Paraguay nears $2.4 million OECD payment for 'Country Program', postpones road contractor debt

Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies is set to vote on a significant financial agreement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The deal, totaling €3.5 million, requires Paraguay to contribute approximately €2.4 million, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) covering the remaining €1.155 million. This "Country Program," which has already received partial approval from the Senate, is designed to guide Paraguay's public policies toward meeting OECD standards, with the ultimate goal of joining the international organization.

The program, spanning three years and potentially extendable, outlines a roadmap for enhanced cooperation with the OECD. Key initiatives funded by Paraguay include technical assistance for adhering to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials, program coordination, alignment with capital movement and current invisible operations codes, and a review of the National Statistical System. Further areas of focus include aligning with recommendations on corporate governance principles and improving education, particularly teacher training, as well as dialogue on water governance.

This substantial investment is primarily aimed at facilitating Paraguay's eventual accession to the OECD, an organization currently comprising 38 members, including major European nations and several from the Americas like the United States, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Meanwhile, a separate legislative proposal intended to regularize debt payments to road construction companies has been removed from the agenda for two consecutive weeks, indicating a shift in legislative priorities.