Remarks by Mathias Cormann,

Secretary-General, OECD

Paris, Tuesday 1st June 2021

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Monsieur le Premier Ministre,

Cher Ministres, Ambassadeurs et chers collègues,

L'OCDE est une institution extrêmement importante composée de personnes formidables.

Elle a un rôle très important. Notre responsabilité est d’aider nos pays membres à développer des politiques meilleures pour des vies meilleures.

Nous œuvrons sur un socle solide de valeurs, de principes-clé ainsi que d’une méthodologie éprouvée de coopération, d’analyse factuelle, de conseils et d’orientations en matière de politiques.

Cher Angel, tu as eu l’honneur et le privilège de servir l’OCDE pendant ces quinze dernières années.

Tu as servi l’OCDE avec un enthousiasme, un dévouement et une détermination hors pair.

Tu en as accru l’influence, la visibilité, la pertinence et l’impact. Tu l’as enrichie de nouveaux Membres, et tu as renforcé sa collaboration avec d'autres organisations multilatérales et régionales.

Mes sincères félicitations et au nom de l’OCDE un grand merci pour tout ce que tu as accompli en tant que Secrétaire général.

À titre personnel, un grand merci pour l’hospitalité, la générosité et pour tous tes conseils depuis mon arrivée à Paris.

Mes meilleurs vœux pour toi et ton épouse Lulu pour l’avenir

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Mes félicitations aussi au Costa Rica pour être devenu le 38ème Membre de l’OCDE la semaine dernière.

Prime Minister, Ministers, Ambassadors, dear colleagues,

Thank you for the trust and confidence you have placed in me to serve you as your Secretary-General.

You are the owners of this organisation and it will be my honour and privilege to serve you.

The OECD is a force for good in the world.

We have the opportunity and the collective responsibility to use it to its full potential.

Our core purpose, under our Convention, is to preserve individual liberty and to increase the economic and social well-being of our people.

We share a commitment to democracy, to human rights, the rule of law, market-based economic principles, a global level playing field and a rules-based international order as the best way to maximise sustainable growth, prosperity and general well-being.

Over the past 60 years, we have become the key global institutional custodian of these values and principles, which have stood the test of time.

They are values and principles, which we must never stop protecting, promoting and advancing.

There are many specific issues and challenges we must address through an effective and balanced multilateral approach.

• We must help maximize the strength of the economic recovery in the wake of COVID-19 through strong, sustainable, cleaner, more inclusive growth;
• We must drive and promote global leadership on ambitious and effective action on climate change to achieve global net-zero emissions by 2050;
• We must finalise a multilateral approach to digital taxation and the effective international taxation of large multinational companies.
• We must continue to seize the opportunities of the digital transformation of our economies while better managing the risks in the digital economy;
• We must promote market-based policies and a rules-based international order; and strengthen the outreach of the OECD into the Asia-Pacific.

I look forward to doing all of this and more with the whole Team at the OECD – the Ministers, the ambassadors, our magnificent people at the OECD and all of our other important internal and external stakeholders.

I will give this Organisation, its members and staff my absolute best.

With your help, I will strive to make the OECD a place that continues to inspire collaboration and action in support of a sustainable and inclusive future.