D-8 SecGen hails media center as key project for member states

SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, July 13. The establishment
of the D-8 Media Center of Excellence will be one of the
organization’s most promising projects and will contribute to the
development of cooperation among member states in the media sector,
the Secretary-General of the Developing-8 (D-8) Organization for
Economic Cooperation, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said, Trend's special correspondent
reports.

Mahmood made the remark during the presentation of the strategic
concept for the D-8 Center of Excellence for Media, which took
place as part of the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum.

“The establishment of the D-8 Media Center of Excellence is one
of the most promising initiatives implemented within the D-8
framework in recent years,” he said.

According to S. Mahmood, the initiative stems from a proposal by
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to establish three centers of
excellence in Azerbaijan: the Media Center, the Energy and Climate
Center, and the Transportation Center.

He noted that once established, these centers will help
strengthen the D-8’s institutional architecture and expand
practical cooperation among member states in the fields of
information, energy, the environment, and transport
connectivity.

The Secretary-General recalled that the proposal to establish
the Media Center was discussed during consultations with member
states and was further developed at the first D-8 Media Forum, held
in Baku in November 2025, where a declaration on media cooperation
and development was unanimously adopted.

According to him, the concept envisages establishing the Center
as a platform for professional training, conducting research,
journalist exchanges, developing media literacy, digital
innovation, and strategic partnerships, as well as combating
disinformation and promoting the responsible use of new
technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Furthermore, Mahmood emphasized that the Media Center’s success
will depend on the active participation of all D-8 member states,
their national media organizations, universities, research centers,
and other relevant institutions. He added that the D-8 Secretariat
will work closely with Azerbaijan and other member states to ensure
the center’s prompt launch and effective operation as one of the
organization’s key structures.