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D8 summit to be held in Malaysia

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-25 00:11

KUALA LUMPUR  -- Malaysia will host the 6th Developing 8 Countries (D8) Summit, an economic grouping of eight Muslim countries on July 8.

It is the first time that the biennial event, which started in 1997, will take place in Malaysia, according to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Some meetings involving senior officials and ministers, since July 4, will precede the summit themed "Meeting Challenges Through Innovative Cooperation". A D8 Business Forum will also be held as a side event.

The D8 comprises eight developing Muslim nations -- Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey, with an objective to improve the position of Muslim developing countries in the global world economy through the diversification of their economies by creating new opportunities via increased trade relations.

The D8 Secretariat is based in Istanbul, Turkey. The last D8 Summit was hosted by Indonesia in Bali on May 13, 2006.