The Economic and Social Research Center (ESAM) has organized 23rd Congress of the International Union of Muslim Communities in Istanbul on Thursday at the Holiday Inn Airport Hotel.

The Congress participated by 120 politicians and academics from 50 countries. The congress started with recitation of the Quran.The congress theme entitled ‘Global Threats and Islamic World’ envisioned bringing together politicians and opinion leaders to discuss problems in the Islamic world.

Dr. Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi, the D-8 Secretary-General in his statement at the congress, said that the organization had created both opportunities and challenges for developing countries, conscious of the deep-rooted and sincere aspirations of humanity for peace, dialogue, cooperation, justice, equality and democracy.Then he added “D-8 is based on friendship, solidarity and pursuit of sustainable economic growth, endowed with abundant human and natural resources, aspires to become a dynamic economic grouping promoting sustainable development of its member states, as well as be a major actor in the global economic governance and system, and international economic cooperation.”

Furthermore, the Secretary-General Mousavi highlighted trade figures of the D-8. He said the total trade of D-8 countries at the end of 2012 was amounted to $1.8 trillion and it covered about 5.0% of the total world trade in 2012, which was around $36 trillion. Mousavi also expressed that trade between D-8 Countries at the end of 2012 was approximately about $150 billion or 8.2% of the total 1.8 trillion trade volume.

Therefore Secretary General indicated that the D-8 Summit, which will be held in Turkey in 2014 as a turning point and said, “All the Member Countries have made Presidency term for two years. It will be Turkey’s turn again. Next year Turkey will be taking over the Presidency. Therefore, the second life-cycle of D-8 is going to start in the history of the Organization.”