D-8 secretary-general meets Turkish officials in Ankara

D-8 Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood held meetings with Turkish officials, parliamentarians and industry representatives in Ankara on Monday and Tuesday to strengthen institutional partnerships and practical cooperation, according to a statement released by the organization on Thursday.

Ankara talks

Mahmood, who served as Pakistan's foreign secretary before taking up his current post, met with Ambassador Aylin Sekizkok — Türkiye's D-8 commissioner — at the Foreign Ministry to discuss the organization's institutional capacity and sectoral cooperation. He thanked Türkiye for its continued support as a founding member and host of the D-8 Secretariat, welcoming its hosting of the first D-8 International Ministerial Meeting on Environment in Istanbul in July.

The July meeting produced the "Istanbul Declaration" ahead of COP31, underscoring the grouping's growing focus on climate diplomacy. The D-8 comprises Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Türkiye, with Azerbaijan admitted as the ninth member in 2024.

Academic and research ties

The secretary-general held talks with Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) Director General Zehra Zumrut Selcuk on statistics, socioeconomic research and capacity-building, and with Center for Strategic Research (SAM) President Ramazan Erdag on joint research initiatives. At OSTIM Technical University, Mahmood discussed expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, innovation, entrepreneurship, startups and SMEs, according to the statement.

Parliamentary engagement

At the Turkish parliament, Mahmood met with lawmaker Burhan Kayaturk to discuss economic cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, emphasizing greater parliamentary engagement with the D-8. He also attended a reception at the Indonesian Embassy marking the country's 81st Independence Day.

Muhammad Bilal Khan, executive assistant to the secretary-general, accompanied Mahmood during the visit. The organization said the talks reflected Mahmood's focus on action-oriented diplomacy and broader institutional cooperation.