Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Egypt could join the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement as regional powers shift away from U.S. leadership
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Egypt could potentially join the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a new security pact signed by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. The agreement, signed in the holy city of Mecca, stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three signatories is considered an attack against all, functioning similarly to NATO's Article 5. Erdogan said the pact is open to further members and highlighted the importance of the agreement in sending a message to the world regarding regional security. Analysts suggest the agreement signals a significant shift in the Middle East's regional order, moving away from a decades-long U.S.-led architecture. While the United States has historically been the guarantor of regional security, the Saudi-led
Sources
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Erdogan says Egypt could join Turkiye-Saudi-Pakistan defence pact
Al Jazeera
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Turkey lays out plans for defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
Reuters
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The U.S.-Led Middle East Order Is Over. The Mecca Agreement Proves It.
Council on Foreign Relations
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The Gulf's New NATO?
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
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The Mecca agreement’s message to Washington
The Hill