Egypt may join Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi defence pact

Egypt could become the next country to join the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Türkiye

Egypt could become the next country to join the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.

Fidan said the defence pact is broadly comparable to NATO’s mutual defence principle. He stressed that the agreement is not aimed at Iran or any other country.

According to the Turkish foreign minister, the pact is designed to provide a framework for the three countries to support each other’s security.

He said the member states would consult each other in the event of an attack. They would then determine the nature and level of assistance required.

Fidan said Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants the alliance to expand beyond its three founding members. Egypt is among the countries being considered for possible membership.

He said some technical issues would need to be resolved before Egypt could join the arrangement.

Fidan explained that the alliance would begin with Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. He said the members intended to take gradual but practical steps to build the new security framework.

A ministerial committee similar to structures used within NATO is also expected to be established. The alliance will also have a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia.

Further operational details are expected to be discussed during the first meeting of the proposed committee.

Fidan said the agreement was the result of negotiations that had continued for more than two years. He also stressed that the new arrangement would not replace existing military alliances.

The Turkish minister said the pact was intended to strengthen regional cooperation. He said it could eventually bring more countries together under a common security framework.

Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation welcomed the signing of the agreement.

OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed strong support for the pact. He described it as an important strategic development for regional and international cooperation.

Taha said the agreement could contribute to security and stability across the region and the wider Muslim world.

He also praised the leadership of Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. He said their efforts had resulted in what he described as a historic agreement.

The pact was signed on Friday during a trilateral summit in Makkah. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the agreement at Al-Safa Palace.

Under the agreement, the three countries have committed to strengthening defence cooperation and collective security. The pact also seeks to promote peace, stability and prosperity.

Officials said the agreement is not directed against any country. They said it is based on a shared approach to security and burden-sharing.

The agreement also establishes a collective deterrence principle. An armed attack against any one of the three member states will be treated as an attack against all three.