D-8 Secretary-General, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood undertakes official visit to Ankara (PHOTO)

[ad_1] BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 28. The Secretary-Normal of the Creating-8 Group for Financial Cooperation (D-8), Η.Ε. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, undertook a high-level official go to to Ankara from 23 to 25 February 2026- his first since assuming workplace on 1 January 2026, Development stories.

The go to reaffirmed Türkiye's pivotal position as a founding member, host of the D-8 Secretariat, and a key contributor to the Group's evolution since its inception.

The Secretary-Normal was accompanied by a delegation comprising Ambassador Mustafa Özcan, Director-I of the D-8 Secretariat, and Muhammad Bilal Khan, Government Assistant.

The go to commenced with a working Iftar hosted by Ambassador Aylin Sekizkök, the D-8 Commissioner of Türkiye, for the D-8 delegation. The engagement supplied a possibility to overview institutional priorities -- together with ongoing reform initiatives, strengthening coordination between the Secretariat and the host nation, and preparations for the twelfth D-8 Summit in Jakarta. Discussions underscored the significance of Türkiye's pivotal position in supporting the Secretariat's transformation agenda and enhancing the D-8's general organizational capability.

On 24 February, the Secretary-Normal had conferences with senior management the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, together with Deputy Ministers Musa Kulaklıkaya and Berris Ekinci. The great exchanges with Ambassador Ekinci targeted on the D-8's current and future trajectory, strengthening the Secretariat's human and monetary useful resource base, streamlining institutional constructions and processes, increasing worldwide outreach, and dealing for concrete outcomes of the Jakarta Summit.

In his name on Hakan Fidan, Minister of Overseas Affairs, Secretary-Normal Sohail Mahmood conveyed profound appreciation for Türkiye's beneficiant assist as host nation because the institution of the D-8 Secretariat and as a significant pillar of the Group's strategic route. Noting Türkiye's main initiatives just like the Antalya Diplomacy Discussion board (ADF) and Presidency of COP31, the Secretary-Normal highlighted the worldwide salience of D-8 Member States in geo-strategic and geo-economic phrases and the Group's general potential to play a seminal position on the regional and international ranges. He additionally briefed the Overseas Minister on his priorities as Secretary Normal, the continuing efforts to advance institutional reform course of, strengthening D-8's international outreach, and making certain impactful outcomes of the Jakarta Summit. In the course of the assembly, Türkiye's robust and steadfast assist for the D-8 was reaffirmed by the Honourable Minister and steerage supplied on methods for the D-8 to reinforce its actions, visibility, and effectiveness.

In his assembly with Minister of Commerce Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, the Secretary-Normal emphasised the crucial of increasing intra-D-8 commerce and welcomed Türkiye's position in internet hosting the everlasting D-8 Chambers of Commerce and Business (CCI) Secretariat in Istanbul, a milestone for deeper private-sector engagement and integration. Each side underscored the significance of the D-8 Enterprise and Funding Discussion board and Halal Expo, being convened as facet occasions of the Jakarta Summit, as additional catalysts for commerce and funding connectivity.

The assembly with Murat Kurum, Minister of Surroundings, Urbanization and Local weather Change, targeted on local weather cooperation and Türkiye's COP31 Presidency, exploring joint initiatives in local weather resilience, inexperienced transformation, and sustainable urbanization throughout D-8 economies.

On the Presidential Complicated, Ambassador Mahmood was obtained by Cevdet Yılmaz, Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, the place he briefed the Vice President on preparations for the twelfth D-8 Summit and its expanded programme. The Secretary-Normal additionally attended an Iftar hosted by Н.Е. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

On 25 February, the Secretary-Normal continued outreach with key institutional stakeholders. On the TRT Headquarters, discussions with Director Normal Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zahid Sobacı explored media cooperation and strategic communication partnerships. The significance of the legacy and digital media in elevating international consciousness in regards to the D-8, amplifying the D-8 message and narrative, and fostering cultural and people-to-people connectivity was underscored with a view to creating collective endeavors to advance these shared goals.

In his assembly with Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Business and Expertise, the Secretary-Normal counseled Türkiye's rise as a international innovation hub and explored collaboration in superior manufacturing, Business 4.0, and AI-driven industrial transformation.

The Secretary-Normal additionally engaged with the management of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), specializing in operationalizing the D-8 CCI Secretariat and strengthening enterprise connectivity forward of the Jakarta Summit.

The Secretary Normal additionally attended the Iftar hosted by Overseas Minister Hakan Fidan for the Ambassadors/Head of Mission of the Member and Observer International locations of the Group of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Ankara.

Concluding the go to, Secretary Normal Sohail Mahmood expressed his honest appreciation for the gracious hospitality prolonged by the Authorities of Türkiye and the excellent programme charted for the go to. He acknowledged that the exchanges throughout the go to bolstered alignment on a spread of points pertaining to institutional capability and helped strengthen the momentum towards a extra dynamic, results-oriented, and globally engaged D-8.