Pakistan on Monday pressed D-8 countries to evolve a mechanism of cooperation in the energy sector, as the energy crisis was becoming a daunting challenge. Pakistan also urged the organisation to initiate the phase of substantive cooperation by operationalising the agreements related to removing barriers in trade and business, particularly the Preferential Trade Agreement. While addressing the inaugural session of the 33rd session of the commissioners of Developing-8 Organisation, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that suggested that the member countries can take initiatives in cooperation in capacity building, transfer of technology, transfer of capital and labour, energy and food security, Islamic banking, and halal sector development.
He also urged the organisation to initiate the phase of substantive cooperation by operationalising the agreements related to removing barriers in trade and business, particularly the Preferential Trade Agreement. Highlighting economic revival as a high priority of the Government, the adviser said that this was the reason that the decision to join the D-8 was taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over 15 years ago who attended the first historical summit of the organisation in Istanbul in June 1997.
The adviser proposed to the member countries to evolve a mechanism of cooperation in the energy sector, as the energy crisis is becoming a daunting challenge. He informed that Pakistan was in the process of organising the first meeting of D-8 Energy Forum in Islamabad.
He suggested that the member countries can take initiatives in cooperation in capacity building, transfer of technology, transfer of capital & labour, energy and food security, Islamic banking, and halal sector development.
Later in a meeting with the D-8 Secretary-General Dr Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi, the sdviser to the PM proposed ways to fast track the implementation of trade and visa agreements. He expressed the hope that the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement will be implemented soon.
The D-8 secretary-general thanked the adviser for organising the commission meeting and praised Pakistan’s active role in the D-8 activities. He assured support of his organization in expediting the implementation of D-8 agreements which envisage current intra-D-8 trade of US$ 150 billion to increase to $500 billion by 2018. The D-8 Commissioners from member countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey) and D-8 Secretary-General Dr. Mousavi are attending the two-day meeting.
