Jonathan goes to Islamabad for D8 summit

President Goodluck Jonathan will leave Abuja on Tuesday night for a three-day visit to Islamabad, Pakistan to attend the summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Nations (D-8) which opens there on Wednesday, 21 November 2012.

President Jonathan will be accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Besides participating in the summit of the D-8 which was established in 1997 to foster developmental cooperation amongst member-countries, President Jonathan will also hold bilateral meetings in Islamabad with the Presidents of Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Egypt whose countries also belong to the D-8.

Other D-8 nations are Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

The objectives of the organisation include promoting trade and economic cooperation amongst its members, improving member states’ position in the global economy, diversifying and creating new opportunities for them in international trade relations, enhancing their participation in decision-making at the global level, and improving the standards of living of people in the eight member-countries.

The President will also meet with Nigerians living in Pakistan before returning to Abuja on Friday.