Turkish President Erdogan heads to Cairo to attend D-8 summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has set off to attend a D-8 summit in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun and Presidential Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Cagatay Kilic will also attend the summit on Thursday.

The summit, expected to discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation among member states, among other issues, will also feature a special session on Palestine and Lebanon.

The Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) was founded in 1997 in Türkiye to strengthen economic and social ties.

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry highlighted the significance of the D-8 summit, which includes Türkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

Regional challenges

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty participated in the 21st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, which is part of preparations for the 11th summit of the organisation. The meeting focused on global and regional issues, with Egypt taking over the group's presidency from Bangladesh.

“The timing of the summit is crucial, coinciding with regional and international pressures and unprecedented economic challenges,” Abdelatty said.

He also underscored the direct impact of these events on developing countries, particularly the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and its devastating consequences, including infrastructure destruction and a humanitarian catastrophe.

He pointed to Israel’s actions in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, stressing that these violations of international law prompted Egypt to propose a dedicated session on Palestine and Lebanon during the summit.

The Egyptian minister also emphasised the importance of enhancing cooperation within the group’s sectors, exploring new opportunities for economic and trade collaboration, boosting private sector participation, attracting investment and fostering youth engagement.

Meeting of Foreign Ministers

Earlier Wednesday, the 21st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting was held in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, with Abdelatty presiding over the discussions. The meeting included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

It was preceded by discussions among D-8 commissioners in Cairo earlier this week in preparation for the summit.

The summit, scheduled for Thursday, will be held under the theme "Investing in Youth and Supporting Small Medium Enterprises, Shaping Tomorrow's Economy.”