Kuwait welcomes Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye Makkah defence deal

ISLAMABAD: Kuwait has congratulated Pakistan on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, signalling growing regional interest in the new security arrangement.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a telephone call from Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah late on Sunday, during which the two officials discussed the agreement as well as the wider regional situation.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the Kuwaiti foreign minister felicitated Dar on the agreement signed in Makkah on Friday. The two ministers also exchanged views on developments in the region, including the situation in occupied East Jerusalem.

Their conversation also covered bilateral relations and ways to expand cooperation between Pakistan and Kuwait, particularly in investment and other key sectors. The officials also discussed follow-up to Sheikh Jarrah’s recent visit to Pakistan.

“The two sides agreed to remain closely engaged,” the Foreign Office said.

The development comes as Pakistan continues to explain the objectives and scope of the landmark defence pact, which brings Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye closer together on security matters.

Dar has stressed that the agreement is defensive in nature and is not directed against any particular country. Under the pact, an armed attack against any one of the three signatories would be treated as an attack against all three.

The foreign minister said the arrangement was designed to strengthen collective deterrence while supporting regional peace, stability and security. He also maintained that the agreement was consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defence recognised under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

Importantly, Dar clarified that the Makkah agreement does not replace or cancel existing bilateral or multilateral defence arrangements involving the three countries.

The pact could also have a broader regional dimension. Dar said the agreement remains open to other countries in the region that are willing to respect its principles and resolve differences through dialogue, cooperation and peaceful means. His comments came amid reports that Egypt could potentially join the arrangement.

Earlier, Dar also spoke with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, with the two officials discussing regional developments and the newly signed agreement.

Pakistan has presented the Makkah accord as part of its broader foreign-policy objective of promoting regional stability and peaceful conflict resolution.

With Kuwait now extending its congratulations, attention is increasingly turning to how the new defence framework could influence cooperation and security across the wider region.