Tunisia and Morocco join multilateral business integrity and green growth instruments

23/05/2012 - Tunisia and Morocco signed up today to a series of international instruments in areas ranging from business integrity to international investment and green growth. Adherence to these instruments is an expression of a long-standing co-operation between countries in North Africa and the OECD.

The OECD has been working with nations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for the better part of a decade on investment, governance, education and other issues of economic policy reform. The OECD programme with MENA complements the global effort, including through the Deauville Partnership, to gather support for the region’s ongoing transformation.

In a succession of signings at the OECD Forum in Paris, Tunisia adhered to the following OECD instruments:

Tunisia also formally expressed its interest in joining the OECD Development Centre. Created in 1962, the Development Centre is an interface between OECD Member countries and the emerging and developing economies. It helps policy makers find innovative solutions to the global challenges of development, poverty and inequality.

Morocco adhered to the Declaration on Propriety, Integrity and Transparency in International Business and Finance and to the Declaration on Green Growth. Morocco and Egypt are already adherents to the OECD Investment Declaration.

Welcoming the commitment by the two countries to greater multilateral cooperation, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said, “Our instruments will support the transformation process in the MENA countries. By adhering to the best practices in anti-corruption, good governance and international investment frameworks, Tunisia and Morocco send a very strong message that they want to adopt best practices in their quest to build more open and inclusive societies.”

He added: “Tunisia and Morocco have joined today a growing number of nations committed to ensuring greater multilateral cooperation, more transparency and greater business integrity. This is positive news for North Africa and for OECD countries.”

The Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Entreprises aims to encourage the positive contribution transnational firms can make to economic, social and environmental progress, while providing a framework to minimise and resolve difficulties which may arise from their operations.

(Left/right)
Abderrahmane Ladgham, Minister Delegate to the Head of Governement in charge or Governance and Anti-corruption, Tunisia
Riahd Bettaieb, Minister of Investment and international cooperation, Tunisia
Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of OECD

Left to Right:
Mohamed Najib Boulif, Minister Delegate for General Affairs an good Governance, Morocco
Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of OECD

Photo credits: ©OECD/Benjamin Renout

The Declaration on Business Propriety, Integrity and Transparency was adopted by OECD countries in 2010 and covers a broad range of commitments covering competition, corporate governance, investment and responsible business conduct. The Declaration also embraces tax co-operation, anti-corruption and consumer protection.

In 2009, OECD governments committed to a Declaration on Green Growth in order to achieve economic recovery and environmentally and socially sustainable economic growth.

For further information journalists should e-mail: news.contact@oecd.org or phone + 331 45 24 97 00.