PM to lead delegation at D-8 virtual summit

KUALA LUMPUR: D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation member countries are expected to discuss six areas of economic cooperation at the 10th D-8 Summit today.

The Foreign Ministry said the six areas would be in trade, agriculture and food security, industrial cooperation and small- and medium-scale enterprises, transportation, energy and minerals, and tourism.

Members were also expected to formulate economic cooperation plans for the next decade.

“Leaders are expected to adopt two outcome documents: Dhaka Declaration and D-8 Decennial Roadmap for 2020-2030.

“The Dhaka Declaration reaffirms member states’ commitments to the D-8’s goals and cooperation framework in charting D-8’s future direction.

“The D-8 Decennial Roadmap for 2020-2030 will guide the work of the D-8 towards the D8 achievements for the next 10 years.”

It said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would lead Malaysia’s delegation at the virtual summit.

“Malaysia’s participation will demonstrate its continued commitment and support to the initiatives under the D-8 cooperation framework.”

The summit, hosted by Bangladesh, was preceded by the 19th Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers on April 7, attended by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

The theme of this year’s summit, “Partnership for a Transformative World: Harnessing the Power of Youth and Technology”, is timely given the need for D-8 to explore new opportunities through youth and digital technology in addressing global economic challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ministry said.