Pakistan hails UN for granting D-8 observer status

Pakistan Saturday welcomed the UN's decision to grant observer status to the Developing-Eight (D-8) Organisation for Economic Cooperation.

The D-8 Organisation was established in 1997 to promote development cooperation among Muslim nations grouping Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.

On the initiative of Pakistan, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution granting observer status to the D-8 October 23, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.

The resolution was tabled by Pakistan in its capacity as the current chair of the Istanbul-based organisation during the ongoing 69th Session of the UN General Assembly, Xinhua reported.

"The granting of observer status to the D-8 comes at a significant juncture as the D-8 Organisation is poised to enter the second phase of its existence with the 9th Summit to be held in Turkey in December 2014," a foreign ministry statement said.

The Turkey summit plans to adopt a Post-2014 Action Plan focused on implementation of projects and agreements.

"The status of an observer will provide opportunities to the D-8 for closely interacting with various UN agencies and affiliated institutions for cooperative arrangements in the priority areas," a foreign ministry statement said.

The decision will also help harmonise actions of the two organisations for more concerted efforts to establish peace and prosperity apart from helping the D-8 to streamline its priorities and resources in the global perspective.

The decision to seek observer status for the D-8 in the UN was taken during the meetings of D-8 Commission and Council of Ministers convened in Islamabad, during the past two years in line with the Global Vision adopted by the D-8 leaders during Islamabad Summit in November 2012.