Today, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko met in the Parliament with the Head of the Ukrainian Office of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Rosaria Puglisi and her deputy Michal Falenczyk.
The meeting was also attended by Vitalii Bezhin, the MP, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Administrative and Territorial Structure of the Committee on State Building, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning.
Oleksandr Korniienko congratulated the guests on the opening of the office in Kyiv and expressed hope for deep and fruitful cooperation between the OECD and the Parliament.
“Ukraine welcomes the opening of the office of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – this decision will improve joint work with international partners, in particular, OECD member states. It will also allow us to coordinate activities aimed at rebuilding Ukraine and improve the implementation of OECD standards and recommendations in our country,” the First Vice Speaker said during the meeting.
He also emphasised that it is important for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to cooperate with the OECD in the parliamentary network of OECD member countries.
“Over the past year, we have started working more closely together. We are interested in integrating more into your processes, various programmes and opportunities and strive to become a true member of the OECD family. We understand that to do this, we need to improve some approaches and will look for the best ways to do so,” Oleksandr Korniienko assured the OECD representatives.
The parties discussed public administration reform and the goals that Ukraine is striving for in this area. In addition, Oleksandr Korniienko spoke about the process of implementing the seven recommendations of the European Commission on the way to EU membership.
“One of our aspirations is to deepen and strengthen cooperation with the Organisation, and our communication will definitely contribute to this. Thank you for all the steps we have taken together,” the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said at the end of the meeting.
For her part, Rosaria Puglisi, the Head of the OECD Ukraine Office, noted that the launch of the office in Kyiv is a certain start of official communication, which should be one of the steps towards Ukraine’s confident membership in the OECD and the EU, in particular.
“Ukraine has been recognised as a promising member of the OECD and, with some effort, the aspirations of Ukrainians for OECD membership may well become a reality. Of course, Ukraine’s path to EU membership includes fulfilling its obligations and certain tasks. Our task is to combine all the necessary elements and offer you concrete benchmarks and goals,” said Rosaria Puglisi.
At the same time, she said, the Parliament is central to this process, and that is why it is important for the OECD to establish a regular channel of communication.
“We already have a good experience of cooperation with the Parliament, in particular, its committees, and we would like to continue working in this direction. That is why it is worth mentioning the OECD Parliamentary Component, in which Ukraine has been participating since 2020, along with colleagues from other countries. This allows us to share experiences and is important for our further cooperation and collaboration,” said the Head of the OECD Ukraine Office.
For reference. The OECD is an international organisation with 38 member countries. 70 countries have the status of OECD partners, participating in many areas of its activities. In terms of influence, the OECD is one of the three leading global economic institutions along with the IMF and the World Bank.
The OECD’s activities are aimed at strengthening and increasing the efficiency of member economies, improving socio-economic and employment conditions, and ensuring economic growth in both industrialised and developing countries.
The Ukrainian office of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development was opened in Kyiv in March this year. In July last year, during the International Conference on Ukraine’s Recovery in Lugano, Ukraine applied for membership in the OECD. In early February 2023, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on the Privileges, Immunities and Facilities of the Organisation and its Office in Ukraine.