Today, Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie participated in the Meeting of the Council of Ambassadors of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) held in Paris, where he highlighted "Argentina's ability and willingness to play a key role not only at a regional level but also as part of the group of developing countries."

                Before the organization's authorities and the ambassadors of its member countries, Minister Faurie outlined Argentina's main goals as regards its strategy of insertion into the world, in addition to highlighting its commitment to the OECD and the challenge posed by its upcoming G20 Presidency in 2018. "Our economic transformation is accompanied by a strategy of intelligent insertion into the world. We are going through a confidence-building process, and we wish to develop mature and pragmatic relations with all our partners," the Foreign Minister stated.  

                In one of the rooms of the Château de la Muette, the OECD headquarters in Paris, the Argentine Foreign Minister underscored the historical cooperation relationship between Argentina and the organization, which was established in 1982 and was recently renewed with the presentation of the "Argentina-OECD Action Plan 2016-2017." Lately, Argentina has been actively participating in several of the Organization's strategic Committees, as well as in Working Groups on Agriculture, Trade, Investment, Anti-Bribery, Fisheries, Chemistry, Scientific and Technological Policy, and Tax Matters.

                "We are looking to initiate the process of accession to the OECD on the basis of mutual benefit," Faurie stated. "From an economic standpoint, we believe, first and foremost, that regular contact and information exchange in many areas will bolster trust between Argentina and OECD member countries, which we consider our partners.  We also believe that it will help create the conditions for our country to attract further investments."

                Faurie called on the attendees to take into consideration "Argentina's experience in various fields, such as agriculture and related services, as well as international cooperation."

                "Our priority is to improve the well-being of our people. The OECD and its members have acquired valuable knowledge on issues of great importance to us such as education, environment, employment and governance," the Foreign Minister stated.

                In addition, Faurie stressed that "Argentina has received a good response from the international community" as regards the steps taken by President Macri's administration to open up to the world. He further stated that "we are negotiating and signing agreements which will allow us to expand our markets, increase our exports, attract investments, boost tourism and strengthen our institutions."

                "We firmly believe that those factors, and the ambitious structural reform agenda being implemented by the Argentine Government, pave the way for Argentina to acquire a new status within the Organization," the head of Argentine diplomacy added.

                Finally, the Foreign Minister addressed the issues that the Argentine Government will focus on during its G20 Presidency, among which he underscored the future of employment in the face of technological changes, education, energy, climate change, agriculture, development, the fight against corruption and the digitalization of the economy, among others.