Country Specific Approaches

Since 2008, Kazakhstan has emerged as one of the OECD’s most active partners in the Eurasia region. OECD analysis has played an increasingly important role in shaping policies in Kazakhstan, and the country also supports OECD work in the wider region, helping its neighbours draw closer to the Organisation and sharing its experience with OECD members and partners. Co-operation with Kazakhstan is framed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) first signed in 2018 and renewed in 2022, underpinned by an Action Plan for its implementation. Kazakhstan works with the OECD on such diverse issues as state-owned enterprise reform, competition, investment policy, sustainable infrastructure, tax, connectivity, statistics, anti-corruption, education, public governance and overseas development assistance (ODA). Kazakhstan is co-chair of the OECD Central Asia Initiative.

On 13 December 2023, the OECD and the Republic of Moldova concluded a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at further strengthening the partnership between the OECD and Moldova. An Action Plan for its implementation was launched on 8 March 2024 by the OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova. The MoU is expected to reinforce Moldova’s participation in selected OECD bodies and to facilitate adherence to selected legal instruments. It will also help to better co-ordinate all activities carried out by the OECD to support Moldova’s reform efforts and give better visibility to the overall co-operation. The Action Plan focuses on priorities defined by the government, particularly in connection with its EU accession ambitions, and encompasses such issues as justice-sector reform, SME policy, education, competition and investment policy

The OECD has worked with Ukraine since independence, and the relationship has grown steadily stronger since the 2014 “Revolution of Dignity”, when the OECD and Ukraine agreed a Memorandum of Understanding and an Action Plan to frame their co-operation. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the OECD has continued to deepen and strengthen its work with Ukraine, and in October 2022, the OECD Council recognised Ukraine as a prospective Member of the Organisation. The following year, the Organisation launched a multi-year, multi-disciplinary OECD Ukraine Country Programme to structure OECD support to the country and help advance its reform, recovery and reconstruction agenda, while also advancing its EU and OECD accession ambitions. The Programme involves a range of analytical work, capacity building, enhanced participation in OECD bodies and adherence to selected OECD instruments.