risk management - not the king.

Greg Fleming, Future president of investment management at Morgan Stanley

While financial markets are improving across the globe, economic power is shifting as the BRIC countries grow in both size and influence.

Dr Walid Hejazi, Professor of International Competitiveness

Far from depriving other countries of tax revenue, offshore financial centres used by multinationals for foreign direct investment generate huge taxable sums for home economies via share dividends and capital gains.

The chairman of The Banker's Bank of the Year, Banco Santander, describes why the global crisis has largely bypassed his bank, and how the company's focus on customer service and efficiency will help its acquisitions across Europe, Latin America and the US to thrive.

Ali Babacan, finance minister and deputy prime minister of Turkey

Turkey's finance minister and deputy prime minister explains how the Turkish banking system survived the financial crisis relatively unscathed and outlines the country's economic policy for 2010 and beyond.

Abraao Gourgel was parachuted into the job of governor of Angola's central bank in April 2009 at a difficult time. The country's currency, the kwanza, had suffered a sharp devaluation on account of plummeting oil prices and the global economic downturn, which was having an adverse impact on foreign direct investment.