Established in 1997 with the aim of "increasing the welfare and peace of member nations" under the leadership of Milli Görüş Movement leader Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan, the Developing 8 Countries (D-8) Economic Cooperation Organization has existed for 26 years with a population of approximately 1.2 billion and a share of 14 percent in global trade. continues strong.
Formed by Turkey, Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia and Bangladesh, the D-8 was established in 1997.
Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Abdullah Aydın made statements to AA correspondent about the D-8 Organization.
Aydın said that the goals of the D-8 are to improve the position of 8 developing countries, and in particular, to act together in the world economy, to diversify trade relations and create new opportunities, to increase participation in decision-making processes at the international level and to provide a better standard of living.
Stating that D-8 member countries play an important role in Covid-19, Russia-Ukraine War and food crises, Aydın said, "The constructive attitude of Turkey, which is the founding country of the D-8, in Covid-19 and food crises is a touchstone at this point. Because the shared attitude displayed during the Covid-19 process, the problems that countries experience in accessing basic health products, despite the smaller economy against the egoistic attitude of the West, showed that Turkey is the most remarkable actor in the field. Likewise, Turkey's peace-centered attitude towards all aspects of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, not just in food, has been accepted by the world. Even these examples are important in terms of seeing the potential of this organization created by Turkey and its friends."
Stating that one of the first goals of the D-8 since its establishment was to expand the geography of the member states, Aydın emphasized that the membership of the states that have a place in the balance of power in the world, such as Brazil, Argentina and Russia, but are tried to be kept on the sidelines by the West, seems to be the most important part of the next step.
MAIN GOAL OF FOUNDING D-8
Erbakan emphasized the idea of cooperation among developing Muslim countries at the "Conference on Cooperation in Development" held in Istanbul in October 1996.
Representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan attended the conference, and the idea of cooperation between countries from South East Asia to Africa was put into practice.
This conference, the first step in establishing the D-8, was held after a series of preparatory meetings, during which the organization was formally created.
The main objectives of the D-8 were listed in the First Summit Declaration of 1997 as "peace, dialogue, cooperation, justice, equality and democracy".
TURKEY TRANSFERRED THE TERM PRESIDENCY TO BANGLADESH
Organizing its first summit in Istanbul in 1997, the organization held its first summit in Dhaka in March 1999, Cairo in February 2001, Tehran in February 2004, Bali in May 2006, and Kuala Lumpur in July 2008. also held 10 summits in Abuja in July 2010, in Islamabad in November 2012, in Istanbul in October 2017 and online in April 2021 hosted by Bangladesh due to the Kovid-19 outbreak.
While Turkey has assumed the presidency of the D-8 since October 2017, the 10th summit, which was planned to be hosted by Bangladesh in 2020, was postponed due to the Kovid-19 outbreak and was held online in April 2021 hosted by Bangladesh.
Turkey has assumed the term presidency twice since its establishment.
After the 10th summit of D-8, which was hosted by Bangladesh on April 8, the term presidency passed from Turkey to Bangladesh. This year, Egypt is expected to host the 11th D-8 summit meeting and take over the rotating presidency from Bangladesh.
D-8 Secretary General, Malaysian Ambassador Dato Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, handed over his duties to Isiaka Abdulkadir Imam, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in January 2022.
At the 10th Summit Meeting of the D-8 Organization, hosted by Bangladesh and held online on April 8 with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the "2020-2030 D-8 Decade Roadmap" was accepted.