"The eight countries are highly motivated to boost their trade volume."
Islamabad (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, together with seven heads of state from countries with large Muslim population, have agreed to boost trade and investment by as much as US$507 billion, by 2018.

A total of eight leaders attended the Developing 8 (D8) Summit. The attendees included President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Egyptian President, Mohamed Nursi, the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Also the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyidin Yassin, and the Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari, who was also the host. Bangladesh`s Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena Wajid is represented by Adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister for International Affairs Professor Gowher Rizvi.

The leaders expressed their desire to increase cooperation in several sectors, such as industry, agriculture, trade, health, banking, energy, human resources, science and technology as well as communications and information.

Indonesia`s Economic Coordinating Minister, Hatta Rajasa, stated that Indonesia and other D8 countries are targeting to get their trade volume within 15 to 20 percent of the total world trade, US$ 14 trillion, which could be doubled to US$28 trillion, in the next 10 years.

"The eight countries are highly motivated to boost their trade volume in the next 10 years," he said.

Other Indonesian ministers who attended the Summit include the Trade Minister, Gita Wirjawan, the Industry Minister, MS Hidayat, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Marty Natalegawa and the Cabinet Secretary, Dipo Alam.
(U.J010/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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