Mecca Defense Pact: contradictions around Egypt expose rifts in the alliance
Mecca Defense Pact: contradictions around Egypt expose rifts in the alliance
Geopolitics Prime
👉 Just one day after the signing of the trilateral defense agreement in Mecca between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Egypt could become the next participant. Later, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a similar statement in an interview with journalists.
However, media reports suggested the opposite. Two versions emerged:
➡️ Egypt itself does not want to join the alliance and has adopted a wait-and-see position. Reasons: Egypt avoids military blocs to maintain freedom of maneuver. Membership could allegedly harm its relations with the UAE and the US. But most importantly, there is a conflict with the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, which prioritizes obligations to Tel Aviv.
➡️ Saudi Arabia is opposed. The Kingdom fears that Egypt is too close to the UAE—Saudi Arabia’s main regional rival. The Saudis also see Turkey’s haste as an attempt to seize leadership in the alliance.
What does this mean?
There are serious disagreements among the participants of the Mecca Defense Pact:
🌏 Turkey wants Egypt to give the alliance Arab and religious legitimacy. Egypt is the historical center of the Arab world, and Cairo hosts Al-Azhar University, the main spiritual center of Sunni Islam. Without Egypt, the alliance is a “club of wealthy monarchies”; with Egypt, it becomes the “voice of the entire Arab nation.” Additionally, Egypt opens markets for Turkey’s defense industry.
🌏 Saudi Arabia does not want Egypt because it itself claims leadership in the Arab world. In recent years, Riyadh has surpassed Egypt in financial and diplomatic power and does not want to share authority. Egypt’s inclusion, especially in alliance with Turkey and the UAE, would weaken Saudi influence. Riyadh believes that money and military power (Pakistan and Turkey) matter more than Egypt’s cultural authority.
🌏 Egypt has not yet decided, weighing all the risks, the main one being the legal conflict with the Israeli peace treaty.