What is the Bigest Problem the world is facing?

It was in August 2005. I was taking English class as part of my orientation program for my TA position. We were all new international students. One day the professor asked us to ask questions with each other. So I found my self asking every student the following question:
“What is the biggest problem the world is facing?”
The response was shocking to me. But I will give u a chance to get your own response.
More than half of my classmate told me the largest problem facing the world is “Rapid population growth!” and no one said poverty or AIDS. By now you will be able to know where the majority of my classmates come from. At the beginning of the orientation, when all the international students were gathered, I felt as if I am in the national assembly of China……and I couldn’t think any thing but wish if many young Eritrea’s were there getting higher education.

In this opening statement, I am trying to show an obvious fact….that in the area of higher education, we r lagging way behind. The consequence of this lag in this era of rapid globalization is devastating. Globalization can be explained like a Darwinian theory of “ the Survival of the fittest”. And for countries, there is no better way to survive in this competition than by arming their people with science and technology…..that is why we see thousands of Assians in western universities. To arm them selves with the knowledge necessary to compete in the global economy….and of course, as china and India, they have started to reap the fruits. Their economy is growing with more than 10%.It is such unfortunate then to see our only university is closed. I can’t understand the rational for closing the university(if there is any). But I understand the consequence of it….AB ZELATA TEWESEKETA…. We will further lag in the competition and it will not be easy for us to compete in the global economy…and it will take more time to solve our problems.
When I ask my class mates what the bigest problem the world is facing....they told me the problem their home country is facing.....and now I am wondering if there were more Eritreans there, what would be their response.