Observer Status at the United Nations to the Developing-Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation

On the initiative of Pakistan, the United National General Assembly adopted on 23 October 2014 a resolution granting ‘Observer Status ’to the Developing -Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation. The resolution was tabled by Pakistan in its capacity as the current Chair of the Istanbul-based Organization during the ongoing 69th Session of the UN General Assembly.

The decision to seek observer status for the D-8 in the United Nations was taken during the meetings of D-8 Commission and Council of Ministers convened in Islamabad during past two years in line with the Global Vision adopted by the D-8 leaders during Islamabad Summit in November 2012. In this regard, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs chaired a Special Meeting of the D-8 Foreign Ministers in New York on 25 September 2014 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

The granting of observer status to the D-8 comes at a significant juncture as the D-8 Organization is poised to enter the second phase of its existence with the 9th Summit to be held in Turkey in December 2014. The Turkey Summit plans to adopt a Post-2014 Action Plan focused on implementation of projects and agreements.

The status of an observer will provide opportunities to the D-8 for closely interacting with various UN agencies and affiliated institutions for cooperative arrangements in the priority areas. It will also help harmonize actions of the two organizations for more concerted efforts to establish peace and prosperity apart from helping the D-8 to streamline its priorities and resources in the global perspective.

The D-8 Organization was established in 1997 to promote development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.

Islamabad
25 October 2014

297/2014