Strategic Committee to Meet in Riyadh
The Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement will meet in Riyadh on October 5.
The meeting will bring together senior officials from Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Ankara confirmed that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu will attend.
The committee will review recent developments across the region. It will also assess progress toward institutionalising the three-country defence alliance.
Houthi Attacks Add Urgency
The Riyadh meeting comes amid a sharp rise in regional security concerns. Recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia have increased pressure on the alliance to strengthen its collective security arrangements.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar previously said the committee would discuss Iran’s suggestion of politically engaging the Houthis after their attacks on Saudi targets.
The renewed Yemen conflict has also intensified. Yemen’s Saudi-backed government recently announced a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis.
Alliance Moves Toward Full Institutionalisation
Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. The agreement establishes a framework for closer defence and security cooperation among the three countries.
The three nations have since taken steps to build the alliance’s institutional structure. An earlier committee meeting in Istanbul agreed to establish a permanent secretariat in Saudi Arabia.
The Riyadh meeting is expected to focus on the alliance’s next steps and its ability to respond to emerging regional threats.
The discussions could also shape future military coordination and broader security cooperation between the three partners.
