CAIRO, Dec 19 (MENA) - The leaders of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation adopted Thursday the Cairo Declaration, during their meeting in Egypt's New Administrative Capital.

Here’s the full text of the Cairo Declaration:

We, the Heads of State and Government/Representatives of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of Türkiye, forming the membership of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), gathered in Cairo on 19 December 2024, on the occasion of our Eleventh Summit, being held under the theme, “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy.”

Reiterating our pledge to advance our shared development goals under the principles of fraternity, peace, dialogue, justice, equality, rule of law, and democracy, established during the founding of the D-8, as encapsulated in our previous Summit Declarations.

Acknowledging our past progress should serve as a catalyst to renew our focus and intensify our efforts in addressing today's challenges, particularly in light of the evolving global landscape.
Reiterating the value of unity, equality, mutual respect, and economic cooperation, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing partnerships in priority areas of cooperation, including agriculture and food security, energy, science, technology, industry, development of small and medium enterprises, infrastructure, trade, investment and transportation, to promote inclusive and equitable development that benefits our nations.

Reaffirming our shared endeavour to implement the D-8 Decennial Roadmap for 2020-2030 to deepen further economic cooperation, aligned with UN Development Agenda.
Reaffirming our faith in multilateralism and the importance of enhanced cooperation within the D-8 framework and with relevant regional and international organizations, particularly the United Nations, and the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC)including strengthening South-South Cooperation, that is vital for promoting sustainable development, fostering peace, and addressing global challenges such as poverty, climate change, and inequality.

Realizing that the full and Organization-wide operationalization of the Preferential Trade Agreement Among D-8 Member States (D-8 PTA), the Multilateral Agreement among D-8 Member Countries on Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters (D-8 Customs Agreement), the Agreement on "Simplification of Visa Procedures, for the Businessmen of the D-8 Member States" (D-8 Visa Agreement)and transformation of the D-8 PTA into a more progressive instrument, such as a comprehensive economic partnership agreement will propel our economic power to a new height.

Emphasizing the need to promote investment opportunities and to increase intra-D-8 trade with efficient mechanisms including online platforms, while also committing to inclusive growth, through the promotion of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in emerging sectors such as digital trade, e-commerce, and fintech, to ensure economic empowerment for all and intensifying efforts in improving logistics, transport, and regulatory frameworks.

Reaffirming our commitment to advancing cooperation in science, technology, and innovation through the existing mechanisms, to study key indicators and assess digital transformation opportunities, including emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), to support our objectives.

Highlighting the importance of addressing climate change in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Recalling decision 14/30 of UNCBD COP14 on cooperation with other conventions, international organizations and initiatives, adopted at the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, in which the parties welcomed the initiative of the Government of Egypt to promote a coherent approach between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, to address biodiversity loss, climate change and land and ecosystem degradation.

Emphasizing the importance of promoting sustainable agricultural practices, as part of our collective endeavors to ensure food security and safety.
Acknowledging all Member States' participation in the Organization's activities must be strengthened, under the principle of fraternity and dialogue among members, in expanding our cooperation to achieve our shared objectives and to that end.

We hereby,
1. Appreciate and commend the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for its excellent stewardship and tireless efforts, since taking over the Chair’s role in April 2021, which enabled the D-8 Member States to make significant progress in enhancing cooperation in our key areas of cooperation, as well as organizational expansion, visibility, and international collaboration and partnership, and extend our profound appreciation to the leadership of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, for their commitment and dedicated efforts in advancing the D-8 objectives, during their chairmanship of the Organization.

2. Express our heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency Abdel Fattah-El-Sisi, Honorable President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, as well as the Egyptian government and people, for successfully hosting the 11th D-8 Summit, and providing such gracious hospitality, and as such, pledge our full support and wish His Excellency the President, tremendous success as the Chair of the D-8 Organization.

3. Acknowledge the commendable work of His Excellency, Ambassador Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam, the Secretary-General of the D-8, during his tenure, which commenced on 1 January 2022, and appreciate his determination and meaningful efforts over the last three years, including, ineffectively, managing the D-8 Secretariat.

