It is no coincidence that such a loud thesis, which equates an international organization with global “forces of good”, is displayed in the title: this is how its Secretary General Mathias Cormann characterized the OECD. And, if we focus on his words, said in confirmation of the point of view, then it really is: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development does not just aim to maintain a high level of well-being of the participating countries (the International Union of States followed a similar mission already at the beginning of its journey). Now, her aspirations are much higher and are associated with the postulation of personal freedoms of a person.
“The OECD is a force for good in the world. We all have a collective responsibility to make full use of it. Potential. Our main goal, in accordance with our Convention, is to preserve individual freedom and increase the economic and social well-being of our people. Our main mission of the past – to promote stronger, cleaner and fairer economic growth, and increase employment and living standards – remains a critical mission for the future,” the Secretary General’s words are quoted on the official website of the organization.
In fact, Cormann in his statement proclaims the main trajectory for the development of the organization: individual freedom, depending on the solution of socio-political problems, is closely related to the economic state of states. That is why the latter need special supervision – not only from state-level politicians, but also from the entire world community.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation or OECD is an international organization that includes 38 developed countries: starting with Austria, the USA, Finland and Canada and ending with Mexico, Poland, Chile and Costa Rica. In addition to full membership, the economic cooperation of this union implies the presence of key partners. There are an order of magnitude fewer such countries: Brazil, India, Indonesia, China, and South Africa. Such partners include representatives of the CIS: Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and several other states. Nevertheless, the goal that unites them all is the same – the preservation of the principles of a free market economy. The tasks that contribute to maintaining the status of the organization are based on three main “postulates”: the preservation of democratic freedoms (they also determine the freedom of the market), the regulation of a number of social problems associated with the economy and compliance with the principles of international agreements.
1948 – Хартия OEEC, подписанная 16 европейскими государствами
The origins of the first one should be sought in the history of the organization: at that time, not the OECD, but the OEEC (Organization for European Economic Cooperation), established at the end of the fourth decade of the twentieth century, was associated with the implementation of the Marshall Plan. It is obvious that the community supporting the implementation of the project under the auspices of the United States during the Cold War would actively base its program on democratic rhetoric. The second postulate is related to solving issues that affect most of the world’s population to one degree or another: first, we are talking about solving economic, social and environmental problems. Again, the OECD emphasizes that their resolution, as well as their occurrence, depends on the state of the market in the country.
“Together with governments, politicians and citizens, we are working to establish evidence-based international standards and find solutions to a number of social, economic and environmental problems. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to developing quality education and combating international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge center for data collection and analysis, exchange of experience, exchange of best practices and consultations on public policy and setting international standards,” the international organization’s website says.
Finally, the third point related to the implementation and compliance with the principles of international agreements is related to the course of the organization to comply with the Sustainable Development Goals. Recall that the SDGs are a list of 17 items proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2015; compliance with these goals, according to experts, will lead to an optimal future for all countries. Among these are the eradication of poverty, quality education, gender equality, the fight against climate change, etc.
At the end of our review, we note that Russia also tried to join the international organization. However, the negotiation process stopped after the events of 2014. Nevertheless, according to the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, our country continues to be a participant in a number of processes initiated by the organization.
“In 2007, Russia received an invitation to start official negotiations on joining the OECD. However, in 2014, the negotiation process was temporarily suspended due to the political situation. Russia’s cooperation with the OECD continued in the format of technical cooperation. The Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, acts as the coordinators of the activities of state authorities on the interaction of Russia with the OECD,” says an article on the website of the Ministry of Economic Development dedicated to the organization.
Thus, the OECD today is a continuation of the initial provisions of the Commonwealth of States and an active follower of modern international political trends. Having a wide membership, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development allows you to look at a certain “cross-section” of various political trends on the international agenda.
The author of the article is Sofia Chernopyatova
