PM to lead delegation at D-8 summit

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will lead a delegation to 10th D-8 summit being hosted by People’s Republic of Bangladesh in virtual format on April 8.

The theme of the summit is ‘Partnership for a Transformative World: Harnessing Power of Youth and Technology and will be attended by heads of states/governments of eight D-8 member states including Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey and Pakistan, Foreign office spokesperson said in a press release on Tuesday.

The 10th D-8 Summit is expected to adopt a declaration and the decennial roadmap 2020-2030.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey will hand over the chairmanship of the D-8 Summit to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi will also attend the 19th Council of Ministers meeting that will precede the Summit.

The D-8 was established in 1997 to promote economic and development cooperation among eight member states. The D-8 Secretariat is located in Istanbul.

The D-8 objectives, inter alia, include improving developing countries’ position in the world economy, diversifying new opportunities in trade relations, and enhancing participation in decision-making at the international level. Priority areas of cooperation in the D-8 include: (i) trade; (ii) industry; (iii) agriculture and food security; (iv) energy (v) transportation and (vi) tourism.

“Pakistan has actively contributed towards promotion and realization of objectives and goals of D-8. Pakistan hosted the Eighth D-8 Summit in Islamabad in 2012 and remained the Chair of the Organization from 2012 to 2017. The Islamabad Summit was a resounding success with adoption of two landmark documents – the D-8 Charter, and the D-8 Global Vision, along with the Islamabad Declaration,” the spokesperson said.

Pakistan had hosted two meetings of council of ministers, several commission meetings, and regular sectoral meetings.

Pakistan has been actively taking part in various D-8 initiatives and projects and hosted four sectoral meetings in the last four months relating to research and innovation, technology transfer and exchange, agriculture, and visa facilitation, it was further added.