D-8 aims to extend cooperation in next 10 years: Chief

The Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) held an official reception in Istanbul to mark the 22nd anniversary of its establishment on Friday.

The event was attended by many representatives from member states, universities, local and international institutions.

Speaking exclusively to Yeni Şafak daily, D-8 Secretary-General Ambassador Dato' Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari unveiled the organization’s strategic plans for the next ten years.

“So hopefully in the next ten years our goals will not be about completing our work that we have already started. We would like to involve new areas of cooperations both in members states and other countries. We try to promote D-8 as a kind of a new branding,” he said.

The Secretary-General also noted that the D-8 seeks to enlarge its priority areas which are trade, industry, agriculture, food security, transportation and tourism.

The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, was launched on June 15, 1997. It consists eight emerging economies from the Muslim world: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.

After underlining the achievements of the organization, Mustafa Osman Turan, a Turkish diplomat pointed out the importance of reaching a deal in order to trade in local currencies among D-8 members.

“If we can pave the way for using local currencies in trade among member states, we will achieve even more remarkable results,” Turan said.

He also stressed the economic and commercial potential in other areas such as; agriculture, food security, transportation, civil aviation, renewable energy and tourism.

“Turkey will continue to do its utmost to promote the cooperation among the D-8 countries, to the benefit of its members states and its people” he said.

Regarding the expectations from the D-8 organization, Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey Lalu Muhammad Iqbal spoke exclusively to Yeni Şafak daily and said: “If you combine the population, it will prove that the D-8 will have a very important role in world economy”

“D-8 would be a catalizator for the industrialization of member states,”he added.

In order to improve the position of the member states, the organization is currently focusing on various areas such as; D8 Payment Card System, international university, network of pioneers for research and innovation (NPRI), aviation network, industrial Park, research Centre, project support fund, health and social protection programme.