Germany is both the OECD’s second-largest country of immigration and one of the main origin countries of emigrants: 3.4 million people born in Germany were living in another OECD country in 2011, says a new OECD report “Talent Abroad: A Review of German Emigrants”.

To commemorate Latin America and Caribbean Day, first established in 2011 by the French Senate, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría was awarded the Senate’s Médaille de la Haute Assemblée. This honour was bestowed upon him by the President of the French Senate, Mr. Gérard Larcher, in recognition of the Secretary-General’s major contribution to the strengthening of relations between Latin America and France.

El Salvador signed today the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, becoming the 86th signatory to the most comprehensive instrument for boosting international co-operation against offshore tax evasion.

OECD Week 2015 focused on investment, inclusive growth, innovation, the new climate economy and the Sustainable Development Goals. It includes the annual Ministerial meeting, Forum 2015 and meetings linked to G20, B20 and L20 forums, bringing together Ministers from 34 member countries and Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa with representatives from business, trade unions, civil society, academia and media.

Global growth will gradually strengthen towards its pre-crisis trend rate by late 2016 as activity becomes more evenly shared across the major economies and overall external imbalances are less marked than in the run-up to 2007, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook.

Implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) could reduce worldwide trade costs by anywhere from 12.5% to 17.5%, according to new OECD analysis, with the greatest benefits accruing in developing countries.

OECD Ministers have endorsed updated guidelines to help national governments and regional groups create the right conditions to attract domestic and foreign investment.

Ministers expressed full support for the OECD’s global relations strategy, as an essential element to increase its impact and relevance. This strategy has been the centrepiece of Secretary-General Angel Gurría’s vision to transform the Organisation into a more inclusive, global policy network and a prime forum for evidence-based policy exchange and global standard setting.

Ministers from OECD’s 34 member countries today welcomed the new OECD Principles on Water Governance, which set standards for more effective, efficient and inclusive design and implementation of water policies, and encouraged governments to put them into action.

The OECD’s Annual Meeting at Ministerial Level reinforced member governments’ support across a broad range of key OECD work.