The Developing Eight (D8) Organization for Economic Cooperation plays an important role in promoting peace and stability, Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said Friday, highlighting the geostrategic and geoeconomic significance of its member countries.
"All these countries are of great geostrategic and geoeconomic importance. Each also possesses considerable capacity to influence developments in its respective region," Mahmood told Anadolu on the sidelines of the 9th Istanbul Mediation Conference.
Emphasizing the importance of the conference, Mahmood said the world is going through an era marked by intense conflicts across different regions.
"There are currently more than 65 ongoing conflicts worldwide. This means that more than 100 countries are involved in conflict in one way or another,” he said, adding: “According to one statistic, approximately one-quarter of the world's population lives in conflict zones.”
Mahmood described this year's conference theme, Partnerships for Peace and New Perspectives: Mediation in a Changing World, as particularly meaningful.
"When we look at the way challenges to peace and security are emerging, with the increasing use of force to resolve disputes and disagreements, the disregard for international law, and the discrediting of multilateralism and multilateral institutions, we see that it is time to turn a new page," he said.
Mahmood said Türkiye has demonstrated its willingness to provide a platform for mediation experts by hosting such conferences, which allow participants to address challenges facing mediation and discuss possible solutions.
Pointing to Türkiye’s mediation efforts concerning the Russia-Ukraine war, the Black Sea Grain Initiative and conflicts in Africa, Mahmood highlighted the country's strategic position.
He stressed the importance of countries with economic and diplomatic capabilities using their resources to support peace and mediation efforts.
Sincere dialogue, sustainable mediation, regional ownership
Referring to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's opening remarks at the conference, Mahmood recalled that Fidan emphasized sincere dialogue, sustainable mediation and regional ownership.
"I believe focusing on these three fundamental principles could enable significant progress in resolving ongoing conflicts, both in our region and in different parts of the world," he said.
"This is also critically important for the D8. The organization was initially established with the participation of Türkiye, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria and Egypt. With Azerbaijan's accession, it now consists of nine countries.
"All these countries are of great geostrategic and geoeconomic importance. Each also possesses considerable capacity to influence developments in its respective region," he added.
Mahmood noted that countries such as Pakistan played an important role in securing a ceasefire between Iran and the US earlier this year, while Türkiye, Egypt and other countries strongly supported those efforts.
He also referenced the R4 (Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia) and R4+E3 (Germany, the UK and France) foreign ministers' meetings held in Istanbul on Friday.
Mahmood said such new platforms support diplomacy and dialogue, reiterating that the D8 has an important role to play in promoting peace and stability.
Green, digital transformations
Mahmood said the D8's primary mission is economic cooperation and integration, noting that the organization is working to increase trade among its members and strengthen economic cooperation in sectors ranging from agriculture and industry to transportation, energy, tourism and healthcare.
"We are also aware that we live in a world where unilateralism and protectionism are increasingly gaining ground," he said.
"Under these circumstances, it is extremely important for countries such as D8 members to come together to strengthen their supply chains and value chains and enhance their resilience.
"In this context, we are focusing on improving mutual cooperation, creating greater synergy among our resources and capabilities, and addressing the two major transformations taking place today."
Mahmood identified the first transformation as the "green transition" driven by climate change, noting that Türkiye plays a significant role in this area.
He said the second major transition is the "digital transformation," adding that the organization aims to make progress on both fronts.
10-year roadmap
Expressing the D8 countries' support for the Palestinian people, Mahmood said member states have consistently demonstrated solidarity in seeking a just, equitable and lasting solution to the Palestinian question.
He said D8 countries have organized various meetings at the ministerial level and among leaders in recent years to explore how they could contribute to humanitarian assistance efforts.
Outlining the organization's main priorities, Mahmood said: "Our primary priority is to implement a plan covering the 2020-2030 period, known as the '10-year roadmap.' One of our main objectives is to increase trade volume among D8 countries to $500 billion. This is among our top priorities."
Mahmood also noted that the D8 is approaching the 30th anniversary of its establishment, adding that the organization's next summit is scheduled to take place in Indonesia in 2027.
