At D-8 Summit in Cairo, PM Shehbaz underlines need for investing in youth

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underlined the need for investing in youth.

Speaking at the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) nations in Cairo, Egypt, Sharif said it was “crucial” for Pakistan’s socioeconomic development and progress to invest in the youth.

“For Pakistan, investing in youth and supporting SMEs (small and medium enterprises) is crucial for our socioeconomic development and progress," Sharif said in his address. 

“With over 60 per cent of our population under the age of 30, we possess a fountain of potential for innovation and growth,” he added.

However, the premier noted, “unlocking this potential requires providing the right skills, opportunities, and financial resources”.

Founded in 1997 in Istanbul, the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, is an organisation for development cooperation among Egypt, Nigeria, Turkiye, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran and Malaysia.

Its objective is to increase economic cooperation among member states to boost economic growth, sustain development and promote and improve standards of living by focusing on bringing improvement and enhancing cooperation in agriculture, trade, transportation, industry, energy, and tourism. The theme of this year’s summit, held from December 18 to 19, is “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy”.