Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Launch Makkah Defence Alliance

Foreign ministers, defense ministers, and military chiefs from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan met in Istanbul on August 31 to operationalize the Makkah Defence Alliance. Originally signed on August 7 as the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, the pact establishes a collective defense framework where an attack on one member is regarded as an attack on all, mirroring NATO's Article 5.

During the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, officials transitioned the political agreement into an institutionalized security partnership. The alliance will establish its permanent secretariat in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the first secretary general to be appointed from Pakistan. The committee's agenda focused on enhancing military interoperability, joint defense industry production, and combating terrorism.

The alliance emerges amid regional instability following a war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. While proponents state the pact is defensive and not directed against any specific state, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan used the summit to condemn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "common enemy of humanity."

Efforts to expand the alliance are already underway. Pakistan reported that six to seven other Muslim-majority countries have expressed interest, with Bangladesh stating it would "positively consider" joining if invited. Turkey has identified Egypt as a potential candidate, and Egypt is currently reviewing the legal requirements for membership.