The Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation can support regional peace efforts through its members, Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said, as the nine-member bloc pursues a separate $500 billion trade target for 2030.
Anadolu Agency reported in an interview published Oct. 24 that Mahmood sees members’ regional influence as an asset for mediation. He connected closer economic coordination with rising protectionism and unilateralism, and said D-8 work also covers resilient supply and value chains, alongside green and digital transitions.
Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Oct. 22 that the ninth İstanbul Mediation Conference was scheduled for Oct. 23-24 under the theme Partnerships and New Perspectives for Peace: Mediation in a Changing World. Anadolu said the interview was conducted on the conference’s sidelines.
The group was founded in 1997 and includes Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Türkiye. Azerbaijan became a full member in March 2025. The bloc’s 2020-2030 roadmap sets a goal for trade among members to account for at least 10% of their total trade by the end of 2030.
A separate D-8 release from a trade-ministers’ meeting cited a collective $500 billion target for intra-bloc trade by 2030. That dollar target differs from the roadmap’s percentage goal. Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry says the group’s aims include economic and trade cooperation and strengthening developing countries’ position in the world economy. The İstanbul Mediation Conference series began in 2012, according to the ministry.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the 12th D-8 summit, originally scheduled for April 15, 2026, was postponed and would be rescheduled after consultations with member states. ANTARA reported Oct. 23 that ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela expected the summit in 2027. The ministry has not announced a replacement date.
