D-8 Group appreciates Malaysia's commitment...

Foto BERNAMA

Malaysia's active role and full commitment in strengthening relations and trade among the Group of Eight Developing Countries (D-8) were highly appreciated, said its secretary-general Dr Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi

He said Malaysia had played an active role since the group's inception in June, 1997 and its support and consistency in the implementation of the group's vision was aligned with the Kuala Lumpur's D-8 Roadmap for Economic Cooperation adopted in 2008.

Under the 10-year roadmap adopted during the 2008 D-8 summit in Kuala Lumpur, member countries agreed to substantially expand trade and economic cooperation with the aim of improving the position of Muslim developing countries in the global world economy.   

"Although the rest of the member countries like Turkey, Indonesia and Iran are active too, Malaysia is considered as the 'best' in terms of implementing the group’s obligations in accordance with its charter and agreements," he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

He said this after a meeting with Bernama General Manager Datuk Yong Soo Heong at Wisma Bernama. Also present were Bernama Editor-in-Chief Datuk Zulkefli Salleh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Domestic News Service Datuk Zakaria Wahab, Acting Deputy Editor-in-Chief Economic Service Mikhail Raj Abdullah and Bernama Radio 24 Chief Operating Officer Azlan Idris.

Mousavi, who is on his first visit to Malaysia since assuming the post in January last year, was accompanied by D-8 Director (Economy, Finance and Legal) Mohammed Zakkariya Mulkiaman.

Asked about member countries subsequently attaining developed countries status, Mousavi said that member states were on track in achieving this.

"We are meeting our target accordingly. Some of our member states like Malaysia, Turkey and Indonesia are doing well but some are still struggling.

"However, we are not in that position (a developed group) yet because some of our member states are still trying their best to eradicate poverty and many other challenges, but we are moving towards the dream accordingly," he said.

Asked about the group's lack of visibility among member countries,  Mousavi explained the D-8 secretariat was fully aware about the issue and that strategic plans were already in the pipeline for implementation to overcome this issue.

"We noticed this situation and that is why we have started visiting the news agencies and televisions of our member states including a meeting with Turkey’s news agencies such as Anadolu on the sidelines of the upcoming D-8 meeting that will be held in Turkey in December," he said.

He hoped that with the cooperation of the D-8 countries' news agencies and television stations, the group would be more visible among member states as well as worldwide,

Mousavi said his visit to Malaysia had enabled him to hold fruitful discussions with senior government officials in areas such as cooperation in trade, agriculture, industry, energy, transportation and tourism.

On Wednesday, Mousavi paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin .

Since its inception, the organisation for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey, strives to promote and enhance joint efforts towards achieving sustainable socio-economic development through effective utilisation of economic and social potentials of the D-8 countries.

D-8 also works towards playing an effective role in the global economy commensurate with its collective potential and capacity.

By Nabilah Saleh and Rosmalis Anuar

-- BERNAMA