D-8 council of ministers to focus on food, energy security, trade

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said the 20th session of the Council of Ministers of D-8, hosted by Dhaka on July  27, will focus on cooperation regarding food and energy security, trade,  tourism and climate change. 

"Food security issue will be discussed largely (during the talk) ... we are giving much importance on food security as there is a much scope for  cooperation," he told journalists at a briefing held at Foreign Ministry  here. 

Apart from food security, Dr Momen said energy security would also be  discussed during the D-8 ministerial level talks. 

"Energy security is being discussed everywhere and it remains a burning topic globally," he added.  

The D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,  Pakistan and Turkey. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the D-8 talk virtually while Dhaka will also host the 45th session of the D-8 Commission  from July 25 to 26. 

Dhaka expects that foreign ministers and state ministers of some D-8 member states will lead their respective delegations in person on July 27. 

Noting that the intra-trade is growing among the D-8 countries, Momen said, "We will discuss how the trade can further be expanded." 

The foreign minister said the intra-trade is likely to be boosted through proper implementation of the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).

The PTA, after many rounds of discussions and multilateral negotiations, became effective on 25 August, 2011 onwards.

The foreign minister said Bangladesh has the scope to increase cooperation with other D-8 member countries for tourism development as some of the D-8 states made success in their travel and leisure sectors. 

Momen said the D-8 Council of Ministers will also take a decision about Azerbaijan's membership.

The objectives of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation are to improve member states' position in the global economy, diversify and create  new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at an international level, and improve standards of living, reports BSS.