Leaders from Egypt, Türkiye, Iran address Mideast issues at D-8 summit

The leaders of Egypt, Türkiye and Iran gathered in a summit in Cairo on Thursday where they addressed regional issues, including the turmoil in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

Opening the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi spoke of major regional challenges, including "the persistent Israeli war against the Palestinian people," and the vulnerable conditions in Lebanon and Syria.

"The global landscape is dominated by conflicts and wars, exacerbated by the rise of economic and trade protectionism and the prevalence of double standards," he added.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in his speech stressed that the D-8 countries should take concrete and practical steps to put an end to the Israeli "aggressions" against Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

"We should stand together in light of the developments that the world is witnessing," he added, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war and committing genocide against the Palestinians.

Pezeshkian's visit to Cairo is the first by an Iranian president in 11 years.

In his remarks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara is closely following the developments in Syria, stressing the importance of developing rapid plans to rebuild the country.

"The world today is witnessing conflicts and tensions that affect international stability, which imposes on international organizations, including the D-8, the need to adapt to global developments and work to formulate comprehensive strategies for recovery from crises," Erdogan told the attendees.

The Turkish leader also called for expanding the D-8 membership to enhance the organization's global influence, and welcomed Azerbaijan's accession as a new D-8 member.

D-8 originally refers to the eight Muslim-majority developing countries of Egypt, Türkiye, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Azerbaijan joined the organization as a new member at the 11th summit.

Meanwhile, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto urged solidarity and joint action under the framework of international law to enhance cooperation and achieve common sustainable development.

"We must put aside our differences and work as one force to achieve prosperity for our peoples, because cooperation is the secret of our strength," he said at the summit.

The 11th summit was also attended by renowned non-D-8 guests, including Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

During the summit, Mikati urged Arab countries to support Lebanon in the process of reconstruction and stimulating the path of sustainable development, starting with addressing the repercussions of the recent Israeli "aggression."

"Is it right to talk about economic cooperation while the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, Syria and Gaza continues?" he asked.

The participants also focused on empowering the youth through boosting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the summit, under the theme of "Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy."