The Diplomat
King Felipe VI visited yesterday the headquarters of the Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, where he appreciated the reaction of this organization to the pandemic and its “rapid and unequivocal” response to “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”.
Don Felipe traveled to the Château de la Muette, the OECD headquarters in Paris, accompanied by the First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño. After meeting with the Secretary General of the organization, Mathias Cormann, and being greeted by the councilors of the Permanent Representation of Spain, he addressed the special session of the OECD Council.
In his speech, the King said that “in this troubled period, the OECD has shown to be a very dynamic organization that answers speedily to all the unexpected challenges that have occurred, leading to the growing trust that our member countries have in the organization as a pathfinder, and as a central piece of global governance.”
In this regard, Felipe VI highlighted “the OECD’s reaction, as an institution and as member countries, to the pandemic.” “In no time, you suggested the same answers for all our countries based primarily on the protection of workers and the productive framework,” he continued. “Equally unanimous was the way you handled the exit from the pandemic, through the recovery process. Indeed, the aim of ‘building back better’ was a shared one and, across our countries, we put it to work. It soon emerged that ‘building back better’ clearly meant a strong, green, digital and inclusive growth,” he added.
“The next important episode in these complex times was Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” the Monarch declared. “Once more, the OECD’s answer was swift and unequivocal, not only condemning the aggression but isolating Russia from all activities of the OECD, declaring Ukraine prospective member for accession when the time comes, establishing a new office in Kiev and, most importantly, committing the OECD to collaborate first hand in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine when the moment arrives,” he said. The war in Ukraine has not only “unveiled a new geopolitical landscape on many grounds” but has shown that “democracy, individual liberties and human rights are -no question- under severe threat,” he warned.
“The situation continues to be complex,” he continued. “In front of the outburst of inflation, the OECD signals that very targeted fiscal stimuli should be used to protect the more exposed segments in our societies. Vis-a-vis the energy crisis, it is constantly working along with the International Energy Agency to prepare the world for the next winter. And along with the WTO, it is now concerned about how to avoid protectionism and defend open trade when globalization has shown several shortcomings,” he said.
To conclude, the King held a working lunch, met with Spaniards working at the OECD and visited the Development Center in the town of Boulogne-Billancourt. Don Felipe, as Prince of Asturias, visited the organization’s headquarters in March 2007. In December 2022, Felipe VI chaired the gala dinner of the OECD Ministerial Conference on the Digital Economy.
