World Leaders have dispensed out goodwill messages to affirm commitment to global peace and progressive development in 2020.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson New Year's message tweeted: “Hoping to make it a fantastic one for Britain. Happy New Year! Let’s make 2020 a fantastic year for Britain.
"The first item on my agenda is to fulfill the will of the electorate and take us out of the European Union. We can start a new chapter in the history of our country, in which we come together and move forward united, unleashing the enormous potential of the British people," President Johnson stated in a message obtained by the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
US President Donald Trump tweeted out a simple message: “HAPPY NEW YEAR”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a tweet: “Happy New Year! Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2020, stay safe and have fun as you celebrate the start of a new decade with family and friends”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the year as "crucial in winning the anti-poverty battle" in China, and voiced the hope for a prosperous and stable Hong Kong. “We are not afraid of winds and rains, or any kind of difficulties," said the Chinese president.
President Xi reiterated China's commitment to peaceful development, world peace and common development, saying "we stand ready to join hands with people around the world to actively build the Belt and Road, push for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and work tirelessly to create a better future for humanity."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his New Year message: "We are living in turbulent, dynamic and contradictory times, but we can and must do everything for Russia to develop successfully so that everything in our lives changes only for the better."
He called for unity and concerted efforts by the Russian people, noting "our personal plans and dreams are inseparable from Russia."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in her New Year's Eve address, appealed for courage and confidence of the German people to meet the challenges of the new decade.
She emphasized the need to halt climate change, a "real" threat. The younger generation will have to live with the consequences of climate change if politicians do not act, Merkel said.
“I will ensure that Germany "makes its contribution ecologically, economically, socially" to get the issue under control, she said.
The French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to push through the government's pension reform plan, which was met with union-led national strikes in December.
"The pension reform will be fully carried out," President Macron stated, adding he hopes to quickly find a compromise with unions.
For 2020, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his New Year's statement on Wednesday made reforms a priority for his government, including; creating a social security system that can help people live in a more carefree manner.
He also hoped for a successful execution of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to be held this summer, saying he hopes the games will be a wonderful event that will excite children and let them have dreams for the future.
Cameroon's President Paul Biya vowed to continue fighting armed separatists in the central African country, saying the separatists pose "one of the most urgent problems."
Zambia's President Edgar Lungu in his New Year address broadcast on state television described 2019 as "a very challenging year" with extreme weather greatly affecting agricultural production and electricity generation.
He said his government made plans to get the landlocked central African country out of a harsh economic situation and pledged the continued empowerment of women in national development.
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