D-8 chief visits Moscow to boost Eurasian trade cooperation ties

D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood travelled to Moscow for a series of high-level engagements with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and senior figures from Russia's diplomatic, academic and policy circles, part of a broader push to widen the bloc's international outreach and open new channels for regional trade cooperation.

Trade talks with Eurasian Economic Commission

The centrepiece of the visit was a meeting with Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, held at the Commission's Moscow headquarters. Discussions focused on the respective priorities of the D-8 and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), identifying areas of complementarity between the two blocs' economic agendas and exploring opportunities for expanded intra- and inter-regional trade. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood set out the D-8's ongoing efforts to deepen economic cooperation among its member states and broaden partnerships with regional organizations, and the two sides agreed to strengthen dialogue and build a working relationship between the D-8 and the Eurasian Economic Commission going forward.

Meetings with senior Russian officials

Beyond the Commission talks, the Secretary-General held bilateral meetings with a number of senior Russian Federation representatives, including Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and Special Presidential Envoy Ambassador Zamir Kabulov, alongside engagements with academic, think-tank and media circles. These exchanges gave Ambassador Sohail Mahmood the opportunity to highlight the D-8's evolution since its founding in 1997, its expanding sectoral priorities, and its growing network of partnerships with regional and international bodies, while discussing ways to deepen cooperation on trade, connectivity and institutional engagement.

Honorary doctorate marks Russian academy's anniversary

The Moscow visit was undertaken at the invitation of Dr. Kirill Babaev, Director of the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICCA RAS), to mark the institute's 60th anniversary. At a special high-level ceremony held for the occasion, ICCA RAS conferred an honorary doctorate on Ambassador Sohail Mahmood in recognition of his contribution to international cooperation and to Pakistan-Russia relations. Accepting the honour, the Secretary-General said he was dedicating it "to all those working for peace, mutual understanding, solidarity and international cooperation."

Part of wider D-8 outreach drive

Officials described the Moscow engagements as part of the D-8's broader strategy to expand international partnerships, strengthen institutional linkages and build practical cooperation with regional organizations in support of economic development. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood closed the visit by thanking Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan's Ambassador to the Russian Federation, for his coordination and support throughout the trip.