"The (organization's) purpose is to help countries develop. D-8 was founded in 1997 and consists of countries with the largest Muslim population," Prabowo stated here on Thursday.
Members of the D-8 organization are Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, and Pakistan -- key countries in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The president highlighted that with its large population and resource reserve, D-8 countries possess the capital needed to develop economic self-sufficiency among each other, which, in turn, will strengthen solidarity among Muslim-majority countries.
Meanwhile, Prabowo highlighted potential bilateral economic cooperation with Egypt, including exporting Indonesia's palm oil to Egypt and importing phosphate from the country for fertilizer production.
"We are discussing the potential to reach a free-trade agreement with Egypt. We will need phosphate from them to produce fertilizers, while they need our palm oil," he stated.
He is also keen to tap cooperation potentials with other D-8 countries, such as Pakistan and Turkey, in strategic sectors where the countries are mutually active.
"Our focus should be to strengthen our economies for the prosperity of our people," Prabowo stressed.
President Prabowo arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday (December 17). Prabowo is expected to meet President Al-Sisi and attend the Developing-8 (D-8) Summit during his time in the country.
Apart from meeting President Al-Sisi, Prabowo also met the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, and Indonesian students at Al-Azhar University on Wednesday.
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Translator: Andi F/Mentari DG, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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