MALAYSIA SAYS D-8 MUST BE BOLD IN PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN

From Muammar Kamarudin

ABUJA, July 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia believes it is time for the Group of 8
(D-8) to take bold decisions in promoting economic development and enhancing
trade among member countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay
said.

He said that while there had been many proposals, some of which had been
agreed upon by member countries, "we have fallen short of our targets."

"None of these projects have taken off the ground and nothing much had been
done to overcome these setbacks," he said at the opening of the 13th D-8 Council
of Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Nigerian's State House Banquet Hall in
Asokoro here Tuesday.

He said that the grouping should accept the fact that some of its
traditional approaches were not effective in achieving the goals it had set out
to achieve.

The D-8 must be business-like and be business-oriented, he said, adding that
only through a business-friendly environment would the grouping be able to
attract foreign direct investments that would contribute to the national
development of member countries.

He said the future of the D-8 would depend on its ability to remain
relevant.

In order for the D-8 to be sustainable, Kohilan said the organisation's
programmes and activities should meet the expectation of its members in terms of
fulfilling and meeting their national interests as well as that of the D-8.

"Our expectations can only be met if the D-8 is able to undertake its
activities without being too taxing and demanding on member states," he said.

Kohilan called on the D-8 secretariat and national coordinators to utilise
tele-conferencing to communicate with one another and speed up the
decision-making process because "the ability to attract private sector
participation requires the D-8's immediate action."

A "D-8 Business Forum" page could be also set-up on the D-8 website to
receive views and suggestions from the business sector, he said.

Based on the various meetings that had taken place, he said, the Commission
(the executive arm of the D-8) could recommend a list of priority projects that
were economically feasible and attractive to the private sector of member
states.

The D-8 Commission comprises senior officials, bureaucrats and technocrats
of member countries.

Kohilan said: "The reason why I propose this, is to enable the D-8 to embark
on cooperation to immediately facilitate the launching of D-8 projects."

At the event, Kohilan handed over the chairmanship of the D-8 Council of
Foreign Ministers held by Malaysia since 2008 to Nigerian Foreign Affairs
Minister Odein Ajumogobia.

The D-8 was established in 1997 in Istanbul, Turkey. It consists of eight
developing nations namely Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,
Pakistan and Turkey.

Among the priority areas of cooperation are trade, agriculture and food
security, industrial cooperation and small-and-medium enterprises,
transportation, and energy and minerals.
-- BERNAMA


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