Africa is a vibrant, varied continent with a growing consumer base.

The moral case for gender equality is obvious. It should not need any explanation.

Many businesses understand the advantages of gender parity.

We need new, dynamic models for growth through the sharing economy, using big data to unlock new insights and adopting closed-loop cycles.

As long as we can establish the bona fides of the leadership of Boko Haram, we are prepared as a government to discuss with them how to get the girls back. But we have not established any evidence of a credible leadership.

Ivanka's work is never-ending. Whether it's meeting with workers looking to bridge a skills gap, visiting female engineers building innovative robotics, speaking to leaders around the world about the importance of female entrepreneurship and much more, Ivanka has been quietly racking up long-term successes for the country.

2012 will be a critical year in the connection between Iran gaining nuclear power, changes in leadership, continuing pressure from the international community and events that happen unnaturally.

In a world of serious threats to the U.K. and to global stability, where we see violence and conflict pulling people back into poverty, international terrorism, migration crises, children dying from preventable diseases and global environmental concerns on the rise, Britain's leadership on the world stage is more important than ever.