PRESS RELEASE : Andriy Yermak emphasizes the importance of Ukraine’s fastest possible gaining of membership in the OECD Working Group, which will contribute to strengthening the trust of partners in the process of rebuilding our state

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 August 2022.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development should become one of the key participants in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, and our country’s membership in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions will play an important role in strengthening anti-corruption policy. This was said by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak during an event dedicated to cooperation with the OECD.

The event is held in the context of strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the desire of our country to become a member of the OECD. During the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which took place on July 4-5 in Lugano (Switzerland), the Prime Minister of Ukraine handed over to Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Mathias Cormann our country’s application for membership in the OECD.

A prerequisite for this is joining the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions as a full member. The government of Ukraine submitted an application for joining this group on August 2 of this year.

Andriy Yermak, who heads the group on approaching membership in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, emphasized that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is a unique intergovernmental center of knowledge and a powerful player on the international arena, whose opinions and conclusions are listened to by the European Union, the IMF, the World Bank, the EBRD, the USA and the G20.

The Head of the President’s Office noted that the OECD is participating in the development of the Recovery Plan for Ukraine.

“The experience and capabilities of the Organization are extremely valuable, even unique for post-war reconstruction. Therefore, the OECD should be one of the key international players during the reconstruction of Ukraine,” he said.

According to Andriy Yermak, today Ukraine is fighting for its future, and therefore transparency in relations with other states, which is the basis of trust, is of particular importance.

“We are doing everything to increase trust in Ukraine. Every Ukrainian is fighting on his own front: the Armed Forces, volunteers, doctors, rescuers, civil servants. The entire Ukrainian nation. But we understand that trust is a phenomenon that must be nurtured all the time. And we are working on it,” said the Head of the Office of the President.

He emphasized that post-war Ukraine should become attractive for investments, and that is why our state institutions should inspire confidence among investors.

“It is important for us not just to rebuild Ukraine. Our goal is to build a successful and comfortable country. With a dynamic and extensive economy according to the best world standards, with improved legislation,” he noted.

According to Andriy Yermak, our state is working on strengthening anticorruption institutions, because the fight against corruption is one of the fundamental values for Ukraine.

“That is why the status of a candidate, and then membership in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions is extremely important for us,” he emphasized.

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, for his part, noted that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development stands with Ukraine and is determined to help together with international partners in the post-war reconstruction of our country.

He emphasized that the OECD is ready to help Ukraine so that corruption risks do not stand in the way of the reconstruction process.

The Secretary-General said that the OECD has been extremely active in cooperating with our country since 2014, in particular helping build institutions. And in the last report of the Organization, which came out in May, significant progress in Ukrainian anticorruption legislation was noted.

Mathias Cormann emphasized the importance of efforts to increase transparency in the public sphere, in particular, in the issue of avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring integrity. Also, according to him, it is extremely important to protect anticorruption bodies from attacks.

The Secretary-General of the OECD noted that he was extremely pleased to receive Ukraine’s application for participation in the OECD Working Group, the process of joining which brings our country closer to the standards of the Organization and the UN Convention against Corruption.

He emphasized that the submission of the application is a confirmation of the determination of the Ukrainian authorities to advocate anticorruption reforms and adhere to OECD standards.