Despite Ankara’s active efforts, Cairo decided to refrain from joining the new security agreement concluded between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. The main reason was its search for balance in relations with Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Secret signing of the pact

Last Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made an unannounced visit to Mecca, where he signed a security agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The trip was kept under strict secrecy: the parties agreed to hold the ceremony at the last moment.

According to sources from Middle East Eye, senior Turkish officials feared that public disclosure of the schedules would derail the deal under pressure from unwanted external forces. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that Ankara had spent two years coordinating this pact.

What does the agreement entail?

The document includes a collective defense clause resembling Article 5 of the NATO charter, under which an attack on one participant is regarded as an attack on all members of the alliance.

The formation of the new union grew out of regular consultations among the “regional quartet” (Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia), which had previously already drawn sharp criticism from Israel, accusing Ankara of trying to create a hostile axis.

Why did Egypt stay out?

Initially, Turkey had hoped to include Egypt in the agreement as well, since its strong military potential brought it closer to Ankara, Qatar, and Riyadh on many regional issues. However, at the last moment, Cairo decided not to sign the document. Experts point to two main reasons for this step:

The dilemma in relations with Israel: As a neighbor of Israel and while maintaining diplomatic relations with it, Egypt feared strong pressure from Tel Aviv if it joined the alliance.

Rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE: Egypt is trying not to take either side amid growing tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Cairo depends on financial assistance from the UAE, has its own defense agreement with them (including the deployment of Rafale fighter jets during recent crises), and at the same time is developing ties with India. Its “non-aligned” position allows Egypt to maneuver between two emerging geopolitical camps.

Despite Cairo’s refusal, Turkish officials remain optimistic. Hakan Fidan stated that this is merely a matter of temporary technical issues and that Egypt will definitely join the alliance in the future as it becomes stronger.