4. Welcome the fruitful collaboration with many national, regional, and international organizations, such as the United Nations, the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), the Standards and Metrology Institute of the Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, the World Tourism Forum Institute, the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and encourage a more profound and broader collaboration with these organizations, to get support necessary for the realization of initiatives and projects to achieve the D-8 objectives.

5. Applaud the establishment of the D-8 Youth Council, which the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh will host in Dhaka and call on Member States to support its functioning to foster youth cooperation in the D-8 and, in the same vein, appreciate the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, for hosting the First Ministerial Meeting on Youth on 22 May 2024, and look forward to the hosting of the Second Ministerial Meeting on Youth by Nigeria. Encourages the Member States to organize joint activities in the field of youth by taking best practices into account and invite the Secretariat to coordinate these activities within the framework of “the D-8 Cooperation Action Plan for Youth” to be prepared in line with the proposals of the Member States with reference to the Dhaka Declaration on Youth. Invites the Secretariat and Member States to continue to work in cooperation on the Constitution of the D-8 Youth Council until the Second Ministerial Meeting on Youth.

6. Commend the Arab Republic of Egypt for selecting “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy” as the theme for this Summit, and welcome the initiative proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran to establish a D-8 mechanism to support the innovative ideas of the D-8 youth, and Iran’s readiness to hold exhibitions as well as scientific/technological/entrepreneurship tours and specialized meetings with the participation of the youth from the D-8 Member States.

7. Express appreciation to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for its commitment to hosting the D-8 Center for Small and Medium Enterprises in Abuja, including the provision of initial resources to facilitate its operationalization. Recognizing the Center’s potential to advance entrepreneurship and collaboration among D-8 Member States, we encourage the timely completion of its setup and call on all Member States to extend their support – whether technical, financial or through capacity-building – to ensure its effective and sustainable operation.

8. Congratulate the People's Republic of Bangladesh for organizing the Third Meeting of the D-8 Trade Ministers Council (3rdTMC) in Dhaka on 5 March 2024, as well as the Republic of Türkiye for hosting the Informal Meeting of the Trade Ministers Council of the D-8 Member States (Informal TMC) in Istanbul on 11 June 2024, which marked significant progress in advancing D-8 trade policies.

9. Welcome the announcement by the Arab Republic of Egypt to host the Fourth Meeting of the D-8 Trade Ministers Council in 2025, to further enhance existing D-8 trade policies, especially through the participation and active engagement of SMEs; and to deliberate new mechanisms to expand and diversify trade among D-8 Member States, through digital trade facilitation platforms, e-commerce, and AI-driven technologies.

10. Welcome the upcoming ratification by the Arab Republic of Egypt of the Preferential Trade Agreement Among D-8 Member States (D-8 PTA), marking the monumental milestone that all D-8 Member States are now Contracting Members of the D-8 PTA.

11. Reiterate the importance of effective implementation and operationalization of the D-8 PTA by all Contracting Members, including organizing capacity-building programs for relevant officials and appreciate that five Contracting Members have completed their internal procedures, to implement the D-8 PTA and call on those ready, to commence trading, under the framework of the D-8 PTA, without delay, to achieve the collective target of its value to at least 10% of the D-8 total external trade value, or at least US$ 500 billion, by 2030, as outlined in the D-8 Decennial Roadmap for 2020-2030, and welcome the proposal to expand the D-8 PTA scope to meaningfully and equitably cover a wider array of significantly traded products, among the D-8 Member States, to make it more attractive to business entities.

12. Acclaim the adoption of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM) Protocol to the Preferential Trade Agreement Among D-8 Member States (D-8 PTA), during the 3rd TMC in Dhaka on 5 March 2024 and its subsequent signing by Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, and Türkiye, during the Informal TMC in Istanbul, and call on the D-8 Trade Ministers Council to devise means to expedite the process for the Protocol’s entry-into-force, as seamless and as most straightforward as possible.

13. Note with keen interest the discourse on the need to upgrade the D-8 PTA to a more progressive instrument, such as a comprehensive economic partnership agreement, to enable the D-8 to be a more dynamic, powerful, competitive, and impactful economic bloc, including to venturing into potential sectors for trade in services, in the next phase of cooperation and tasked the D-8 Trade Ministers Council to conduct a study, scoping exercise, and comparative analysis, to identify the modalities and way forward, for the expansion of the D-8 PTA.

