KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Bernama) — The Economic Cooperation Group of Eight Developing Countries (D-8) intends to collaborate with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) to widely promote its activities.

Its Secretary-General Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari said via the collaboration, the D-8 with its headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, hoped that disseminating news to the public about the organisation’s activities would have a positive impact on the economic and social development of its members.

“I hope we will make a continuous commitment with Bernama and I think we will sign the Memorandum of Understanding with Bernama soon, so that our organisation and activities can be promoted effectively,” he said when met after visiting the Wisma Bernama, here, today.

The D-8 delegation, accompanied by three representatives of the group, was welcomed by Bernama Chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, Chief Executive Officer Nurini Kassim and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Domestic News Service Datuk Mokhtar Hussain.

D-8 nation members comprise Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Turkey, with the combined population representing 60 per cent of the world’s Muslims. Ku Jaafar, former Malaysian ambassador to Egypt and Qatar, was appointed to the post last year.

Ku Jaafar also explained the D-8 members had drafted plans in efforts to explore new areas for the next 10 years, including finance, education, environment, health, science, technology and innovation.

“In Malaysia, we are working with a team to develop a new initiative involving a local-currency card system between member countries, similar to debit card called D-8 payment card.

“We are also working with the private sector from Malaysia to submit a new proposal to the D-8 commission to turn Kuala Lumpur as the new hub for creative economic and financial centre,” he said.

Ku Jaafar said the D-8 also planned to establish a link between leading universities among member countries.

“We plan to set up a Network of Pioneers for Research and Innovation (D-8 NPRI) which is a collaborative effort in the field of research and innovation among member countries. Thus far, we have received nominations from 21 universities from five member countries and we are still waiting for the list of universities from three other countries.

“I have also met with vice-chancellors of three universities here, namely, from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), for this purpose where we hope to further advance science and technology as well as to establish secretariats at the D-8 leading universities,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA