Mr. Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, pledged his full support to Ambassador Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, the D-8 Secretary-General, to advance the cause of the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation.

Mr. Çavu?o?lu warmly welcomed Ambassador Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari as his new capacity as the D-8 Secretary-General during call on the Minister on 10 February 2018 in Istanbul.

The two interlocutors held a very fruitful and effective discussion in a cordial environment. Ambassador Ku Jaafar expressed his happiness at meeting the Minister and informed him of the new vision and ideas to be pursued to make the Organization more active, efficient and effective. The Secretary-General conveyed that the Secretariat was working in full swing to implement the vision set by the Organization’s leaders, President of Turkey in particular, at the successful 9th Summit held on October 2017 in Istanbul. He also updated the Minister with the Ministerial Meetings that had been pledged by Turkey and other Member States. He stressed that he had given a special thrust to accelerate cooperation in priority areas and other areas of cooperation within the D-8 Community, particularly the project-centered concept and enhanced private sector involvement. He briefed the Minister on certain project ideas such as, MIHAS 2018, D8P for international payment card, Health sector investment in association with JCorp etc. which the Secretariat had been working with leading private sector companies. He noted that the projects aimed at implementing some targets set out in the Plan of Action adopted in the 9th D-8 Summit. He mentioned that the Secretariat was in close liaison with the MFA Turkey and the Central Bank of Turkey to prepare the concept paper on D-8 Clearing House. He noted that the Minister’s continued support in furthering the common agenda and realizing new projects would be their particular strength. 

Minister Çavu?o?lu warmly appreciated the Secretary-General and assured him of all cooperation. He reiterated that Turkey, as the initiator and now the Chair for the upcoming two years after the 9th Summit, always attached high importance to increasing trade and economic activities among the D-8 Members and it was time that the Organization had been reinvigorated with new ideas and projects and assured the Secretary-General of all efforts on the part of Turkey. 

They also discussed the expansion of the Organization and certain policy matters such as, decision making, quorum etc. as mentioned by the President of Turkey in his speech at the 9th Summit. The Minister recommended establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to scrutinise and work on these matters.  

Earlier, the Secretary-General met Ambassador Sedat Önal, the D-8 Commissioner of Turkey on the same day. They discussed the upcoming Commission and the Council Meetings. They also exchanged views on the Ministerial Meetings to be held by Turkey and the other Member States.