Investigating status of developing eight (D8) countries macroeconomic indices in line with developing economic cooperation with Iran

摘要

20th century has been the century of vast changes in the economic, political and commercial relations in the world. Setting up the World Trade Organization was one of the main events in that century and adopting the general agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT) with the aim of promoting international trade through elimination or reduction of importing (tariff or non-tariff) barriers is one of the most outstanding measures taken in line with globalizing economics in 20th century. Some eight Islamic countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey) named as developing eight (D8) countries signed trade agreement in 1997 with the aim of promoting and developing their economic, trade and political status. According to the World Bank’s report in 2008, the D8 countries, with the population of nearly one billion, accounts for over 14% of the population and more than 3.8% of?gross domestic product?(GDP) in the world. But the main question of this research is that if D8 countries have the capabilities and conditions required for entering the globalization process through the World Trade Organization and if they enjoy the economic-commercial potentialities of each other on a bilateral or multilateral basis in line with materializing the policies, strategies and objectives of D8 group. The studies show that the growth of member countries’ trade transactions with the countries outside of the group has been higher than the growth with the member countries. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to investigate the reason of such thing in addition to the ways to boost trade and services transactions between the member countries. Service section accounts for the most part (over 40%) of GDP in all of the eight group countries, and then the industry sector accounts for about 31% and agriculture sector for about 25% of GDP in these countries.