President Prabowo will officially accept the chairmanship for the 2026-2027 term from the current chair, Egypt.
The D-8, which groups Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey, was established in 1997 to improve cooperation between the countries stretching from Southeast Asia to Africa.
Notably, all D-8 members are also part of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Indonesia’s chairmanship will commence in January 2026.
Prabowo’s two-day visit marks the first time an Indonesian president has travelled to Egypt since 2013.
During the summit, President Prabowo is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, according to Rolliansyah Soemirat, spokesperson for Indonesia's foreign ministry.
Soemirat stated that Indonesia aims to leverage President Prabowo's presence to ensure the D-8 contributes positively to the goals of Global South countries in fostering deeper cooperation.
He added that the summit represents a vital opportunity to advance the objectives of these nations, particularly in expanding collaboration in areas such as economy and development.
Bilateral Distinguish relations
Egypt and Indonesia have enjoyed a long-standing relationship, dating back to Egypt's recognition of Indonesia's independence as the first Arab nation to do so.
Cooperation between the two nations has made significant strides, with leaders maintaining regular contact and exchanging views on various bilateral, regional, and international issues.
Relations between the two peoples have also advanced considerably across economic, commercial, cultural, educational, and media sectors, among others.
The volume of trade between Egypt and Indonesia ranks as the largest in Africa and is notable when compared to the Middle East.
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