BY AIMAN TUREBEKOVA in BUSINESS on 7 JUNE 2016
ASTANA – Newly appointed Minister of Economy of Kazakhstan Kuandyk Bishimbayev joined the 2016 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) held at its headquarters in Paris June 1–2 under the chairmanship of Chile, with Finland, Hungary and Japan as vice chairs.
In particular, Bishimbayev participated in the session “All on board for 2030: A universal agenda for inclusive and sustainable development,” which focused on how the organisation can support its member and partner countries’ efforts to implement and monitor the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are aligned with the policy priorities involved in enhancing productivity for inclusive growth.
According to Bishimbayev, the topic resonates with Kazakhstan’s plan to become one of the world’s most competitive countries. In order to achieve this goal, the minister said, it is necessary to study OECD member countries’ experience. Kazakhstan has almost completed a country programme that facilitates accession to a number of declarations and recommendations of the OECD.
“In the framework of the programme, various aspects of the state policies of Kazakhstan have been studied, and recommendations aimed at modernising different spheres in the country were provided,” Bishimbayev noted.
While implementing the programme, Kazakhstan made significant progress in creating digital government; promoting gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship; and in improving the transparency of international business and financial transactions.
The minister said that participation in the OECD MCM 2016 provided an opportunity to see what measures developed countries are currently taking for sustainable economic growth and to get recommendations regarding Kazakhstan.
The OECD, which comprises 34 member countries, defines itself as a forum of countries committed to democracy and the market economy. It provides a platform on which to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices and co-ordinate domestic and international policies. This year’s MCM theme was “Enhancing Productivity for Inclusive Growth.”