RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Government of Indonesia has set five main priorities for its chairmanship of the Developing Eight (D-8) in 2026, which will be discussed at the D-8 Summit in Jakarta this April. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Nabyl Mulachela, said that four of the five priorities are directly related to boosting economic cooperation among D-8 member countries.

“The first priority is to increase intra-D-8 trade to optimize the demographic potential of member countries, including their large populations and the dominance of the younger generation,” Nabyl Mulachela told the media in Jakarta on Tuesday, 10 February 2026.

According to him, the demographic potential is expected to be leveraged through stronger economic cooperation within the D-8 framework. “This is about how intra-D-8 trade can continue to be increased. The potential is very significant when viewed from the demographic perspective, including the younger generation and other factors. This is the potential we want to promote through D-8 cooperation,” Nabyl conveyed.

Moreover, he further explained that the second priority covers the development of the halal economy and halal industry. Meanwhile, the third priority focuses on boosting cooperation in the blue economy and green economy sectors, particularly in transportation and food.

The fourth priority is directed at strengthening connectivity and the digital economy, including the development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as well as people-to-people cooperation. To ensure the effective implementation of the four areas of cooperation, Nabyl underscored the importance of the fifth priority, namely reforming the D-8 organization.

“The most important fifth priority is the reform or restructuring of the D-8 to ensure it remains relevant to current conditions. The situation is certainly different from that in 2017, so various internal aspects need to be adjusted, including decision-making mechanisms, budget management, and institutional readiness,” Nabyl said.

Indonesia is scheduled to host the D-8 Summit on 15 April 2026 in Jakarta. The D-8 is a development cooperation organization established in 1997 by eight developing countries, most of which are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The 12th D-8 Summit will be preceded by a senior officials’ meeting on 12–13 April 2026 and a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 14 April 2026. The summit is expected to produce the “Jakarta Declaration.”