Sahin Demir Saturday August 8, 2026
Somalia hails agreement as historic move to deepen cooperation, while Bahrain says pact strengthens the GCC’s collective defense framework
Regional governments on Friday welcomed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, calling it an important move to deepen defense cooperation, bolster collective security and promote stability across the region.
Somalia said the accord marked a historic advance in efforts to build stronger cooperation on collective security and defense.
In a statement, Somalia’s Defense Ministry said the agreement creates a strategic partnership designed to confront common security challenges and develop sustained defense cooperation between the three signatories.
The ministry said it was confident the pact would significantly support regional peace and stability while strengthening the principles of cooperation, solidarity and shared responsibility.
It also said the agreement would benefit the region’s peoples and contribute to international peace and security.
Bahrain described the accord as a strategic partnership that would reinforce deterrence and support security and stability at both the regional and international levels.
The Bahraini Foreign Ministry pointed to the three countries’ established defense capabilities, broad military experience and longstanding contributions to regional security.
It said the agreement brings together equal partners, with each using its capabilities to help protect regional and global security.
The pact, the ministry said, complements the Gulf Cooperation Council’s collective defense system, improves its effectiveness and strengthens regional security through solidarity, integration and partnership among brotherly nations.
Bahrain also reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia’s security is inseparable from its own, expressing support for measures to preserve regional stability, defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and pursue political solutions to regional disputes.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the summit in Mecca, the Muslim holy city, where the agreement was signed on Friday.
Under the agreement, “any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”
