First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with ambassadors of member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that are part of the “Friends of Ukraine” group.
“Ukraine is consistently fulfilling its commitments and moving closer to full membership in the OECD. The next step should be the launch of the formal accession process to the Organisation,” the Minister of Energy noted.
Denys Shmyhal thanked the partners for their support for Ukraine, which helps the country withstand Russian aggression, maintain the functioning of the economy and ensure the country’s vital needs.
The First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Energy recalled that in July 2022, during the conference in Lugano, Ukraine submitted its application for OECD membership. In October 2022, the OECD Council recognised Ukraine as a potential member of the Organisation and launched an initial dialogue on accession. In June 2023, Ukraine launched the four-year OECD Programme for Ukraine in Paris.
“We did not ask for standards to be lowered for us. Instead, we clearly undertook significant commitments and continue to fulfil them,” Denys Shmyhal emphasised.
The Minister of Energy said that Ukraine has already made significant progress in a number of key areas, including the development of anti-corruption infrastructure, privatisation and corporate governance, digitalisation, deregulation and ensuring transparency in public procurement.
Denys Shmyhal also stressed that Ukraine had become the 47th member of the OECD Working Group on Bribery. The process of bringing Ukraine’s criminal and anti-corruption legislation into line with the requirements of the Working Group is currently being completed.
In addition, the Minister of Energy recalled that Ukraine had submitted an application to join the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. According to him, Ukraine’s energy sector is undergoing a large-scale transformation — a new system is being developed that is to be decentralised, integrated with Europe, competitive and resilient.
“For us, OECD membership is not merely about joining a club of developed countries. It is a signal that investing in Ukraine is both possible and necessary, as well as an indicator of readiness to join the EU. I thank everyone who shares this view and supports Ukraine,” added the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Energy.
