OECD Secretary General to Visit Kazakhstan in May

OECD Secretary-General Matthias Cormann is scheduled to make his first visit to Kazakhstan to participate in the Astana International Forum in May 2025, according to the Ministry of National Economy.

This was announced by William Thompson, Director of the Eurasia Division of the OECD's Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate, on March 12, at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, The Caspian Post reports citing Kazinform.

The talks focused on expanding interaction and discussing key economic initiatives.

Serik Zhumangarin noted that the OECD is an important partner of Kazakhstan in carrying out economic reforms and in improvement of state policy. Since 2008, the country has been actively implementing the OECD standards in public administration, macroeconomic policy, investments and competitiveness. In the current period of economic transformation, Kazakhstan attaches special importance to such areas of cooperation as macroeconomic stability and tax-budgetary policy, diversification of economy and attraction of investment, digitalization and development of innovative ecosystem.

“The OECD’s support is important for us in terms of accession to the key judicial instruments of the organization, including the codes of liberalization of capital movements and current invisible operations,” said Zhumangarin.

One of the key issues on the agenda was the discussion of the prospects for opening the OECD Regional Office in Astana.

According to William Thompson, Kazakhstan is the only partner supporting the Eurasian Competitiveness Program, which helps promote the reforms in the countries of the region.However, the final decision on establishment of the office will be taken upon completion of the work on the OECD strategy on opening the overseas organizations.

William Thompson said that the OECD values Kazakhstan’s leading position in the Organization’s work in the region and reckons on further support of the Eurasian Competitiveness Program. In his words, the OECD plans to update the OECD-Kazakhstan Action Plan which will let determine the priorities of bilateral cooperation for the nearest time.

In July 2024, Kazinform reported that the OECD may open its office in Kazakhstan.