PM Abbasi arrives in Turkey to attend 9th D-8 Summit
October 19, 2017
ISTANBUL: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was accorded a warm welcome as he arrived in Turkey on Thursday to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the 9th D-8 Summit being held in Istanbul from October 19 to 21.
He was received at the Ataturk Istanbul International Airport by Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mehmet Ali Ulutas. Pakistan's Ambassador to Turkey Mohammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi and senior embassy officials were also present on the occasion.
With Pakistan as the current chair of D-8, an organisation of eight developing nations established in 1997, which includes Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigerian, Pakistan and Turkey.
Pakistan assumed chair at the 8th Summit of D-8, held in Islamabad in November 2012. It continues to hold the chair beyond normal period of two years.
During Islamabad summit in November 2012 two landmark documents were signed: the D-8 Charter and Global Vision.
PM Abbasi will 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.
Major areas of cooperation in D-8 Charter are: industry, agriculture and food security, energy, trade, transportation and tourism.
The summit will, inter alia, be an occasion to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organisation.
The prime minister, besides addressing the 9th D-8 Summit on Friday, is also expected to interact with the leaders of D-8 member states on the sidelines of the summit.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif, who was already in Istanbul, attended the 17th Council of Ministers meeting that preceded the summit.
