OECD invites Colombia to begin membership talks

Angel Gurria (Photo: Info Sur Hoy)

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Thursday invited Colombia to open talks about becoming a member of the international economic organization.

The invitation to both Colombia and Latvia was agreed upon by the 34 member states during a council meeting in Paris, France.

“Today’s decision underscores the OECD’s commitment to further diversify its global membership and reinforces its role as a standard setter and ‘house of best practices’. Colombia and Latvia have made clear that membership is critical to their development and reform efforts. These countries will make a valuable contribution to enrich our collective experience and strengthen OECD as a source of effective and innovative public policies. Colombia and Latvia can blaze the trail for Costa Rica and Lithuania,” OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said at a press conference following the summit of ministers.

According to the OECD website, Colombia will now enter a “accession process will be the establishment of individual roadmaps. Accession talks will take place individually between the candidate countries and the OECD involving the committees with responsibility for the substantive aspects of the Organisation’s work.”

Colombia requested to become a member of the economic organization in 2012 because according to President Juan Manuel Santos “it is the club of good practices.”

In an initial response on his website, Santos said the OECD move meant a “recognition of the achievements of the government and the country.” Additionally, the opening of talks supports “the transformation of Colombia and [consists of] a support of the work we have done.

The British embassy in Bogota sent out a press release congratulating Colombia with the invitation to begin talks.

“In a short period of time, Colombia has adhered to a number of declarations of this organization. Such actions require dedication and a strong political will, and Colombia is showing both,” Ambassador Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby said.

 

Sources

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