Guatemala Officially Enters the OECD Development Centre

| Didhiti Ghosh, Bureau Chief, IOP, Kolkata - 22 Feb 2019

Guatemala Officially Enters the OECD Development Centre

Report by Didhiti Ghosh, Bureau Chief (Kolkata), Indian Observer Post

Kolkata / Paris, February 22, 2019: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sandra Jovel Polanco, in the company of the Minister of National Defense, on an official visit to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development formalized the entry of Guatemala to the OECD Development Center on 30^th November 2018. In this way, Guatemala becomes the 54th member of the Development Center, allowing the Center to obtain the necessary actions to develop various programs that contribute to the improvement of the country's internal practices, as well as participating in various spaces to improve relations international and multilateral agreements.

The same allowed validating and confirming the decision in a high-level meeting held on December 11th of 2018 by the OECD Executive Board, represented by 36 member countries. The decision was formalized after the invitation made by Mr Ángel Gurría, through a note addressed to the President of the Republic of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales Cabrera.

Likewise, the different studies that will be carried out with the Center will seek to create a correct diagnosis of the country and propose public policies that in the long term will help the development of Guatemala with a comprehensive approach.

The incorporation of Guatemala to the Development Center of the OECD is a presidential mandate, which began in June 2017, contributing in the long term to the acceleration of the economic and social development of the country and its inhabitants, since the recommendations of the Center can be a guide that facilitates transformations for the development of Guatemala.

The Government of Guatemala has established a national coordination set up and led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and the Strategic Management Committee of the Presidency of the Republic (Government Center), who meet with other institutions in the public sphere , with the purpose of providing the follow-up corresponding to Guatemala's accession process to such an important Center, and from this date, carry out coordinated actions to comply with the requirements of the OECD.

The Development Center supports developing countries and emerging economies in finding innovative policy solutions to promote sustainable growth, reduce poverty and inequalities and improve people's lives. In addition, it facilitates a policy dialogue between governments, involving public, private and philanthropic actors.

Guatemala's entry into the OECD Development Center is another step to strengthen and promote Integrity, transparency and the fight against corruption and impunity, a priority of the Government of President Jimmy Morales Cabrera.

(DIDHITI GHOSH is the Director of a cultural-exchange radio programme at Radio Satelitevisión y Americavisión, Chile. She is a professor & a certified conference interpreter of the Spanish language and is the Bureau Chief of INDIAN OBSERVER POST based in Kolkata. Contact: didhiti.24@gmail.com).