Istanbul to host D-8 meeting next month

ANKARA

In November 2012, a summit was held in Pakistan. AA Photo

Istanbul will host a meeting of the Developing Eight (D-8) next month with member countries focusing on water-related issues.

Water resources, eliminating international water problems and projects for use of water resources in the most effective way will be discussed during the meeting through Feb. 21 to 23, Turkey’s Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry said yesterday.

During the ministerial-level meeting, the participants will also introduce projects, the ministry said.

The D-8 was established by Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia in 1997 as a result of an initiative led by the late Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan. It held its first summit in 1997 in Istanbul.

However, in time the organization became an almost useless group due to the lack of interest of member countries. Not a single project was completed and the trade volume among the members could not be increased.

In November 2012, a summit was held in Pakistan in order to revive the futile D-8 organization after 15 years of unsuccessful efforts to foster economic and trade ties between the world’s most populous Muslim countries. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan represented Turkey at that meeting