D-8 Secretary-General Holds High-level Engagements During Ankara Visit
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Aug, 2026) Secretary-General of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) Ambassador Sohail Mahmood held a series of high-level meetings with senior Turkish officials, parliamentarians, academics, research institutions, and industry representatives during his two-day working visit to Ankara on August 17-18.
The visit was part of the Secretary-General’s efforts to strengthen institutional partnerships and advance practical cooperation in the D-8’s core priority areas, as stated in a press release issued on Thursday.
During the visit, Ambassador Mahmood met with Ambassador Aylin Sekizkök, D-8 Commissioner of the Republic of Türkiye, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and exchanged views on major D-8 initiatives since his assumption of office in January 2026.
Their discussions focused on:
- Strengthening the organization’s institutional capacity.
- Expanding sectoral cooperation.
- Deepening engagement with member states and partners.
- Enhancing the D-8’s international profile.
The Secretary-General appreciated Turkey’s continued support as a founding member and host country of the D-8 Secretariat. He also acknowledged the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s facilitation of the Secretariat’s engagement with relevant ministries, agencies, and institutions, as well as its support for strengthening the Organization’s financial and human resource capacities.
He congratulated Turkey on successfully hosting the first D-8 International Ministerial Meeting on Environment in Istanbul in July 2026 and the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration, which strengthened D-8 coordination on climate action ahead of COP31 under Turkey’s presidency.
At the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Secretary-General met with its Director General, Ms. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk. They reviewed existing cooperation between D-8 and SESRIC and discussed expanding collaboration in statistics, socio-economic research, capacity-building, and training, including focused analytical and statistical reports on D-8 priority sectors. They decided to promote joint activities, conferences, and workshops in mutually agreed areas and explore ways to establish a formal cooperation framework.
At the Center for Strategic Research (SAM), the premier think-tank affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, the Secretary-General met with SAM President Prof. Dr. Ramazan Erdag. This visit was part of his initiative to broaden D-8 engagement with think-tanks, academia, policy experts, intellectuals, and the youth.
The two sides discussed ways in which SAM’s research and intellectual capacities could contribute to the promotion of D-8 priority objectives.
