REPORT OF THE IV. SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
(New York, 20 September 2000)

1. The IV. Session of the Council of Ministers was held in New York on 20 September 2000. The Meeting was followed with a working luncheon.

2. The Chairman of the Council, the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, made an opening statement, summarizing the progress made in D-8 cooperation in various fields. Referring to the momentous decisions of the Millenium Summit, he stated that we should make joint efforts to meet the challenges of this new era. He also added that we should take advantages of globalization while trying to guard against its harmful consequences. Thereafter, the agenda of the meeting was adopted.

3. The Ministers stated that in view of the new challenges faced by the world due to the far-reaching political, economic and technological transformations, we as D-8 have to make joint efforts to promote the welfare, well being and the quality of life of our peoples. They expressed the view that the member countries should therefore reinforce their commitments to D-8 cooperation.

4. Reviewing the progress achieved in various fields, the Ministers stated that the pace of the progress in D-8 cooperation has not however reached the desired level. For this reason, they underlined the need to review the past performance of the Grouping and to draw lessons from it. In this vein, they also said that the member countries should better respond to the invitations for participation in various meetings. They added that this review should lead to the maximum use of the potentials of the member countries.

5. The Commissioner of Bangladesh, the Chairman of the Commission, presented his Report on the VIII. Session of the Commission. (The text is attached herewith).

6. The Executive Director responding to the valuable and inspiring comments made by the Ministers, said that though there is a progress in the implementation of several projects, there is still a lot of work to be completed especially in relation to major projects such as the IMTC, ITDB network and agricultural aircraft. He underlined that if the decisions are swiftly implemented and closely followed up, greater and quicker benefits would accrue to the members. Sharing the views of the Distinguished Ministers on the review of the past performance of D-8, he added that he would submit to the Cairo Summit a report of “the State of D-8″ so that the Heads of State and Government would take necessary conclusions and give appropriate instructions.

7. In the light of the Report of the Chairman of the Commission and the discussions in the Council, the Ministers endorsed the decisions of the Commission.

8. The Ministers pronounced their sincere wish to see Nigeria attending the D-8 commission, council and summit meetings, including the forthcoming Cairo Summit.

9. The Ministers expressed their appreciation to the Chairman of the Commission and the Executive Director for their efficient work.

10. The Ministers expressed their thanks to the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh for his hospitality and for his able Chairmanship as well as their appreciation for the hospitality of his Government.