14. Applaud the adoption of the D-8 Trade Facilitation Strategy, during the Third Meeting of the D-8 Trade Ministers Council, which serves as a guideline for the D-8 Member States to strengthen intra-D-8 trade, by facilitating more accessible trade measures and Customs procedures, and call upon prompt implementation among Member States.

15. Congratulate Nigeria for assuming the Chair of the Supervisory Committee of the D-8 PTA starting in May 2024and thank Bangladesh for their role as the immediate past Chair of the Committee.

16. Welcome the proposal to strengthen broader economic cooperation, through regular meetings of the economic ministers and their subsequent technical bodies of the D-8 Member States to provide a clear recommendation on crucial economic cooperation, including various novel ideas, to further promote the achievement of the D-8 economic objectives.

17. Underline the tremendous potentials of the halal economy and commit to working together to boost collaboration in this sector through capacity-building initiatives and exchange of best practices to support the development of SMEs in halal industries.

18. Direct the D-8 Secretariat to conduct studies to devise ways to facilitate easier movement of businesspeople, among the D-8 Member States, guided by the Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for Businessmen of the D-8 Member States.

19. Emphasize the importance of enhancing agricultural productivity, improving food security, and fostering rural development through joint initiatives, agricultural innovation, and resilient agri-food systems, including sustainable farming techniques, sustainable land and water management practices, and the adoption of modern agricultural technologies, while reaffirming our commitment to fostering agricultural trade and strengthening food supply chains among us, while highlighting the need to increase resilience to external shocks, such as climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical disruptions, and to that end, commend the 7th D-8 Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Food Security hosted virtually by the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Dhaka on 13 January 2022.

20. Commend efforts by the D-8 Research Center for Agriculture and Food Security (D-8 RCAFS) in Faisalabad, Pakistan, in organizing activities and training programs, under the joint action plan, signed with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS).

21. Commit to enhancing cooperation in sustainable tourism, cultural exchange, and heritage preservation, to promote mutual understanding and socio-economic development, as tourism is a vital economic sector, for D-8 Member States and, for such a purpose, encourage Member States to develop joint initiatives, to boost intra-D-8 tourism, such as simplifying visa procedures, improving regional tourism infrastructures, and implementing collaborative marketing strategies.

22. Welcome the announcement by the Arab Republic of Egypt to host the fourth D-8 Ministerial Meeting on Tourism in Aswan, in 2025, and congratulate the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, for successfully hosting the Third D-8 Ministerial Meeting on Tourism on 5 August 2023.

23. Commend the D-8 Secretariat for successfully launching the inaugural D-8 Tourism City of the Year Award and congratulate the City of Antalya in the Republic of Türkiye, on its selection as the first D-8 Tourism City of the Year 2025, and express confidence that this initiative will boost tourism, encourage investment, infrastructure development, and cultural exchange, while promoting healthy competition among Member States, and to that end, call on all Member States to support this important initiative and promote travel to Antalya in 2025.

24. Acknowledge the need to enhance cooperation in the energy sector, including through engagement with the relevant international organizations, to promote the development and application of energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy and to foster private sector investment in new and renewable energy, to assist our countries in their pathways to just transition.

25. Commend the Organization’s effort to improve cooperation in enhancing connectivity, including a more substantive collaboration in air connectivity and civil aviation, and appreciate the Republic of Indonesia for hosting the 12thmeeting of the Director General and Experts Working Group on Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Bali, Indonesia, from 20 – 21 October 2022, and the Republic of Türkiye, for hosting the 13thD-8 Meeting of the DGCA in Antalya, Türkiye, from 12 – 14 November 2024.

26. Emphasize that measures taken to combat climate change, including unilateral ones, should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade.

27. Call for allocating adequate, predictable and accessible finance from developed to developing countries, for just energy transition, in line with the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities -CBDR-RC. Stressing that new industrial development models associated with this transition would require enormous investments in existing and new infrastructure.

28. Underline the importance of an ocean-based economy to support our shared objectives, while prioritizing the protection of marine biodiversity, promoting sustainable fisheries management, and ensuring the conservation of critical habitats to sustain livelihoods and ecological health by harnessing cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture, renewable ocean energy, seaports and shipping, marine biotechnology, offshore hydrocarbons and seabed minerals, deep sea mining, including through public-private-partnership, to attract investment in this sector.

