Iran's Zarif Invited to D-8 Ministerial Meeting in Turkey
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif emphasized the importance of the Group of Eight Developing Countries (D-8), and expressed Tehran’s readiness to fully cooperate with the organization in all fields.
In a meeting with Secretary General of D-8 Organization of Economic Cooperation Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi, Zarif placed emphasis on the influential role of the organization for expansion of cooperation between major Islamic countries.
The foreign minister also expressed the hope that regular meetings among D-8 member states, as well as good planning, would give the organization a higher position in regional and international arenas.
Mousavi, for his part, briefed Zarif on a number of the organization’s activities and plans, and invited him to attend the next meeting of D-8 foreign ministers, which is due to take place in Turkey.
The Developing 8 are a group of developing countries with large Muslim populations that have formed an economic development alliance. It consists of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.
The objectives of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation are to improve member states’ position in the global economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at international level, and improve standards of living.
The group was established on June 15, 1997, in Istanbul, Turkey. Membership is open to countries other than the current member-states, though no expansion is currently planned.
