21/09/2016 - Instability since the Arab Spring has battered economies and thrown up new economic and social challenges across the Middle East and North Africa. Decisive action is needed in MENA countries to restore foreign investment and trade, unlock economic potential, create jobs for a growing population, rebuilt trust in governments and address regional inequality.

 

Ministers of trade, investment and governance from MENA countries, regional partners, the private sector and civil society will explore ways to repair growth, employment and social integration, reduce corruption and improve economic resilience at an OECD-MENA Forum and Ministerial Conference in Tunis on 3-4 October led by Tunisian President Beji Caïd Essebsi, Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. A closing Ministerial Declaration will lay out commitments for the coming years.

 

All of day one and the morning of day two are open to journalists, and the following media events are planned:

 

14:00-15:00 Monday Oct 3: The Nobel Prize-winning Tunisia National Dialogue Quartet and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría will discuss the risks of exclusion for youths in the MENA region and how social dialogue can lay the foundations for economic reforms.

 

09:00-10:45 Tuesday Oct 4: Tunisian President Beji Caïd Essebsi, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría will outline ways forward for economic recovery and integration in the MENA region ahead of a 10:00 press conference.

 

18:00-19:00 Tuesday Oct 4: Launch of the Joint OECD-EU Programme on Promoting Investment in the Mediterranean with Tunisian Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation Fadhel Abdelkefi, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and European Commission Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations Director for Neighbourhood South Michael Köhler.

 

To register to attend, journalists should contact Catherine Bremer in the OECD Media Office (catherine.bremer@oecd.org, +33 1 45 24 80 97). The agenda is available for download.

 

The MENA-OECD Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness is a partnership between 18 MENA countries and OECD members working to improve investment, competitiveness, public governance, integrity and transparency in the MENA region.