Turkish foreign minister to attend D-8 meeting in Cairo ahead of summit

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday will attend a meeting of the Developing Eight or D-8 foreign ministers ahead of this week’s D-8 summit in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

The meeting is expected to address the situation in Gaza and other regional issues, a D-8 progress report, and the group’s next secretary general.

The D-8 Secretariat’s budget, acceptance of the Ministers’ Council meeting report, and preparations for the 11th D-8 Summit, set for Thursday, are also on the agenda, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan is expected to urge a halt to Israel’s genocide in Gaza as well as its efforts to spread the Gaza war into a regional conflict.

He will also stress the importance of advancing efforts for a two-state solution along with an immediate cease-fire.

Fidan also will highlight the importance of delivering urgent and continuous humanitarian aid to Gaza and boosting support for the UN agency for Palestine refugees or UNRWA.

He is expected to call for the global pressure on Israel and its supporters to be stepped up at all levels, using all available means.

In addition, he is likely to underscore the significance of strengthening coordination and cooperation among D-8 members as the world goes through a global economic and political transformation.

Reconstruction of Lebanon, Gaza

Fidan is also expected to highlight the importance of fully implementing a preferential trade agreement which has been approved by all D-8 members.

He will also underline that supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will play a crucial role in creating employment opportunities for the young populations of D-8 countries.

He also will suggest launching new programs to support young people.

Fidan is also expected to underline that this June’s extraordinary D-8 Foreign Ministers’ Council meeting hosted by Türkiye in Istanbul made significant contributions to regional efforts.

He will stress the need for international support for the reconstruction of Gaza and Lebanon, both facing serious damage due to months of Israeli attacks.

The last D-8 foreign ministers’ meeting was held in Istanbul on June 8, hosted by Fidan, under the theme “The Situation in Gaza.”

At that meeting, a joint statement was adopted calling for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional cease-fire and the cessation of Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people.

The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye.

• D-8 Organization of summit
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan