The first request from a Southeast Asian country. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) announced on Tuesday that it was starting accession talks for Indonesia, according to a statement.
“As the largest economic power in Southeast Asia and the third largest democracy in the world, Indonesia is a leading international player, exercising important leadership in the region and beyond,” commented OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann, quoted in the statement. press.
“The decision to open accession discussions will be beneficial for Indonesia and the OECD,” he said, calling this decision “historic.” “As part of the accession discussions, the OECD will provide support to Indonesia throughout its ambitious reform program aimed at achieving its goal of becoming an advanced economy by 2045,” explains Mathias Cormann.
“Rigorous evaluation”
The process “will also allow the Organization”, based in Paris, to “strengthen its relevance and impact on a global scale”, according to the Secretary General. The latter “will soon prepare a draft accession roadmap for the purposes of the technical review process, which will be presented to the OECD Council at its next meeting.”
The review process will include “a rigorous and in-depth assessment by more than 20 technical committees of Indonesia’s alignment with OECD standards, policies and best practices.”
They will focus on topics such as the opening of trade and investment, advances in public governance, initiatives that support integrity and the fight against corruption, as well as effective protection of the environment and measures taken to address change. climate.
The accession processes are not subject to any completion deadline, the OECD specifies, and the final decision on Indonesia’s accession must be taken unanimously among the members of the organization.
Gradual opening
Born in 1961 in the context of the Cold War, the OECD, which counts the United States and European countries among its founders, gradually opened up to other continents. After Mexico and Chile, Colombia joined the organization in 2020. Costa Rica followed in 2021 becoming its 38th member.
In June 2022, the international organization began the accession process for five other countries, Brazil, Peru, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. In June 2023, Ukraine and the OECD signed a four-year partnership ultimately aimed at promoting kyiv’s membership in this organization that champions free trade and globalization.
Source: BFM TV
