D-8 Secretary General's Ankara Visit Focuses on Health Cooperation, Climate Action
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - September 03, 2026) Secretary-General of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) Ambassador Sohail Mahmood during his recent visit to Ankara held high-level engagements focused on advancing cooperation in health, climate action and other priority areas of the organization’s agenda.
During the visit, the Secretary-General met with Turkish Minister of Health, Prof. Dr. Kemal Memisoglu, appreciating Turkey’s significant role within the D-8 and its expertise in the healthcare sector.
The two sides discussed:
- Translating existing D-8 health cooperation commitments into practical actions.
- Opportunities for enhanced collaboration in pharmaceuticals, medical manufacturing, vaccines, biotechnology, research & innovation, digital health, and capacity building.
- Leveraging the complementary strengths among D-8 Member States.
- Preparing for the 2nd D-8 Ministerial Meeting on Health hosted by Turkey.
Ambassador Mahmood proposed organizing a D-8 webinar on digital health, utilizing Turkey’s expertise, which was well-received. He also sought support in strengthening D-8 engagement with international health organizations to bolster Member States' efforts.
Key Takeaways:
- Close coordination between the D-8 Secretariat and Turkey's Ministry of Health for advancing the health cooperation agenda.
- Turkey’s upcoming presidency of COP31 and Leaders' Summit (November 2026) in Antalya.
- D-8’s strong support for Turkey’s COP Presidency.
Additional Engagement:
Ambassador Mahmood participated in a briefing for diplomatic missions on Turkey's preparations for the COP31 and Leaders' Summit, meeting with Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, who outlined Turkey's presidency vision centered on 'Dialogue, Consensus, Action.'