ISTANBUL: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was accorded a very warm welcome as he arrived here Thursday to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the 9th D-8 summit being held in Istanbul from October 19 to 21.
He was received at the Ataturk Istanbul International airport by Istanbul Deputy Governor Mehmet Ali Ulutas.
Ambassador of Pakistan in Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi and senior embassy officials were also present.
PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi arrives at Istanbul, #Turkey to attend 9th D-8 Conference. He was received by Deputy Governor of #Istanbul. pic.twitter.com/nvoP9KPfx0
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) October 19, 2017
With Pakistan as the current chair of D8—an organisation of eight developing nations including Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigerian, Pakistan and Turkey—was established in 1997.
Pakistan assumed chair at the 8th summit of D-8, which was held in Islamabad in November 2012. Pakistan continued to hold the chair beyond the normal period of two years.
During Islamabad summit in November 2012, two landmark documents were signed: the D-8 Charter and Global Vision.
PM Abbasi will hand over the chairmanship of the D-8 Summit to Turkey. The Istanbul summit is expected to adopt a Declaration and a Plan of Action.
Major areas of cooperation in the D-8 charter include industry, agriculture and food security, energy, trade, transportation, and tourism.
The Istanbul summit will also be an occasion to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organisation.
The PM, besides addressing the 9th D-8 Summit on Friday, is expected to interact with the leaders of D-8 member states on the sidelines of the summit.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, who was already in Istanbul, attended the 17th Council of Ministers meeting that preceded the summit.