29. Encourage cooperation, among D-8 Member States' academic communities and commend the D-8 Secretariat for establishing the D-8 Network of Pioneers for Research and Innovation (D-8 NPRI), chaired by COMSATS University in Islamabad, Pakistan, which, to date, is participating by 28 prominent universities from six Member States, and encourage the remaining Member States to invite their research-focused universities to participate, to enable the NPRI to play a more significant role in promoting innovation and research as well as advancing commercialization and project-based development, share of experience in developing a research strategy, and visit to various research institutions, across all Member States, and as such, we commend the University of Ilorin of Nigeria, for hosting the Third Meeting of the D-8 NPRI in Ilorin, Nigeria, in November 2024.

30. Welcome the Arab Republic of Egypt’s initiative to establish the D-8 Network for Economic Think Tanks, to serve as a platform for sharing information, exchanging ideas, and enhancing partnerships among think tanks in order to develop informed solutions to the pressing economic development challenges, facing the D-8 Member States, foster economic cooperation and trade, promote the sharing of best practices in economic development, and enhance capacity building in areas such as trade facilitation, entrepreneurship, innovation and digital economy and trade.

31. Commend the cooperation in human resource development, including the institutionalization of Diplomatic Training for the Diplomats from the D-8 Member States, which will serve as an investment for the future, by promoting networking from an early stage and noted with utmost appreciation to Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Türkiye, for already organizing diplomatic training, in their respective institutions, and call on other Member States to organize similar programs.

32. Welcome the Arab Republic of Egypt’s initiative to establish a network for diplomatic institutes and academies in D-8 Member States to foster cooperation among them through [EG] creating a platform for regular dialogue on emerging issues in diplomatic and foreign policy training, encouraging the exchange of ideas among institutes, coordinating on the development of cutting-edge training programs, enhancing the quality and relevance of courses and programs offered by participating institutes, and creating a virtual space for joint discussions on topics such as development, economic diplomacy, food security, energy, trade policies, and climate change.

33. Applaud the commendable efforts of the D-8 Technology Transfer and Exchange Network (D-8 TTEN) in Tehran, in fostering cooperation among D-8 countries, through encouraging transfer of technology and the exchange of best practices and recognizing the significant impact of regular events, organized by D-8 TTEN, such as the Technology Investment Meeting (TIM), the Business & Technology Meeting (BTM), and the Technology Transfer Award (TTA), in promoting innovation and collaboration. Furthermore, we commend the forward-looking proposals put forth by D-8 TTEN, including the D-8 AI initiative and the D-8 Co-Fund Initiative (D-8 CoFI), which aim to strengthen technological advancement and investment, within the D-8 community and call on Member States, to actively engage in and support these initiatives, for the collective progress of our nations.

34. Welcome the Collaborative Education Initiative by the Arab Republic of Egypt, to strengthen the educational and scientific collaboration among D-8 Member States, through establishing a periodic online competition for university and vocational students in the fields of artificial intelligence, engineering, science and applied technology with the aim to enhance student engagement through the recognition of their skills, and to foster innovation by encouraging students to develop creative solutions to global and regional challenges.

35. Highlight the huge potential impacts of new and emerging technologies, including AI, on our peoples and economies, we instruct the ICT related Ministries in D-8 to seriously consider the optimal ways and means to utilize these technologies for enhanced resilience, nationally and collectively, against possible future shocks. In this regard, welcome the proposal by the Islamic Republic of Iran that the upcoming meeting of the D-8 ICT Standing Committee, to be hosted by the Islamic Republic of Iran, should start working on the above instruction.

36. Appreciate the Islamic Republic of Iran for its continued support to the D-8 International University (D-8IU) in Hamadan and commend the University for its efforts in expanding academic collaboration and fostering international research, through initiatives such as the ‘International Bridge Initiative’ and its diverse webinars and workshops, and encourage the Member States to support and contribute into its programs and activities.

