The Developing Eight Organization (D-8) successfully held its 8th Summit from 19-22 November 2012 in Islamabad, Pakistan, with a high rate of participation of the wide range of stakeholders. The one-day Summit of Heads of State/Government on November 22nd  was preceded by the meetings of the Commission and the Council of Ministers.

 

Under the banner of its overall theme of “Democratic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity”, the Islamabad Summit, which also coincided with the Organization’s 15th –year establishment (1997), tried to promote public-private partnership towards the realization of D-8 goals and objectives, including increase in the intra-trade from $130 billion in 2011 to $507 billion by 2018.

In addition to the Islamabad Declaration – as the expected final outcome of the high-level gathering, the Summit also adopted two more documents; Charter and Global Vision. The adoption of the D-8 Charter, as the overarching legal instrument governing all aspects of the work of the Organization and laying the necessary solid foundation for its further institutional development, is considered an important achievement for the Islamabad Summit. Adoption of the D-8 Global Vision, after an almost 3-year period of internal consideration, is also expected to assist the Organization with the direction and orientation of its future work.   

 

In the Declaration, the Heads of State/Government of the Organization pledged, inter alia, to work jointly to confront common challenges faced by the D-8 member countries in a wide range of fields and areas. While calling for more vigorous efforts towards expansion of cooperation in the fields of industry, finance, civil aviation, energy, transfer of technology, especially in the Five Priority Areas decided previously, the Declaration expressed serious concern over the growing challenges to food security at global, regional and national levels and asked member states to develop strategies for promoting sustainable agricultural growth. 

The Declaration welcomed the ratification and entry into force of the three major legal instruments (Visa Agreement, Customs Agreement, and Preferential Trade Agreement), and encouraged the remaining   member countries to join the process in order to make the Agreements fully operational. The hope was expressed that the actual implementation of these agreements would serve to expand the state of concrete cooperation within the D-8 community, including in particular in the area of trade.

The Islamabad Declaration, while noting the positive trend in the expansion of liaison between the Organization and such other institutions as OIC and ECO, called for further expansion of cooperation with regional and international organizations in areas of mutual interest. 

Four other events also took place on the sidelines of the Summit; the second meeting of the D-8 Central Bank Governors, the 6th meeting of the D-8 Business Forum with the participation of national chambers of commerce and industry and private sector entrepreneurs, the first meeting of Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs), and a trade exhibition with the participation of private companies from the member countries.

 

Active pursual of the respective outcomes of these events, along with the collective efforts of the member countries towards implementing the wide range of decisions by the principal organs of the Organization, are expected to contribute to the improvement in the state of cooperation in various fields between and among the member countries and at the level of the entire community.   

The full reports of the Commission and Council meetings, as well as the sideline events, have already been circulated among the member countries. The final report of the Summit segment will be prepared and circulated subsequently. 

Photos of the events during the Islamabad Summit can be viewed from the links below: