D-8 Summit concludes with Dhaka declaration

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin led Malaysia's delegation to the virtual summit, which followed the 19th Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers on Wednesday attended by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, and the 43rd Session of the D-8 Commission on Monday and Tuesday.

In a D-8 secretariat statement issued yesterday, member states were called to also consider establishing a Pandemic Diseases Fund in order to fight chronic diseases like COVID-19 and direct all the Health Ministries and public/private institutions to make the best use of the existing well-equipped laboratories and research centres for pandemic diseases.

In their declaration, the eight-member grouping called upon the member states to cooperate in negotiations with international pharmaceutical companies manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines, which will give advantage in quantity and price for all the D-8 Member States.

They also applauded the prominent role of Indonesian Foreign Minister as Co-Chair of the COVAX AMC EG to ensure safe and equitable access to vaccine for all as no single economy can fully recover until there is global equitable access to the vaccine, the statement added.

Members welcomed Bangladesh’s proposal for the formation of the D-8 Working Group to tackle the economic adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying ongoing challenges in areas of trade and investment, with the country hosting the first meeting.

On climate change, the grouping reaffirmed that climate change is one of the greatest challenges now and expressed profound alarm that the emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise globally, according to the statement.

In this regard, it said developing countries in particular are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and already experiencing an increase in such impacts, further threatening food security, water availability and livelihoods.

Members also recognise the substantial risks posed by climate change to health and emphasise that mitigation and adaptation to climate change represent an immediate and urgent global priority, said the statement.

They expressed their commitment to combined efforts in achieving effective adaptation to climate change through building climate resilience as enunciated by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the current chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) in order to reduce the vulnerability of the people of the developing countries.

The grouping also acknowledged the commendable work done by the D-8 Secretariat and appreciate the efforts made by Ambassador Datuk Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari of Malaysia, the D-8 Secretary-General in the last three years, the statement said.

According to the statement, they also welcomed the nomination by Nigeria for its Ambassador Isiaka Abdulkadir Imam as the next Secretary-General of the D-8 organisation.

The members expressed deep appreciation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his leadership, commitment and devoted efforts in promoting the D-8 objectives during his Chairmanship of D-8 and the government and people of Bangladesh for successfully hosting the 10th Summit.

The grouping welcomed the gracious offer of the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt to host the 11th D-8 Summit on a date to be decided later, said the statement.

The D-8 members are Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey with the grouping’s secretariat, based in Istanbul, Turkey.