Foreign Affairs Minister to attend annual OECD Ministerial Council Meeting on Thursday

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend on Thursday the annual Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) taking place in Paris, Agerpres reports.

This is Romania's first participation in an OECD Ministerial Meeting as a candidate state following the OECD Council's January 25 decision to grant Romania candidate status, the Foreign Ministry said in a release.

In addition to a set of recommendations, decisions and reports on topical issues related to the organization's day-to-day activity, the OECD Ministerial Council is also considering the formal approval of the Accession Roadmaps put out by the OECD Secretariat to guide the accession process of Romania and the other candidate countries (Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia and Peru).

The adoption of the Accession Roadmap represents an important step in the process of Romania's accession, with the role of guiding Romania's future efforts in the complex internal preparation process and the effective unfolding of OECD accession negotiations.

The Romanian top diplomat will participate in both the opening of the Ministerial Conference and the debates in the session titled "Trade and Environmental Sustainability", emphasizing OECD's major role in shaping a resilient, green, digital and inclusive world economy.

Also, ForMin Bogdan Aurescu will highlight in his speech "the need to strengthen the global trade system having the World Trade Organization at its center, as well as Romania's support, as a EU member, for the reform of this organization." On the same occasion, the Romanian top diplomat will reiterate Romania's solid candidacy and the internal preparations for the unfolding of OECD accession talks under the best conditions.