TURKISH PRESIDENT ATTENDS D-8 SUMMIT IN NIGERIA

ABUJA (A.A) - 08.07.2010 - The 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of Developing 8 (D-8) has begun in Nigerian capital Abuja.  
President Abdullah Gul is attending the summit. 
During the summit, Nigeria handed over rotating presidency of the D-8 to Malaysia. 
Making opening remarks of the summit, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria said that the theme of the summit was set as "Enhancing Investment Cooperation among D-8 Members" in an effort to further improve cooperation ties among the D-8 member states.  
"Our target is to increase D-8's trade volume up to 1.7 trillion USD in 2012," he said and highlighted importance of development of sea transportation to reach their target.  
President Jonathan proposed the member states to organize business forums on sea transportation.

-D-8- 
This year's summit of D-8 will reinforce and sharpen the economic cooperation among member countries through sharing of expertise in the fields of energy, transport, tourism, banking, financial institution, infrastructural development, human resources development, science and technology, migrant workers and remittances, small and medium scale enterprises as well as information and communication technology. All these corporations are with the view to improving the well being of its peoples in a global economy. Also, it is aimed at boosting the participation of member States in the process of decision making at the international level.
At the end of the Summit, Abuja Declaration will be released. This declaration will address issues that could help cushion the effects and challenges facing D-8 member States on: global economic recession, world energy question, climate change and global warming as they affect agriculture and food security, transportation, and matters on world trade.
Established in 1997 to promote economic cooperation and solidarity within the member states, D-8 is an arrangement for development cooperation among the following countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. Its headquarters is in Istanbul.