Makkah Defense Pact: Strategic Committee to Hold First Meeting in Istanbul

The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee coming from the Makkah Joint Defense Pact among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan is scheduled for Monday in Istanbul. The summit is supposed to set the framework for the long-term course of action for the landmark deal.

Foreign and defense Ministers and heads of general staff of the three countries will attend the meeting. They come in the context of the significance attached to the establishing of a coordinated mechanism with regard to the pact and deepening trilateral security cooperation.

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Setting the Direction for the Defense Pact

Under the Makkah Joint Defense Pact, the Strategic Political and Defense Committee was established as regards strategic directions to the cooperation for Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. The first of its discussions will be directed toward defining areas of collaboration in its practical aspects.

It’s believed that the officials will review international security issues and talk about enhancing the capabilities of collective defence. The three armies will also cooperate more with each other, and coordination will be key on that front, too.

Expanding Defense Industry Cooperation

Another important field that is likely to be covered during the talks in Istanbul is defense industrial collaboration. The three countries will seek opportunities for joint production, R&D activities, and to strengthen ties between their defense industrial complexes.

There is also likely to be discussions regarding cooperation under counterterrorism. Much more coordination in this region would be considered as joining in a wider security framework provided for the pact, in addition to military cooperation and strategic consultations.

Building the Pact’s Institutional Framework

The committee should also lay a groundwork for the constitution of a secretariat and other coordination tools. The structures would help handle the areas of co-operation as identified by the committee and continuity would be created for trilateral activities.

A plan for how to implement the Makkah pact in practice also is expected to come out of the meeting. This Concertina would contribute to establishing priorities and defense cooperation between the three countries in the coming years.

What the Makkah Pact Means?

The Makkah Joint Defense Pact, signed on August 7 in Makkah, is a defense cooperation accord between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif.

It’s founded on a collective defense clause that says an attack on one of the three nations will be seen as an attack on the entire three nations. This is why the accord will create a mechanism for greater strategic coordination and collective security.

The agreement also highlights peace and stability in the region, with a focus on cooperation in the field of security. From the available facts it is known that it is open for countries that honor international law, and who share its vision of peaceful cooperation.

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