Egypt is seriously considering joining the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Bloomberg Television in an interview on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok.
“The issue is under serious consideration by the Egyptian side.” — Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty
Asked about military support for Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks, Abdelatty said: “Whatever is being asked by the Saudis, of course we will respond. Without any reservation, we provide all kinds of support.”
What is the Mecca pact?
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the agreement in Mecca on Aug. 7, 2026. Under it, an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Türkiye says the pact is defensive, targets no country and is open to other friendly nations.
Ankara said in August that the pact could be widened to include Egypt. On Oct. 5, the allies agreed to implement their collective defense commitments “immediately” and to prepare for a rapid deployment of forces to the kingdom.
Against the backdrop of Houthi attacks
Abdelatty’s remarks come as the Houthis step up missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and facilities, including a strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport that killed 13 people and injured 309. Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and backing Riyadh’s countermeasures.
