Remarks by Angel Gurría
OECD Secretary-General
Hamburg, Germany, 8 July 2017
(As prepared for delivery)
Chancellor Merkel, Distinguished Heads of State and Government
The G20 is suffering from ageing populations and declining productivity growth. While a pervasive technology revolution is accelerating globalisation.
This dynamism offers innovations and efficiencies to kick start productivity for delivering strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. But it is demanding and disruptive, and could deepen social and economic divides. We need to act now.
A well performing economy enables innovation, taking advantage of technological developments to benefit all, by empowering people to dare, to take risks, to invent, to reward creativity, and to incentivize connectivity.
It is a mistake to systematically think of the physical nature of states; borders for trade and tax policy, or fences to surround property. Challenges such as: cross-border data flows; protecting consumers and their privacy; setting standards; cyber security; fair and competitive dynamics in digital platforms, all require new collective approaches. Closing the gap between “Policy 1.0” and “Technology 4.0” is urgent, particularly addressing the impacts on consumers and workers.
The OECD is delighted to support the G20, including by delivering the Key Issues for Digital Transformation report and the Future of Work and Skills analysis. Congratulations to Germany for hosting the first ever meeting of G20 Ministers’ responsible for the digital economy, and preparing the G20 Roadmap for Digitalization: Policies for a Digital Future.
This work shows how necessary it is to put bridging the digital divides at the center of the agenda:
Beware! Girls must be protected. The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment reveals that social networks impact their self esteem. This cannot be a vehicle for stereotyping and aggression, but rather a means of empowerment.
Your leadership is vital to rebooting productivity — to imagining new futures and dragging public policies in from the analogue era — thereby ensuring that the benefits of growth are widely shared.
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