The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, is set to hold a special gathering of its foreign ministers in Istanbul on Saturday, June 8th, to address the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza.
Ali Bagheri, Iran's Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, will participate in this meeting at the head of a delegation.
The session, scheduled to take place at the historic Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul on June 8, 2024, comes following an invitation from Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakkan Fidan, aiming to garner greater support and solidarity within the D-8 coalition for the people of Palestine, especially those in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The organization, founded in 1997 under the leadership of the late Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, aims to “enhance the prosperity and well-being of member nations.”
With a population exceeding 1.2 billion, an economy worth $4.8 trillion, and over 7.5 million square kilometers, the foreign ministers of the member countries will convene in Istanbul on June 15, Saturday.
The significance of the D-8 nations coming together to address the situation in Gaza lies in their collective stance against the ongoing Israeli atrocities that have continued for eight months, showing that they will not remain silent in the face of Israeli oppression.
Erdogan calls on UN for concrete action in Gaza
According to sources, the D-8 member countries will issue a declaration at the end of the meeting on the developments in Gaza and establish a permanent cease-fire.
The event is aimed at mobilizing every possible means, both economically, politically and legally, to declare a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.
In this context, the D-8 has the potential to enhance the diplomatic efforts carried out by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC) and the Arab League regarding Gaza and increase their effectiveness.
The organization is based on principles prioritizing peace over conflict, dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over-exploitation, justice over double standards, equality over discrimination, and democracy over oppression.
"Pakistan's Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Indonesia's Retno Marsudi, Malaysia's Mohammad Hassan, Iran's Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri, and Bangladesh's Minister of Welfare Dipo Moni, along with senior officials from Egypt and Nigeria, are anticipated to attend," stated sources from the Eight Developing Islamic Countries group.
