This week, Maninder Sidhu, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, represented Canada at the 2024 Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France.
During the meeting, Parliamentary Secretary Sidhu underscored Canada’s commitment to fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, while supporting a level playing field in international business. He emphasized the importance of harnessing opportunities from digital and green transitions to promote economic growth and social progress.
Highlighting Canada’s strategic engagements, Sidhu applauded the OECD’s efforts to enhance its partnership with Africa and its deeper engagement in the Indo-Pacific. He welcomed the OECD’s initiative to explore membership for Indonesia and celebrated the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the OECD and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, aligning with Canada’s goals in its Indo-Pacific Strategy.
On the sidelines, Sidhu participated in an informal gathering of World Trade Organization (WTO) ministers hosted by Australia, focusing on strengthening the rules-based international trading system and advancing the agenda set during the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference.
The meeting concluded with Canada and other members reaffirming their commitment to maintaining and strengthening the rules-based international trading system through enhanced collaboration on economic resilience, security, and supply chain resilience. These commitments aim to ensure a strong, sustainable, and inclusive future.
“Canada remains unwavering in its dedication to trade and economic priorities as we collaborate closely with our OECD and WTO partners. These meetings were a great opportunity to engage on important issues, strengthen the rules-based trading system, address global challenges, and support good jobs worldwide,” said Maninder Sidhu, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development.