D-8 Secretary General Represents Organization at Boao Forum Events in China
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Sep, 2026) Secretary-General of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) Ambassador Sohail Mahmood participated in two high-level events of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in Haikou, China, highlighting the importance of regional economic integration, connectivity, innovation and stronger cooperation in global health.
At the invitation of BFA Secretary-General Zhang Jun, Sohail Mahmood attended the Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation Roundtable and the 2026 Haikou Conference of the Global Health Forum from September 15 to 17, said a press release issued on Saturday.
The Secretary-General also had productive bilateral interactions on the sidelines with leading participants from a cross-section aimed at strengthening D-8’s institutional and sectoral partnerships.
The events brought together nearly 300 participants from more than 30 countries and regions, including senior government representatives, international organizations, business leaders, academics, think-tanks, civil society and media.
Regional Cooperation Roundtable
Speaking at a high-level session of the Regional Cooperation Roundtable titled “Accelerating Regional Economic Integration Towards the Vision of FTAAP,” the D-8 Secretary-General highlighted the Asia-Pacific’s central role in global growth, trade and investment. He stressed the importance of openness, connectivity and practical cooperation to sustain regional economic dynamism, while calling for stronger policy coordination, resilient supply and value chains, greater synergy among regional trade and economic arrangements and effective use of innovation and digital transformation.
He also highlighted the D-8’s commitment to expanding trade and economic cooperation and the potential for stronger linkages between its nine member states and partners across Asia.
The Secretary-General later joined discussions in three other Roundtable sessions, focused on:
- ‘Asian Economy in the Context of the middle East Crisis’
- ‘Enhancing Regional Connectivity & Supply Chain Resilience for Energy and Economic Security’
- ‘Digital Economy and Global Governance in the AI Era.’
Global Health Forum
At the Global Health Forum, he participated as a speaker in a panel discussion on “Building a More Multipolar, Efficient and Sustainable Global Health Governance Mechanism.” He outlined three priorities for a more equitable and sustainable global health system: stronger institutions and wider ownership, universal health coverage based on equity and innovation, and sustained, result-oriented cooperation.
He stressed that national health systems, regional cooperation and effective multilateral institutions should reinforce one another, while innovations such as digital health, telemedicine and artificial intelligence should help narrow health inequalities.
Drawing on the D-8 experience, the Secretary-General highlighted the complementary