PM to attend D-8 summit in Egypt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to Egypt from December 18 to 20 to participate in the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) countries being held in Cairo.

Preceding the summit, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will attend the 21st Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers on December 18.

The theme of the 11th D-8 Summit is "Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy".

"At the summit, the prime minister will underline the importance of investing in youth and SMEs for building a strong and inclusive economy; creating jobs; advancing innovation; and promoting local entrepreneurship.

"He will express Pakistan's strong commitment to the ideals of D-8; underscore the importance of fostering partnerships for mutual benefit and prosperity; and promoting cooperation in agriculture, food security and tourism. He will also underline Pakistan's incentives for youth empowerment and financial development," it was further added.

The prime minister will also attend the Special Session of D-8 on the humanitarian crisis and reconstruction challenges in Gaza and Lebanon to deliberate on the situation resulting from Israeli aggression in the Middle East.