Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Saudi, Turkey and Pakistan Build Riyadh Defence Pact Secretariat
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are creating an office in Riyadh to help manage their defence agreement.
The office will coordinate military cooperation between the three countries.
A Pakistani official is expected to become its first secretary-general for three years.
The countries met in Istanbul on Monday to discuss how to organize the agreement.
Their pact says an attack on one country would be treated as an attack on all three.
Turkey said the group wants stronger shared defence capabilities.
It also said the alliance is not aimed at any particular country.
Other countries might join in the future if they meet rules that have not yet been set.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan agreed to establish a permanent defence-pact secretariat in Riyadh.
The secretariat will initially be headed by a Pakistani secretary-general for three years.
Officials from the three countries met in Istanbul on Monday to discuss implementing the agreement.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three.
Turkey said the alliance could admit other countries later, subject to standards that have not yet been defined.
- Who
- Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, represented by senior foreign, defence and military officials.
- What
- They agreed to establish a permanent secretariat in Riyadh under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
- When
- The implementation meeting took place on Monday; the agreement was signed in early August.
- Where
- The representatives met in Istanbul, while the secretariat will be based in Riyadh.
- Why
- To strengthen collective deterrence, coordinate defence cooperation and improve military cohesion.
- Agreement
- Mecca Joint Defence Agreement
- Members
- Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan
- Secretariat location
- Riyadh
- First secretary-general
- A Pakistani official, serving an initial three-year term
- Mutual-defence provision
- An armed attack on one member is treated as an attack on all three
- Expansion
- The alliance may open to other countries after standards and institutional mechanisms are established
- Stated principles
- Respect for national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference