ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to Egypt from December 18 to 20, 2024 to attend the Eleventh Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) countries being held in Cairo.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in a statement issued on Monday, said that preceding the Summit, Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will attend the 21st Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers on 18 December 2024.
It added the theme of the 11th D-8 Summit is “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.”
“At the Summit, the Prime Minister will underline the importance of investing in youth and SMEs for building a strong and inclusive economy; creating jobs; advancing innovation; and promoting local entrepreneurship,” the statement said.
Foreign Ministry said that the premier will express Pakistan’s strong commitment to the ideals of D-8; underscore the importance of fostering partnerships for mutual benefit and prosperity; and promoting cooperation in agriculture, food security, and tourism. He will also underline Pakistan’s incentives for youth empowerment and financial development.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan will also attend the Special Session of D-8 on the Humanitarian Crisis and Reconstruction Challenges in Gaza and Lebanon to deliberate on the situation resulting from Israeli aggression in the Middle East.
He will underline Pakistan’s principled position on the situation in Palestine and call for peace in the Middle East.
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“On the sidelines of the Summit, the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with participating leaders,” said the statement.
D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation is an organization for economic cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.
The establishment of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation was announced officially through the Istanbul Declaration of Summit of Heads of State/Government on June 15, 1997.
The objectives of the 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 the international level, and improve standards of living.
Pakistan hosted the 8th D-8 Summit in November 2012, in Islamabad.
