The Developing Eight (D-8) organization presents a unique fact: despite its name, the membership now totals nine nations. The member states of the D-8 currently consist of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye.
The D-8 was established as a forum for developing countries to strengthen economic cooperation. Through various forms of partnership, the member nations continue to maximize their trade potential while adhering to a shared vision.
The organization originated on June 15, 1997, when eight developing nations from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) agreed to form the D-8. The founding members included Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye.
To date, these eight original countries remain active members, with no nation having resigned or been removed from the organization. Instead, the D-8 has expanded its membership, bringing the total number of participating countries to nine.
Azerbaijan became the ninth member of the D-8. The Central Asian country officially announced its membership on Thursday, December 19, 2024. In an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan noted that the country was elected by acclamation during the 11th D-8 Summit held in Cairo, Egypt.
On March 19, 2025, the Government of Azerbaijan officially submitted the ratification document of the D-8 Charter, signed by President Ilham Aliyev, to the Secretariat of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation in Istanbul, Türkiye. This submission marked the completion of Azerbaijan's process to become a full member.
The decision to join Indonesia and other member states in the D-8 was driven by strategic interests. Azerbaijan views the D-8 as a platform to advance relations in the fields of economy, trade, transportation, communication, and other vital sectors to foster security, stability, prosperity, and mutually beneficial cooperation within the region.
The admission of Azerbaijan as a member indicates that the D-8 remains an open organization that continues to establish new opportunities to achieve its primary objectives.
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