IN THE TOP NINE

On December 19, the 11th summit of the Organization for Economic Cooperation was held in Egypt's capital. Previously known as the Islamic Eight, due to the number of participants, a notable event of this summit was Azerbaijan's acceptance as a full member, transforming the Islamic Eight into the Islamic Nine.

The Islamic Eight as a response to contemporary challenges

The Islamic Eight was established as a collective response to contemporary challenges. Prior to Azerbaijan's inclusion, the Organization for Economic Cooperation comprised Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye. The organization was officially established in Istanbul with the adoption of the declaration at the inaugural summit of heads of state and government on June 15, 1997. The driving force behind the Islamic Eight was Türkiye, specifically its then-Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, who was the first pro-Islamic prime minister of Türkiye and is often regarded as the founder of political Islam in the country. Erbakan was a staunch advocate for Islamic solidarity, believing that Islamic nations should present a unified front on the international stage. He also asserted that Islamic countries needed to collaborate more actively to address their socio-economic challenges.

The objectives of the D-8 initiative, which include enhancing the competitiveness of member states in the global economy, diversifying and creating new opportunities in mutual trade, expanding participation in international decision-making, and enhancing living standards, align with these goals. Despite the absence of substantial progress in subsequent years, the meetings among its leaders remained relatively frequent. Moreover, if one examines the composition of participants, nearly all of them are economic leaders in their regions and can be classified as regional powers.

As of today, the total population of the member countries stands at 1.2 billion people, covering an area of over 7.5 million square kilometres, with a combined GDP reaching $4 trillion. Furthermore, the Organization for Economic Cooperation—now D-9—is more global than regional, as evidenced by its membership composition. Additionally, D-9 serves as a forum that does not negatively impact bilateral and multilateral commitments arising from its membership in other international or regional organizations.

The organization's secretariat is strategically located in Istanbul, and Nigeria's representative, Ishaq Abdulkadir Imam, serves as its Secretary-General.

The Cairo Declaration—a new chapter in D-9 history

Given the loss of effectiveness of many former global cooperation formats under new conditions, and the lack of long-term success of new ones, organizations like D-9, with their operational experience, may provide a solid foundation for the future. Moreover, earlier, the Turkish side expressed intentions to transform D-8 into an Islamic Twenty. Following the resolution of the long-standing Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and establishing itself as a fully-fledged regional power—considering its long-term interests—Azerbaijan submitted an application for membership in D-8 in April 2023.

It is noteworthy that two countries within the Islamic Nine are neighbours to Azerbaijan: Türkiye and Iran. Additionally, Pakistan has maintained close ties with Baku across various sectors. This further strengthens Baku's connections with these states within this framework.

Azerbaijan has also been engaged in significant dialogue with other D-9 countries, particularly in recent years. For instance, consider the host country of the summit—Egypt. The two sides have already exchanged high-level visits and outlined a cooperation strategy for the coming years.

In terms of the organization's current agenda, it is crucial to note that the most pressing issues today include ensuring sustainable development, addressing the impacts of global crises, and the desire among member states to create a fairer and more prosperous future for their peoples. These objectives are articulated in the Cairo Declaration, which was adopted at the summit's conclusion.

The declaration emphasizes the necessity of deepening partnerships in critical sectors such as agriculture, food security, energy, science and technology, and industry. It underscores the importance of fostering small and medium-sized enterprises. These sectors are identified as pivotal for catalysing economic growth and fortifying resilience among member states.

A key element of the Cairo Declaration is the reaffirmation of efforts to implement the Ten-Year Roadmap for 2020-2030. This strategic plan aims to deepen economic cooperation among members.

The declaration also emphasizes the importance of enhancing collaboration in disaster management. To this end, leaders have agreed to prioritize the enhancement of early warning systems and the promotion of knowledge sharing to enhance preparedness and response to disasters. This underscores a growing imperative for collective action in addressing global challenges.

Another key priority highlighted in the declaration is cooperation in healthcare. Egypt's proposal for regular meetings among health ministers and technical bodies received unanimous support from all participants. This initiative aims to strengthen resilience against healthcare crises while facilitating joint learning and experience exchange.

The declaration also identified expanding economic rights and opportunities for women as a vital factor for economic growth and sustainable development. The declaration reaffirmed the importance of creating opportunities for women to engage fully in economic activities.

Azerbaijan and others: rebuilding Syria

A lively discussion was held regarding post-conflict reconstruction in Syria, a key political topic. All parties expressed their willingness to participate in this process. Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov, who led his delegation, stated that Baku hopes all issues will be resolved according to the will of the Syrian people and through internal political dialogue.

He further emphasized Azerbaijan's commitment to addressing the humanitarian challenges faced by the Syrian people. We continue to maintain close contacts with our brotherly Türkiye to take practical steps in this direction," said Asadov.

Observers noted that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who became the first Iranian leader to visit Cairo in 11 years, appeared more concerned than his colleagues. Following the shift in Syrian leadership, Iran lost contact with its primary regional ally, Hezbollah, and significantly weakened its influence over the Eastern Mediterranean. Hezbollah, having been weakened by its conflict with Israel, no longer appears to be a formidable force capable of significantly influencing political processes in the region.

Conversely, Türkiye has emerged as a key player, solidifying its position both in Syria and throughout the region. During his address at the summit, President Erdogan emphasized that the fall of Assad's regime "opens a new chapter of hope." Meanwhile, Egyptian leader el-Sisi called for a conclusive political process in Syria that includes all stakeholders and lays foundations for national reconciliation.

While Türkiye prevailed in the Syrian civil war, Egypt is concerned about the dissolution of the Syrian army and Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights. In this context, the meeting between leaders from Egypt, Türkiye, and Iran at the summit provided an opportunity for them to reach an agreement on recent events. Egypt's established reputation for reliability among other participants in this process suggests that it can contribute constructively to any agreements reached regarding Syria in the near future.

Final remarks on a just world

In addition to other matters, parties discussed assistance to Lebanon. According to experts, Lebanon requires between $20 and $30 billion to fully recover from the territories devastated by Israel during its two-month invasion. In comparison, neighbouring Syria is expected to require $250 billion for its recovery, while the reconstruction of Gaza is estimated to necessitate $80 billion following the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces. These discussions involved Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

However, it is unlikely that the D-9 countries will assume the financial burden. Furthermore, some of these countries have been grappling with complex socio-economic challenges for an extended period due to ongoing political crises and natural disasters. However, they could initiate specialized organizations or funds to address these challenges.

The next summit of the Islamic Nine is set to take place in Indonesia. President Subianto underscored the aspirations of the "Global South" for equality and called on the bloc to prioritize not only economic development but also other areas of advancement.

"We must continue advocating for a more just world order based on international law, inclusivity, justice, and shared prosperity," emphasized Indonesia's leader. It is likely that the audience concurred with this viewpoint.