Summary The meeting was held in the backdrop of the organization’s bid to obtain Observer Status at the UN.
NEW YORK (Dunya News) - Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sartaj Aziz Chaired a Special Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers today on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. This is for the first time in the history of the D-8 that such a session was convened in New York.
The Special Session was held in the backdrop of the organization’s bid to obtain Observer Status at the UN and was attended by the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Turkey, Nigeria and Bangladesh as well as senior officials from the other D-8 members.
In his remarks, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs said that D-8 as an organization had matured very fast and was expanding outreach and visibility in line with the Global Vision for the future that was adopted in Islamabad in November 2012 on the occasion of the D-8 Summit.
He mentioned that Pakistan’s efforts as the Chair had been fruitful in including the matter of Observer Status of D-8 as an agenda item to be considered by the UN General Assembly. He expressed hope that this achievement of the Observer Status would provide opportunities to engage with UN’s specialized and affiliated agencies with a view to tackling economic issues which are not specific to the D-8 member countries only but have global implications.
The D-8 Ministers welcomed the holding of the meeting on the side-lines of the UN GA session and supported the efforts for achieving Observer Status at the UN. They expressed satisfaction at the progress being made by the Organization and urged the need for further strengthening the existing trade cooperation amongst D8 countries as well as to reach agreements on customs and trade related issues.
