Russia is taking the helm of the Group of 20, and with that honor comes a unique opportunity: to lead the international community toward sustainable, inclusive growth and shared prosperity in 2013.
The Russian government has pledged to focus its G20 presidency on practical solutions to stimulate growth and jobs, manage government debt and regulate the financial sector. Russia could lead in advocating yet another significant G20 priority: strengthening local capital markets.
Deep and efficient local capital markets contribute to global financial stability. They are the foundations for long-term economic growth. They provide resilience against volatility in capital flows and reduce dependency on foreign debt. They offer investment alternatives for social security funds, pension funds, insurance companies and other institutional investors that provide safety nets.
The Russian economy would be well served by becoming more multi-faceted and less reliant on oil and gas. They also face significant near-term demographic obstacles, which require deft government touch to resolve.