At every meeting of the D-8 member states, heads of state typically attend to discuss various matters. They are figures who represent their respective countries, while simultaneously carrying the aspirations and hopes of their people.
The heads of state who attend important D-8 agendas on behalf of their nations hold different titles. Some hold the position of president, such as Indonesian head of state Prabowo Subianto, while others hold the position of prime minister. D-8 member countries indeed have systems of government that are not necessarily the same as one another. The D-8 members, consisting of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye, include both presidential and parliamentary systems.
The following are the profiles of the heads of state of the D-8 member countries:
President Prabowo Subianto (Indonesia)
Prabowo Subianto is the 8th President of the Republic of Indonesia, taking office in October 2024. Under the direction of the former Defense Minister, Indonesia leads the D-8 for the 2026-2027 period with a focus on the theme "increasing solidarity and South-South economic cooperation."
President Mohammed Shahabuddin (Bangladesh)
Mohammed Shahabuddin took office as the 22nd President of Bangladesh in April 2023. He is a former judge and a senior figure in the Awami League. He is the ceremonial head of state of Bangladesh, while government power is exercised by the Chief Advisor (Interim Prime Minister) Muhammad Yunus following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina in August 2025.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (Egypt)
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is the President of Egypt, who has been in power since 2014. The former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces led Egypt when his country hosted the D-8 Summit before handing over the chairmanship to Indonesia.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei (Iran)
Mojtaba Khamenei is known as the new leader of Iran after the death of Ali Khamenei. He leads Iran as the third supreme leader in the country's history.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia)
Anwar Ibrahim took office as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia in November 2022. He is a senior politician who has confirmed that he will attend the D-8 Summit in Jakarta directly this coming April. "He has confirmed his personal attendance at the D-8 Summit in Jakarta this April," stated the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia, Dato' Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin, some time ago.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Nigeria)
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the President of Nigeria, who took office in May 2023 and previously served as Governor of Lagos. Under his leadership, Nigeria, as one of Africa's largest economic powers, seeks to leverage its D-8 membership to promote economic diversification and industrial collaboration.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (Pakistan)
Shehbaz Sharif returned to office as the Prime Minister of Pakistan after the 2024 elections. In the D-8, he actively encourages Pakistan to increase economic cooperation, transport connectivity, and trade between members. He also pays attention to the humanitarian crisis in several regions.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Türkiye)
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the President of Türkiye, having served since 2014 after previously serving as Prime Minister. He is known as a strong leader focused on strengthening Türkiye's geopolitical role, economy, and defense industry. Türkiye was the primary initiator of the D-8, with its permanent secretariat located in Istanbul.
President Ilham Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Ilham Aliyev has been the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He has led Azerbaijan's economic transformation through the energy sector and infrastructure development. Azerbaijan officially joined the D-8 as its ninth member to strengthen the group's role in economic cooperation in the Eurasian region and increase connectivity among member countries.
