Pakistan's delegation at D-8 Summit to be headed by PM Imran Khan

The Foreign Office said Tuesday Prime Minister Imran Khan will head Pakistan’s delegation at the 10th D-8 Summit being hosted by Bangladesh on April 8. 

The Foreign Office, in a statement, said the summit will be held virtually, with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi attending the 19th Council of Ministers meeting that would precede the Summit.

The theme of the Summit is “Partnership for a Transformative World: Harnessing Power of Youth and Technology.”

Heads of states of the eight D-8 member states — Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, and Pakistan — will be in attendance.

"The 10th D-8 Summit is expected to adopt a declaration and the Decennial Roadmap 2020-2030," the FO said, adding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will hand over the chairmanship of D-8 Summit to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

What is the D-8?

The D-8 was established in 1997 to promote economic and development cooperation among eight Member States. The D-8 Secretariat is located in Istanbul.

Objectives of the D-8 include improving developing countries’ position in the world economy, diversifying new opportunities in trade relations, and enhancing participation in decision-making at the international level.

Priority areas of cooperation in the D-8 include:

• Trade
• Industry
• Agriculture and Food Security
• Energy
• Transportation
• Tourism

"Pakistan has actively contributed towards promotion and realisation of objectives and goals of D-8. Pakistan hosted the Eighth D-8 Summit in Islamabad in 2012 and remained the Chair of the Organisation from 2012 to 2017," the Foreign Office said.

The Islamabad Summit was a resounding success with the adoption of two landmark documents – the D-8 Charter, and the D-8 Global Vision, along with the Islamabad Declaration, it said.

Pakistan has hosted two meetings of the Council of Ministers, several commission meetings, and regular sectoral meetings.

"Pakistan has been actively taking part in various D-8 initiatives and projects and hosted four sectoral meetings in the last four months relating to research and innovation, technology transfer and exchange, agriculture, and visa facilitation," it added.