Moldova, OECD to sign cooperation agreement
Moldova and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will sign a memorandum of understanding that will lay the groundwork for advanced cooperation, Moldova's Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said in a press briefing following a meeting with the head of the OECD's Eurasia Division, William Tompson. For his part, the OECD official said that signing a memorandum with Moldova, which is not a member of the organisation, demonstrates the support of development partners for the country in this difficult period.
The expansion of dialogue with the OECD will have a positive impact on Moldova, Popescu said. He added that he and Tompson discussed several aspects of a joint action plan that is to be approved.
“Our common goal and objective is for both the memorandum of understanding and the action plan to be signed this fall, at a subsequent meeting we will have with our colleagues and partners. Together with the OECD, we will work to modernise Moldova's economy, attract more investment, strengthen our administrative capacity, and accelerate our accession to the European Union together with the OECD, and of course when Moldova meets the necessary standards,” Popescu said.
Tompson, for his part, said that Moldova faces a number of challenges and needs to be supported by development partners.
“This form of cooperation that we are launching now with Moldova, the memorandum of understanding, is a form of cooperation that is very rarely used by the OECD with non-member states. The speed with which the OECD member states responded to the desire to sign a memorandum of understanding with Moldova is evidence of the fact that Moldova is facing a lot of challenges,” Tompson said.
The OECD is headquartered in Paris and is a forum that allows government officials to discuss and analyse the impact of economic policies on social well-being around the world. Founded in 1948, the organisation has 38 member states from all continents.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
