ANKARA: Egypt is expected to join the defence cooperation pact between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as efforts continue to expand regional security and defence coordination.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the defence agreement was signed last Friday with the objective of building sustainable defence capabilities among the participating countries.
He indicated that the framework could be expanded to include another country, with Egypt emerging as a likely addition.
In this regard, Fidan said Egypt was close to joining the agreement once certain technical issues were resolved.
He described Egypt as a “natural partner” for Türkiye and said Ankara was already maintaining close coordination with Cairo as an ally.
The possible inclusion of Egypt would broaden the scope of defence cooperation among the four countries and could further strengthen regional coordination on security and strategic matters.
The agreement between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was signed as part of efforts to enhance defence capabilities and cooperation among the participating states.
The emerging framework is expected to facilitate closer coordination in areas of mutual defence interests, although further details regarding its operational structure and commitments have not been disclosed.
However, Fidan’s statements indicate that discussions on Egypt’s participation are already underway and that technical arrangements remain the main issue before its formal inclusion.
The Turkish foreign minister did not provide a specific timeline for Egypt’s entry into the agreement.
In this sense, Egypt maintains strategic relations with Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, making its potential participation significant for the evolving regional security landscape.
Cairo has also traditionally played an important role in Middle Eastern diplomatic and security affairs.
Meanwhile, the possible expansion of the defence arrangement comes amid growing efforts among regional countries to strengthen strategic partnerships and develop independent defence capabilities.
The cooperation between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has attracted attention because of the three countries’ existing military and strategic ties.
If Egypt formally joins the agreement, the arrangement could emerge as a broader regional defence cooperation framework involving four major Muslim-majority countries.
