D-8 Secretary-General deepens Türkiye ties during Ankara visit

D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood concluded a two-day working visit to Ankara on 17-18 August 2026, holding a series of high-level meetings with senior Turkish government officials, academics, industry figures and parliamentarians. The Ankara trip formed part of the Secretary-General's broader outreach drive to reinforce institutional partnerships and translate the D-8's core cooperation priorities into practical outcomes across the bloc's member states.

Praise for Türkiye's role as Secretariat host

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood met with Türkiye's D-8 Commissioner, Ambassador Aylin Sekizkök, for a broad review of the organization's activities since he took office in January 2026. The Secretary-General voiced continued appreciation for Türkiye's steady backing as a founding member state and host of the D-8 Secretariat, crediting the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. He singled out the Foreign Ministry's role in facilitating the Secretariat's coordination with Turkish institutions and commended Türkiye for hosting the D-8's first International Ministerial Meeting on Environment in Istanbul this past July, which produced the landmark Istanbul Declaration ahead of COP31.

Research, innovation and academic partnerships in focus

The Secretary-General also visited the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), where he met Director General Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk to explore deeper cooperation in statistics, socio-economic research and joint training initiatives. At the Center for Strategic Research (SAM), affiliated with Türkiye's Foreign Ministry, discussions with President Ramazan Erdağ centered on expanding D-8 engagement with think-tanks and academic institutions through joint policy dialogues and research projects. A subsequent stop at OSTİM Technical University brought the Secretary-General together with university and industrial-zone leadership to discuss leveraging Türkiye's innovation ecosystem, spanning artificial intelligence, technoparks and SME development, for the benefit of D-8 member states.

Parliamentary outreach and regional diplomacy

At the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM), Ambassador Sohail Mahmood briefed MP Burhan Kayatürk, Chairman of the EU Harmonization Committee, on the D-8's priorities and pressed the case for greater parliamentary involvement in raising awareness of the organization's mission. The Secretary-General's Ankara programme also included a diplomatic reception hosted by Indonesia's embassy marking the 81st anniversary of Indonesian independence, where he extended congratulations to Ambassador Achmad Rizal Purnama. Officials say the visit reflects the Secretary-General's continued push for action-oriented diplomacy, engaging government, research institutions, industry and parliament alike to advance the D-8's economic cooperation agenda.