Signing of a Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Friday, reflecting the three countries’ commitment to enhancing their shared security and achieving peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and worldwide, with the aim of securing a safe and prosperous future.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that the signing took place during the Mecca Joint Defense Summit among the three countries, held on the sidelines of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia, in response to a gracious invitation from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The agency added that Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman signed the agreement on behalf of Saudi Arabia, while Erdogan signed on behalf of Turkey and Sharif on behalf of Pakistan.

The agency noted that, according to a joint statement issued after the summit, the signing of the agreement was based on the deep-rooted historical ties among the three countries, the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and their shared strategic interests and close defense cooperation.

The agreement aims to strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression and stipulates that any armed attack on any of the three countries constitutes an attack on all of them. It also focuses on developing all aspects of defense cooperation among the three nations.