D-8 TO FOCUS ON VARIOUS AREAS TO PROGRESS FURTHER

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- The 12th Session of The Group of Eight
Developing Islamic Countries (D-8) ended here Monday, with member countries
agreeing to work on launching feasible projects, enhance trade and create a
charter for the grouping as well as embark on a young diplomat exchange
programme.

In a joint press conference, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, who
chaired the one-day meeting, said the ministers had a fruitful meeting and they
were very serious in achieving D-8's objectives.

"We are pleased with the progress achieved by the group, especially since
revitalisation efforts undertaken have shown very positive results...we had
indepth discussions...the sole purpose of giving benefits to the people of
the D-8 countries," he said.

The D-8 was formed on June 15, 1997 in Istanbul, Turkey and its members are
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.

Anifah said they agreed to focus on efforts to launch feasible projects to
be undertaken, not only by the respective governments but also the private
sectors.

He said they also agreed to focus on prioritised areas of collaboration
such as trade, agriculture and Islamic finance.

"And, among other things that we discussed, are the implementation of the
Action Plan, and the form of annual programme of work to ensure that the D-8 is
kept on the right track," he said.

Anifah said, there was also a suggestion to create a D-8 Charter and new
visions for the grouping, and this would be discussed at a meeting in Istanbul
in January, next year.

"We feel that what we have done so far, is not sufficient and we have to put
in more effort and therefore, we need to firstly, have a Charter," he said.

Anifah said, they agreed that the early ratification of the three D-8
agreements -- Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), Agreement on Customs
Cooperation and Agreement on Simplification of Visa for D-8 Businessmen -- were
necessary instrument for successful and beneficial economic cooperation among
member countries.

Anifah said member countries also agreed on the exchange of young
diplomats, where each country would be sending two diplomats, and where Egypt
would be the first country to host the programme.

"I think this is a very good suggestion...to develop understanding and
further cooperation among the D-8 countries. Our young diplomats also should get
to know each other better, in furtherance to our efforts in all cooperation,"
he said, adding that they agreed the programme should start early next year.

Anifah said focus would also be on enhancing intra-trade among D-8 members,
from five per cent of the total global trade to 15-20 per cent by 2018. Total
global trade among D-8 nations stood at US$1.2 trillion last year.

He said it was important to ensure the success of the D-8 Roadmap for
economic cooperation (2008-2018).

The Roadmap which was endorsed during the Sixth D-8 Summit here last year,
is aimed at encouraging greater economic cooperation among member states and to
assist in mobilising resources from governmental and private sectors in
implementing D-8 projects.

"Among D-8 countries, we have about 900 million population combined...you
can imagine the potential markets, the demands that we have...so, we have to
make it possible to smoothen the process so that we can achieve the objectives
together," he said.

Meanwhile, D-8 Secretary-General Dipo Alam said that Iran had pledged Euro
15 million for a joint-investment of projects.

He said that the priority list of areas of cooperation for D-8 member
countries covered trade, agriculture and food security, industrial cooperation
and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), transportation, and energy and
minerals.
-- BERNAMA