Member states of the Developing-8 (D-8) group adopted the Cairo Trade Declaration at the close of a ministerial meeting on Tuesday, moving forward with plans to deepen economic cooperation and expand preferential trade, Egypt's Investment Minister Hassan El-Khatib said. El-Khatib said the ministers approved reports from the group's supervisory and expert committees and endorsed terms of reference for negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). He said the outcomes build on commitments made at the D-8 Cairo Summit in December 2024, particularly the shift from political coordination to "tangible economic initiatives" such as trade facilitation, support for small and medium enterprises, and cooperation in technology and artificial intelligence. The ministers also agreed to accelerate implementation of the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and strengthen customs tools tied to it, describing the agreement as central to boosting intra-group trade. El-Khatib highlighted progress on a new D-8 Business Forum aimed at attracting joint investment and bringing together business leaders from member states to identify projects in priority sectors. He said Egypt aims to use its geographic position, logistics network and special economic zones to support greater regional integration between Africa and Asia. El-Khatib thanked the D-8 Secretariat, led by Secretary-General Ambassador Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam, for its role in preparing the meeting, and praised member states for what he described as "constructive engagement" and confidence in Egypt's chairmanship. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
