Istanbul to host first Mecca Pact meeting

Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will hold the first meeting of a committee established under a joint defense pact in Istanbul on August 31, as the three countries seek to deepen military cooperation and coordinate on regional security.

The Strategic Political and Defense Committee’s inaugural meeting is expected to bring together the foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs of the three countries, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Türkiye is expected to be represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.

Pakistan’s delegation is expected to include Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Army Chief Asim Munir. Saudi Arabia is expected to send Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman and Chief of General Staff Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.

The committee was established to provide strategic direction for activities under the Mecca Joint Defense Pact, signed by the leaders of the three countries earlier this month.

The meeting is expected to address international security issues and efforts to strengthen the defense capabilities of the three countries and improve interoperability among their armed forces.

Participants are also expected to discuss deeper cooperation in the defense industry, including joint production and research and development, as well as stronger joint counterterrorism efforts.

The committee is expected to establish a framework for a secretariat and other mechanisms to coordinate work in areas of joint activity. It will also seek to draw up a roadmap for implementing the pact in the coming period, according to the sources.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif signed the pact in Mecca on August 7.

The agreement was signed amid what officials described as growing instability in the countries’ regions and internationally. It seeks to promote security, peace, stability and prosperity while strengthening the three countries’ joint deterrence capabilities.

The pact stipulates that “an attack against any one of the parties will be considered an attack against all parties.” The three countries have sought to expand defense ties in recent years, including through military exercises, defense industry cooperation and diplomatic coordination.