The 7th D-8 Summit concluded at Abuja, Nigeria on July 8, 2010 with the adoption of 24-point Abuja Declaration 2010 calling for exploring investment opportunities among the member states and expediting ratification of D-8 preferential agreements. It also urged the private sectors of the member countries to take advantage of the liberal investment regimes, skilled manpower and low cost of doing business in D-8 member states. It affirmed the importance of intense private sector involvement in all activities of the group and emphasised exploring ways of prompting private sector-led cooperation and growth among the D-8 member countries. The secretariat should develop a business forum webpage on its website to facilitate and engage private sector involvement in D-8 activities and programs. All the points seem to be very positive and optimistic. Actually, the group has seen less success since its inception. Many declarations are made but less practical work is done. The first obstacle to boost up business among the members is visa complications. Since 1997 the members have miserably failed to make the procedure simple. This year also it was discussed in detail. But we wait to see its fruits.
The idea of cooperation among major Muslim developing countries was mooted by Dr. Necmettin Erbakan, the then Prime Minister of Turkey, during a seminar on "Cooperation in Development' which was held in Istanbul in October 1996. The group envisioned cooperation among countries stretching from South East Asia to Africa. Representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan attended the seminar. This conference was the first step towards the establishment of D-8 and it was only after a series of preparatory meetings that it was set up officially and began its activities with the Istanbul Declaration issued at the end of the summit of the Heads of State and Government held in Istanbul on June 15, 1997.The objectives are to improve developing countries' positions in the world economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at the international level, and provide better standard of living.
The just-concluded D-8 Summit was a success with all delegation heads adopting the Abuja Declaration. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddi Yassin of Malaysia said several proposals put forward by Malaysia were also adopted, including having D-8 programs and activities which were more focused on the five priority areas of cooperation, the D-8 Road March and the 10-year Plan of Action for co-operation ( 2008-2018). Others included enhancing co-operation in the field of agriculture and food security, in addition to the setting up of a D-8 business forum web page to encourage the private sector and SMEs to be engaged. We hope to see significant changes and D-8 moving forward under the chairmanship of Nigeria so that the objectives of the formation of the grouping to enhance economic-cooperation through increased trade relations and investments will be achieved.
The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh in the Presidential Villa, Abuja and expressed the hope that the summit would provide D-8 Heads of State or Government with a welcome opportunity to share ideas and evolve fresh options for addressing common challenges such as poverty and unemployment. Dr. Jonathan promised that the Federal Government would give due consideration to her request for the reopening of Nigeria's High Commission in Bangladesh, adding that Nigeria would like to have a diplomatic presence in the capitals of all D-8 nations. He said that the pooling of resources for common good by the Developing Eight countries, offers a unique approach to development which is consistent with the imperatives of a globalised world.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina used this forum and opportunity to invite foreign investors to invest in Bangladesh as she claimed that Bangladesh offers excellent opportunities for investment including tax-holiday approach. Now, we urge the government to deal with the power sector seriously otherwise investment will not enter the country. Hasina called for removing tariff and para-tariff barriers for active trade and economic cooperation among the D-8 countries. She said Bangladesh is currently examining the Multilateral Agreement among D-8 Member countries on Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters to reduce obstacles to grade and to increase capacity.
She continued: "Last year, we had ratified the protocol on the preferential Tariff Scheme for TPS OIC which is in force. This year, we would sign the Protocol on the Rules of Origin of Trade Preferential System of the OIC," she said, expressing the hope that these measures would help boost economic activity within the D-8 and the OIC. Three agreements have been made in the summit with much importance. These are - the implications of visa procedures for businesspersons of D-8 member states, the preferential trade agreement and the multilateral agreement on administrative assistance in customs matters. The preferential trade agreement which was supposed to be the blue-chip of the economic cooperation accord was ratified by two countries, Malaysia and Iran. The D-8 should be looking at real economic collaboration and supporting investments and economic cooperation objective.
Through this summit Bangladesh has actively taken into consideration the expansion of its diplomatic ties. She is contemplating opening a number of full-fledged missions or consulates in Latin America and Africa to expand economic and trade activities as well as providing services to Bangladeshi nationals living in those parts of the world. Bangladesh embassy or consulates will be opened in Brazil, Nigeria, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Portugal. Presently Bangladesh has 47 missions abroad, it is necessary to expand Bangladesh missions abroad considering the interests of Bangladeshi citizens living there and enhancing economic cooperation. Bangladesh PM apprised the international community through this forum that Bangladesh's success in overriding the world financial crisis was largely due to its investments in food security and agriculture. Ensuring availability of quality seeds, fertilisers and uninterrupted power for irrigation bolstered our agricultural growth, making food available at an affordable price. This was possible despite increasing frequency of natural disasters resulting from climate change, which led us to adopt 134 action plans. Surely for real development with D-8, it is now imperative that we cooperate and assist each other also on climate change issues within the group and in all international forums.
[Md. Masum Billah, Senior Manager: Brac Education Program, PACE. Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com] |