Eight Muslim countries, led by Turkey, launched formally the "Developing Eight Economic Co-operation Group" (D-8) on 15 June 1997 at a summit in Istanbul. Its main goal is to foster economic cooperation among its member countries and to strengthen the role of developing countries in the global economy.
This group, devised as a potential developing world partner to the G-7 group of rich countries, is open to non-Muslim countries and is currently composed of:
- Bangladesh (oversees rural development);
- Egypt (co-ordinates on trade);
- Indonesia (in charge of human resources);
- Iran (oversees telecommunication issues);
- Malaysia (focuses on privatisation, banking and insurance);
- Nigeria (deals with energy);
- Pakistan (deals with agriculture);
- Turkey (oversees industrial co-operation).
The principal organs of D-8 are the Summit, which is composed of Heads of State and Government and meets once a year; the Council, assembling the Ministers of Foreign Afairs is the political decision making organ; and the Commission, which is the executive organ and is composed of senior officials.
The D-8 group held its second summit in Dhaka (Bangladesh) in February 1999, and the third summit took place in February 2001 in Cairo (Egypt).
The D-8 has established contacts with international organisations like the IDB, UN, UNDP, FAO, UNIDO and WTO. Its relations with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference are expected to boost overall cooperation among the OIC countries.
For more information:
D-8 website
