2012 OECD Ministerial

The 2012 Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) built on the momentum of last year's 50^th Anniversary Ministerial, which was chaired by the United States. Implementing a 21st-century vision for the OECD in cooperation with other member nations and the Secretary-General, the United States highlights the many substantial accomplishments, including:

• U.S. Grant Supports Open Government in the Middle East North Africa Region – Delivering on the new Development Strategy and the Deauville Partnership, the United States announced a $1.5 million grant to the OECD to support the governments of Jordan, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia as they design and implement, together with their citizens and civil society organizations, policies that increase government transparency and accountability. The implementation of these policies will assist Libya, Morocco and Tunisia as they make the reforms necessary to join the Open Government Partnership and OGP member Jordan with its country action plan.
• Development Strategy Focuses Whole of OECD on Development – The Development Strategy delivers on the Development Framework agreed at the U.S.-chaired Ministerial to leverage OECD’s expertise to help partner countries improve governance and grow their economies.
• Gender Initiative Aims to Fix "Leaky Pipeline" – The OECD Gender Initiative, launched and funded by the United States, explains the paradox that although more girls than ever are graduating and getting a job, we still see little change in top management or in ownership of assets. The OECD report and a complementary business report issued in response to a U.S. request document this "leaky pipeline" and offer tools to repair it.
• Russia Invited to Join the Nuclear Energy Agency – Russia was invited to join the Nuclear Energy Agency. This follows on the heels of Russia becoming a Party to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in April 2012 and is a milestone in Russia’s OECD accession effort.
• Competitive Neutrality – Ministers welcomed OECD work on competitive neutrality. The OECD was asked to expand this work, in cooperation with Russia and Key Partners, and to engage in a dialogue on policies by home and recipient countries related to state-controlled enterprises’ international trade and investment, to promote a level global playing field, to fight protectionist practices and support growth and development.
• Skills Strategy Focuses on Job Growth – The OECD released its Skills Strategy highlighting the importance of spending on education and skills as an investment in the future. The Strategy includes tailored recommendations for individual countries.
• Tunisia and Morocco Move Closer to OECD – Tunisia and Morocco signed on to the Declaration on Propriety, Integrity and Transparency and the Declaration of Green Growth. Tunisia also signed on to the Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises, deposited Tunisia’s intention to become a party to the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters and handed over two documents concerning the adherence of Tunisia to the Development Centre and the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.
• New Approaches to Economic Challenges – OECD members launched New Approaches to Economic Challenges charging the OECD to learn from the crisis and as appropriate update and upgrade its analytical framework, as well as develop a new policy agenda for inclusive growth.
• International Collaborative Initiative on Trade and Employment Fights Protectionism– ICITE findings suggest strongly that protectionist measures will not protect or preserve jobs. ICITE confirms that liberalization done right results in job creation.
• Boost to OECD Green Growth Work –Ministers sent a strong signal to the Rio+20 Conference by endorsing the Policy Statement from the OECD Environment Policy Committee Ministerial Meeting on 29-30 March 2012 to the Rio+20 Conference and the OECD DAC Policy Statement for the Rio+20 Conference.

About the U.S. Mission to the OECD
The United States is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international organization composed of 34 democratic countries with market-based economies. Through its cross-country economic research, “soft law,” and peer reviews, the OECD provides the United States an opportunity for engaging with other countries on economic policy. Get updates at http://usoecd.usmission.gov. Twitter: @USAmbOECD