📌 Key Highlights
- 51st Session of the D-8 Commission hosted by Türkiye under Egypt’s chairmanship.
- 29th Anniversary Reception hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Berris Ekinci.
- Egypt announced ratification of the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM).
- Preparations reviewed for the 12th D-8 Summit in Jakarta.
- High-level bilateral meetings with Fuat Oktay, TİKA President, and KOSGEB President.
ANKARA, JUN 20 /DNA/ – Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Secretary-General of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), undertook an official visit to Ankara from 15 to 17 June 2026 to participate in the 51st Session of the D-8 Commission and events commemorating the 29th Anniversary of the Establishment of D-8.
The 51st Session of the D-8 Commission, hosted by the Republic of Türkiye under the Chairmanship of the Arab Republic of Egypt, brought together Commissioners and senior representatives of all D-8 Member States to review progress achieved since the previous Session and chart the future direction of the Organization.
📋 51st D-8 Commission Session: Key Agenda Items
The Commission considered a comprehensive report presented by the Secretary-General on the activities of the Secretariat during the first half of 2026, highlighting significant progress in:
- Strengthening international partnerships and expanding sectoral cooperation
- Enhancing the visibility of the Organization
- Advancing initiatives in trade, energy, tourism, SMEs, agriculture, science and technology, youth, and connectivity
The Commission also reviewed:
- Preparations for the 12th D-8 Summit to be held in Jakarta
- Progress on measures for reform and institutional capacity-building
- Financial and administrative matters
- Implementation of the D-8 Decennial Roadmap 2020-2030
🛃 Breakthrough on Trade Integration
A significant development welcomed by the Commission was Egypt’s announcement regarding the ratification of the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and the Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM). This is expected to contribute to deeper economic integration and increased intra-D-8 trade among member states such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye, and new member Azerbaijan.
🎉 29th Anniversary Reception & Special Messages
A key highlight of the visit was the reception commemorating the 29th Anniversary of the Establishment of D-8 (15 June), hosted by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event was attended by Commissioners, Heads of Delegation, diplomats, senior government officials, representatives of international organizations, academia, business leaders, and members of the diplomatic community.
The reception was graciously hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Berris Ekinci. A special message from H.E. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was read out on the occasion.
“What began as a pioneering initiative among eight developing countries is now transforming into a dynamic trans-continental organization representing more than 1.28 billion people and a combined GDP exceeding USD 5.2 trillion.” – Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood
🗣️ Secretary-General’s Address: D-8’s Growing Relevance
Addressing the gathering, Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood paid tribute to the visionary leadership of the late Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan and reflected on the significant evolution of D-8 since its establishment in Istanbul in 1997.
The Secretary-General highlighted the growing strategic relevance of D-8 in an increasingly complex global environment — marked by geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties, climate crisis, technological disruption, and growing inequalities. He emphasized the Organization’s expanding role in promoting:
- South-South cooperation
- Economic integration and sustainable development
- Multilateral engagement
Recent achievements were underscored, including:
- The accession of Azerbaijan as the 9th Member State
- The successful convening of the first-ever Meeting of D-8 Ministers of Energy in Baku
- The D-8 High-Level Energy and Urban Dialogue held during the World Urban Forum in Baku
- Ongoing efforts to establish the D-8 Energy and Climate Center, D-8 Transport Excellence Center, and D-8 Media Excellence Center in Azerbaijan
- Expanding international engagement with the United Nations system, FAO, COMSTECH, COMSATS, OTS, and BSEC
The Secretary-General reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to working closely with Member States to build a stronger, more dynamic, and future-oriented D-8 capable of delivering tangible benefits to its peoples and contributing meaningfully to global peace, development, and prosperity.
🤝 High-Level Bilateral Consultations in Ankara
Meeting with Fuat Oktay, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee
On the sidelines of the Commission Session, the Secretary-General held high-level consultations with H.E. Fuat Oktay, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and former Vice President of Türkiye. Discussions focused on regional and global developments, preparations for the 12th D-8 Summit, and opportunities for strengthening economic cooperation by building on existing complementarities.
Cooperation with TİKA – Development Assistance & Digital Transformation
The Secretary-General met with Mr. Abdullah Eren, President of TİKA, to explore new avenues of cooperation in development assistance, capacity-building, digital transformation, e-government, youth and women entrepreneurship, agriculture, education, and health. Both sides agreed to pursue the creation of a dedicated platform aimed at fostering collaboration among development agencies of Member States.
Partnership with KOSGEB – SMEs, Innovation & AI
In a separate meeting with Mr. Ahmet Serdar İbrahimcioğlu, President of KOSGEB, discussions centered on strengthening cooperation in support of SMEs, entrepreneurship, innovation, digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence, technology development, and start-up ecosystems. Opportunities for capacity-building programmes, cooperation among innovation centers and Technoparks, and mechanisms to support SME financing and regional value-chain integration were explored.
📈 A Step Forward for D-8’s Broader Agenda
The 51st Session of the Commission was instrumental in advancing the broader D-8 agenda. Simultaneously, the Secretary-General’s interactions with the Parliamentary Committee Chairman and key senior officials in Ankara contributed to promoting practical cooperation initiatives in development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable economic growth across the D-8 region.
