Italy has taken over the chairmanship of the OECD’s External Relations Committee (ERC), which in 2024 will be headed by the Permanent Representative of Italy to the International Organisations in Paris, Ambassador Luca Sabbatucci, elected by the Ambassadors accredited to the OECD. The External Relations Committee plays an important political role within the Organisation as it defines its international action. Many topics will be addressed during the Italian Presidency, including OECD activities in current strategic areas, such as the Country Programme on Ukraine – to which Italy has pledged a contribution of 500,000 euros – and collaborative interventions in North Africa, the Near East and the Indo-Pacific area.
“This is a turning point in the history of the OECD. Founded as a purely technical body, with the noble aim of guiding the reconstruction of a Europe devastated by the Second World War, the OECD has made a decisive contribution to the economic development of the continent”, said Ambassador Sabbatucci, adding that “Today, however, the Organisation has decided to tackle global challenges, pivoting on concepts that go far beyond the confines of the economy, such as democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights: all issues for which Italy has always been on the front line. The Italian Presidency of the ERC is also coinciding with the Italian Presidency of the G7. I believe this is a very important fact for understanding our country’s role in the current, delicate global situation”.