OECD Secretary-General welcomes the President of the United States, Mr. George W. Bush

Welcoming Remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General, on the occasion of the visit of the President of the United States, Mr. George W. Bush

OECD International Conference Centre

Paris, 13 June, 2008

 Watch the Welcoming Remarks by Angel Gurría.
 
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to OECD.

It is a great pleasure to receive you at our new International Conference Centre; the same place where - 10 days ago - Ministers from more than 40 nations gathered with representatives of international organisations to jointly address the triple challenge of climate change, growth and stability.

As you may know, we are an international organisation that helps governments improve their public policies to make the most out of globalisation. We also build common understandings and innovative solutions to tackle the most pressing global challenges and to transform globalisation into a more balanced and harmonious process.

We do this by sharing governmental experience, by identifying best practices and by providing state-of-the-art analysis and reliable comparative statistics, in virtually all areas of public policy. In the process, we interact with governments, with international organisations - like the UN, the World Bank, the IMF, the FAO or the WTO - , with parliamentarians, with the business sector, trade unions, academics, media and NGOs; building an unprecedented network for human progress.

Based on a deep-rooted conviction about the benefits of multilateral cooperation, we work to deliver effective policy advice to successfully address structural issues - like economic growth, education, innovation or competition - but also urgent challenges like climate change, food and water scarcity, international migration or financial stabilisation; to mention a few examples.

We are currently expanding our membership and outreach, to respond to the recent transformations in the world economy. We are adapting to better reflect an increasingly interdependent world. So we are becoming more global, more inclusive and more plural.

Last year we started accession talks with Chile, Estonia, Israel, Slovenia and Russia. We are also strengthening our relations with Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa through an Enhanced Engagement process with a view to possible membership. And we are expanding our interactions with more than 70 other developing countries.

What started in 1947 as the Marshall Plan, to put Europe back on its feet, has evolved into a multilateral organisation to help the world economy work better; into a hub for the discussion of global policy issues.

This evolution, this effort of adaptation, is paying off in terms of relevance. The presence here today of the President of the United States is a privilege and a great honour for all of us; but it is also an acknowledgement of OECD’s growing importance and a reflection of the long-standing support the United States has given to our multilateral quest for a brighter and better future.

Thank you very much for being here.