Overview of the Eurasia Competitiveness Programme

The Eurasia Competitiveness Programme

Launched in 2008, the Eurasia Competitiveness Programme helps accelerate economic reforms and improve business climate to achieve sustainable economic growth and employment in two regions: Central Asia (Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and the South Caucasus and Ukraine (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine -with Moldova as an observer).

Policy dialogue and analysis

The Eurasia initiative is a tripartite programme approach involving the OECD, governments and the private sector that generates impact through a comprehensive approach that involves regional dialogue, peer review, definition of reform priorities and assistance in implementation. Ownership by the region is reinforced by an organisational structure in which Central Asia and South Caucasus and Ukraine countries chair the Advisory Council and expert working groups.
The regional approach allows countries to define priorities and learn from their peers on how to design and implement successful policies and institutions. The OECD can coach individual countries to implement their priority reforms through a business climate development strategy targeted to country-specific needs and priorities.

Expected results

The main results achieved by the programme are:

• Political endorsement of a regional investment climate policy agenda
• Development of national investment agendas that define investment climate priorities and encourage specific reforms
• Delivery of reforms
• Countries joining the OECD Declaration on International Investment, and converging to OECD and EC standards and
• Increased visibility of regional priorities, such as access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, corporate governance