News
CEB and OECD host seminar on refugee crisis, foresee enhanced cooperation
17 May 2016
Participants were welcomed by the CEB’s Governor, Rolf Wenzel, and the OECD’s Secretary-General, Angel Gurría. Dominique Versini, Deputy Mayor of the City of Paris, delivered the opening statement.
The event brought together senior public officials as well as financial sector and civil society representatives from across Europe to discuss the ongoing refugee crisis and its impact on housing, public services, education and labour markets of the host countries.
With proper policies in place, countries could benefit from the full economic and social potential that refugees can bring to their host communities. The seminar resulted in a fruitful exchange of experiences and good practices, with a view to contributing to the elaboration of local and national policy responses.
Paving the way towards further cooperation between the CEB and the OECD
The challenges brought on by the refugee crisis illustrate the potential for synergies between the CEB’s practical experience in funding integration projects for over six decades and the OECD’s expertise in comparative analysis and policy advice in the field of migration.
Meeting on the sidelines of the joint event, CEB Governor Wenzel and OECD Secretary-General Gurría expressed their intention to enhance the collaboration between the two organisations.
Set up in 1956, the CEB (Council of Europe Development Bank) has 41 member states. Twenty-two Central, Eastern and South Eastern European countries, forming the Bank's target countries, are listed among the member states. As a major instrument of the policy of solidarity in Europe, the Bank finances social projects by making available resources raised in conditions reflecting the quality of its rating (Aa1 with Moody's, outlook stable, AA+ with Standard & Poor's, outlook stable and AA+ with Fitch Ratings, outlook stable). It thus grants loans to its member states, and to financial institutions and local authorities in its member states for the financing of projects in the social sector, in accordance with its Articles of Agreement.