jakarta Urges Enhanced Media Cooperation Among Developing 8 nations as Chairmanship approaches
BAKU, Azerbaijan – Indonesia is advocating for closer collaboration on media and strategic communications within teh Developing 8 (D8) institution, as the group confronts escalating global challenges in the digital sphere. The push comes as Jakarta prepares too assume the D8 chairmanship, aiming to amplify the voice of developing nations on the world stage.
The call for strengthened South-South cooperation was made during a recent gathering in Baku, Azerbaijan, attended by officials, experts, and NGO representatives from the D8 member states: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and newest member Azerbaijan. Discussions centered on navigating the evolving global media landscape and its impact on developing countries’ interests and geopolitical positioning, alongside efforts to boost intra-bloc trade. The D8 is currently striving to more than double its internal trade volume to US$500 billion annually by 2030.
D8 Secretary-General Isiaka Abdul Qadir Imam underscored the importance of developing countries controlling their own narratives. “The whole idea is to see how we can tell our own story from the outlook of the D8 organization […] to let the world know who we are, what we have achieved so far,” he stated.
Indonesia, represented by Foreign Ministry senior policy advisor Agustaviano Sofjan, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for a unified response to emerging digital challenges. “We face the persistent and accelerated spread of disinformation, widening digital inequalities and uneven access to reliable facts; and the fast-paced evolution of media technologies driven by artificial intelligence as new digital platforms,” Sofjan explained.The meeting represents a key step in the D8’s broader strategy to increase its visibility and economic influence globally.
