RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir has emphasized that the country’s chairmanship of the Developing Eight (D-8) this year is aimed at strengthening the economic role of Muslim-majority nations amid ongoing global uncertainty.

“For D-8 this year, our goal is to reinforce the role of Muslim countries in the economic sector so they can better weather the unstable global economic situation,” Arrmanatha, widely known as Tata, said at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Monday, February 9, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He explained that preparations for the upcoming D-8 Summit are well underway, with coordination between the deputy foreign minister and the deputy state secretary completed last week. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also encouraging the direct participation of member state leaders at the summit, which will be held in Jakarta on April 15. While formal confirmations are pending, several leaders have already given positive indications.

“Usually, they can only confirm officially once the written invitations are received. These were only sent earlier this month, so the process is ongoing. But informally, we’ve already received positive signals from some heads of state,” he noted.

In addition to the summit, the program will include a ministerial-level meeting and a special session dedicated to the Palestinian issue. “Alongside the D-8 Summit, there will be a meeting on Palestine involving D-8 members and five other OIC countries, scheduled for the afternoon of April 15,” Tata added.

The D-8, established in 1997, is a cooperation organization comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkiye. Its mission is to strengthen collaboration in economic, trade, and development sectors to promote inclusive and sustainable growth. ***