37. Call on the D-8 Chambers of Commerce and Industry (D-8 CCI), to play a more significant role in strengthening economic cooperation, particularly trade and other business activities, through enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the private sector and facilitating and coordinating business activities, by supporting innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship, as well as promoting cross-border trade and economic cooperation among Member States, and for such an objective, encourage the D-8 CCI to increase business-to-business engagement, among all D-8 Member States, by conducting business forums, one-on-one business matchmakings, business missions, and exchange of information on business opportunities.

38. Welcome the hosting by the Arab Republic of Egypt of the Fourth General Assembly of the D-8 CCI on the 17th of December 2024, which witnessed the handover of the D-8 CCI Chairmanship from Bangladesh to Egypt.

39. Applaud the D-8 Health and Social Protection Program (D-8 HSP) for carrying out a study on the revitalization of the therapeutic goods health market and hosting the First D-8 Forum on SME and Health in Abuja on 26-27 October 2022, and encourage the Member States to promote trade in healthcare, particularly in pharmaceutical goods to ensure equitable access to health care and health products, and at the same time call on D-8 HSP, the D-8 TTEN, the D-8 NPRI, and the D-8 IU, to work together towards promotion of inter-state knowledge sharing, collaborative initiatives in health technology, and pharmaceutical innovation. In this regard Member States can work towards harmonizing their regulatory framework in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards and undertake knowledge sharing, as well as collaborative initiatives in health technology and pharmaceutical innovation through mutual recognition agreements (MRAs).

40. Welcome the proposal by the Arab Republic of Egypt to strengthen D-8 health cooperation, through regular convening of meetings of health ministers and the subsequent technical bodies of the D-8 Member States and welcome the announcement by the Arab Republic of Egypt to host the first D-8 Ministerial Meeting on Health, in 2025, to discuss measures to advance preventative, therapeutic and rehabilitative health care, and to accelerate universal health coverage in D-8 Member States, through the inclusion of women and youth, not only as recipients of health care, but also as partners, in health policy making and implementation, including through utilizing digital technology and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
41. Encourage the Secretariat to continue promoting private sector initiatives, including the D-8 Payment Card, the D-8 Creative Economy and Financial Center, and the D-8 New Generation Barter Trading. Urge all relevant ministries/agencies and institutions of Member States, to collaborate, closely, with the Secretariat to assess the feasibility of implementing these initiatives.

42.Renew our shared commitment to enhancing cooperation in disaster management, including strengthening joint efforts in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response, through collaborating on early warning systems, knowledge-sharing on best practices, and capacity-building initiatives to mitigate the impact of disasters.

43.Underscore our resolve to promote the economic empowerment of women, as a key driver of economic growth, and sustainable development, including enhancing opportunities for women in entrepreneurship, leadership, and the labor market, driven by the recognition of the vital role of women, in the economic and social progress of their nations, through eliminating barriers to women's economic participation, provide access to financial resources, and support initiatives that foster skills development and innovation, and task the D-8 Council, to work on this novel endeavour.

44. Reaffirm our opposition to any unilateral economic sanctions, imposed on D-8 Member States, that undermine global economic stability and violate international legal principles and demand the lifting of such sanctions.

45. Support the expansion of D-8 membership in accordance with Articles 3 and 4 of the D-8 Charter and appreciate the work concluded by the Council and the Commission to establish criteria and modalities for the new members and observers.

46. Welcome the Republic of Azerbaijan’s accession as a full member of the D-8 Organization, and task the Council of Ministers to oversee the procedures related to its accession.

47. Recognize the importance of having a stronger and more efficient D-8 Secretariat, to ensure that our collective goals are effectively implemented and, therefore, call upon the Council of Ministers to implement mechanisms to strengthen the Secretariat's capacity and resources.

48. Endorse the nomination of the upcoming Secretary-General of the D-8, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, who will assume office on 1 January 2026.

49. Welcome the Republic of Indonesia as the next Chair of D-8, and profoundly appreciate its gracious offer to host the 12th D-8 Summit, the date and venue of which will be communicated in due course.

50. Reaffirm our commitment to promoting peace, prosperity, and sustainable development. In this era of unprecedented global challenges, we must work together to create a more resilient and inclusive future for our people, guided by the values of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared prosperity, and our shared resolve to continue our cooperation, under Egypt's leadership and remain committed to the vision outlined, in the D-8 Decennial Roadmap for 2020-2030. (MENA)

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