Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar. -File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that Pakistan will improve its image at the regional and international levels when the leaders of eight developing countries gather in the capital for the D-8 Summit.

“Leaders of eight developing countries will arrive here for the Eighth Summit of Developing Eight (D-8) on November 22 on the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari,” said Foreign Minister Khar while addressing a press conference on Monday.

She said that the event, which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the founding of D-8, would focus on the theme of “Democratic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” as all the eight participants were vibrant democracies.

“The Islamabad summit is a major international event being hosted by Pakistan, which will enhance its image and standing,” she added.

Khar said that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the summit.

Pakistan will take over the chairmanship of D-8 for the next two years, until 2014.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that the D-8 summit was of extraordinary significance as it would adopt the organization’s charter and its global vision.

The leaders will witness signing of the charter by the foreign ministers at a special ceremony following the summit, she added.

She said that the leaders would also adopt Islamabad Declaration 2012 reaffirming their joint resolve for making concerted efforts to confront common challenges.

Hina Rabbani Khar said that on the margins of the summit, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf will hold bilateral meetings with visiting leaders.

She said that the summit would witness the visit of an Egyptian president after four decades and that of a Nigerian leader after around 28 years.

The foreign minister said that the visit of D-8 leaders to Pakistan would open new vistas for expanding trade and investment relations with all the D-8 countries as the main purpose of the summit was to promote trade, economic ties and promote people-to-people contacts.

She said that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Monday inaugurated the D-8 Trade Exhibition and would open D-8 Business Forum on Tuesday.