ISTANBUL: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will arrive here today (Thursday) to lead Pakistan’s delegation for the 9th D-8 Summit being held here on October 20. This is Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s first visit to Turkey since assuming office. He would be interacting with the leaders of D-8 member states on the sidelines of the summit.
Pakistan is the current chair of the D-8. It assumed the chair at the 8th Summit of D-8, held in Islamabad in November 2012. Pakistan continued to hold the chair beyond the normal period of two years.
During the Islamabad Summit in November 2012, two landmark documents the D-8 charter and the Global Vision were signed. The premier will also hand over the chairmanship of the D-8 Summit to Turkey. The Istanbul Summit is expected to adopt a declaration and a plan of action. The major areas of cooperation in the D-8 charter are: industry, agriculture and food security, energy, trade, transportation and tourism. Foreign Minister Kh Asif will attend the 17th Council of Ministers meeting that would precede the summit.