Brief history of D-8

D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for economic cooperation among the following countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkiye.

The establishment of D-8 was announced officially through the Istanbul Declaration of Summit of Heads of State/Government on June 15, 1997.

The objectives of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation are to improve member states’ position in the global economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at international level, and improve standards of living.

D-8 is a global arrangement rather than a regional one, as the composition of its members reflects. Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) is a forum with no adverse impact on bilateral and multi-lateral commitments of the member countries, emanating from their membership to other international or regional organizations.

Ambassador Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam from Nigeria is currently the Secretary General of the D-8 Organization with its Secretariat based in Istanbul-Turkiye.

Idea behind D-8 establishment

The idea of cooperation among major Muslim developing countries was mooted by Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan, the then Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkiye, during a Seminar on “Cooperation in Development” which was held in Istanbul in October 1996. The group envisioned cooperation among countries stretching from South East Asia to Africa. Representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan attended the Seminar. This conference was the first step towards the establishment of D-8 and it was only after a series of preparatory meetings that D-8 was set up officially and began its activities with the Istanbul Declaration issued at the end of the summit of Heads of State and Government held in Istanbul on June 15, 1997.

One of the significant achievements of the D-8 was the establishment of the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (D-8 PTA) in 2006. The D-8 PTA is a trade agreement that aims to increase trade among the member countries by reducing tariffs on certain goods. The agreement covers a range of products, including agricultural products, industrial goods, and textiles.

In addition to the D-8 PTA, the D-8 has also launched several other initiatives to promote economic cooperation among its member countries. For example, the D-8 Technology Transfer and Exchange Network (D-8 TTEN) was established in 2000 to promote technology transfer and exchange among the member countries. The D-8 also established the D-8 Business Forum in 2011 to promote business-to-business cooperation among the member countries.

Although the D-8 has made some progress in promoting economic cooperation among its member countries, it still faces several challenges. One of the main challenges is the lack of political will and commitment from some of the member countries to implement the initiatives and agreements agreed upon by the organization. Another challenge is the economic and political instability in some of the member countries, which can hinder economic cooperation and integration.

The D-8, however, is an important organization that aims to promote economic cooperation and integration among its member countries. Since its establishment in 1997, the D-8 has made some progress in achieving its objectives, particularly in the area of trade. However, the organization still faces several challenges that need to be addressed to enhance economic cooperation among the member countries.

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