Saudi Arabia Reaffirms Commitment to Activating Makkah Joint Defense Agreement

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have started building the institutional framework for their trilateral defense agreement, with officials emphasizing that the alliance must first become a strong and functioning structure.

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We affirmed our commitment to activating the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement pathways in a way that strengthens integration and advances security and stability.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman led the Saudi delegation to the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Istanbul. He said the three countries had reaffirmed their commitment to activating the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in ways that strengthen integration and regional security and stability.

The meeting brought together the countries’ foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the gathering as the beginning of a process to establish a new security and cooperation architecture in the region. He said deeper regional stability could also support investment and development.

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With this agreement, the process of testing a new security and cooperation architecture in our region has begun.

Fidan said the agreement could eventually allow other countries to join. He stressed, however, that the founding members must first establish clear institutional arrangements, accession conditions, procedures and standards. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share Türkiye’s view that the agreement should develop into an effective structure capable of addressing regional challenges before expansion begins.

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The alliance was established with the aim of expanding. But at the outset, its foundations need to be laid very well, and its institutionalization also needs to be carried out very well.

The three countries are now working on a roadmap for accession and will need to consult both prospective members and the existing parties. Saudi Arabia was also represented by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyadh Al-Ruwaili. Türkiye’s delegation included National Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, while Pakistan sent Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.

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We are now working together to complete the difficult part, which is the establishment phase.