Lesson 3/45 min
WEF, D-8, ECO, G-7 and G-20
World Economic Forum (WEF)
- A non-profit based in Geneva; founded 20 January 1971 by Klaus Schwab
- The annual meeting is at Davos, Switzerland; the 56th was held on 19–23 January 2026
D-8 (Developing 8)
- A bloc of developing Muslim-majority countries; founded 15 June 1997 at Istanbul; headquarters Istanbul, Turkey
- Nine members: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan (December 2024)
- A summit every two years
Memory trick: One source's trick lists eight: Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia. Add Azerbaijan as the ninth.
ECO
- Economic Cooperation Organization; founded 1985 by Iran, Turkey and Pakistan; headquarters Tehran
- Ten members: Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
G-7
- Seven members: the United States, Japan, Italy, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, France; no headquarters
- The only Asian member: Japan; China, the second-largest economy, is not a member
- With Russia it was the G-8; after the Crimea annexation Russia was suspended in 2014 and it became the G-7 again
Memory trick: One source's G-7 trick: AJI Germany CEF = America, Japan, Italy, Germany, Canada, England, France.
G-20
- Founded 1999 as a forum of finance ministers and central bank governors
- 21 members = 19 countries + the European Union + the African Union (AU since 9 September 2023)
- The 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States
- Presidency: South Africa in 2025, the United States in 2026 (summit in Miami)
- Bangladesh, Singapore and Malaysia are not G-20 members
Watch out: One source gives 2018 for Russia's removal from the G-8; the correct year is 2014. It says D-8 has 8 members; with Azerbaijan it now has 9.
Check yourself
How many G-20 members are there, and of what?
At a glance
- 1
The World Economic Forum is Geneva-based; founded 20 January 1971; its annual meeting is at Davos.
- 2
The D-8 was founded on 15 June 1997 (Istanbul); Bangladesh is a member; it now has nine members.
- 3
ECO dates from 1985; headquarters Tehran; ten members.
- 4
Japan is the only Asian G-7 member; China is not a member; Russia was suspended in 2014.
- 5
The G-20: founded 1999; 21 members (19 countries + the EU + the AU); the AU has been a member since 2023.