Deputy Speaker of the People\u2019s Consultative Assembly of the Republic\nof Indonesia (MPR RI) Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) has welcomed the defence\npact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed in the city of\nMecca, known as the Mecca Defence Pact.<\/p>\n
HNW expressed hope that the pact could become a momentum to\nstrengthen cooperation among member states of the Organisation of\nIslamic Cooperation (OIC), not only in defence but also in the economy\nand education.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis initiative is an excellent step to maintain regional stability\nand world peace,\u201d HNW said in a written statement on Thursday\n(13\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
HNW noted that the Mecca Defence Pact currently involves only three\ncountries: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. However, he said the\nthree nations hold significant influence in the Middle East region and\nthe OIC, and they reinforce one another in the fields of politics,\ntechnology, military, and economy.<\/p>\n
He therefore assessed that there is great potential to expand the\ncooperation to other OIC member states while also broadening its scope\nto include economic and educational fields.<\/p>\n
Several OIC member states in the region, such as Qatar, Oman, Kuwait,\nSomalia, and Bahrain, have also reportedly welcomed the defence\ncooperation. HNW said the spirit of togetherness must be maintained,\nespecially given the Turkish Foreign Minister\u2019s clarification to Iran\nthat the pact is intended for collective defence against possible\nattacks from other parties, not to regard Iran as a threat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis spirit of togetherness, especially since all are OIC member\nstates, must be maintained by all parties,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
HNW also expressed hope that the Indonesian government would support\nthe various efforts of friendly nations in realising world security and\norder.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do adhere to a Free and Active foreign policy. However, what\nneeds to be highlighted is not only being free, but how we can be\nactively involved in realising world peace and order, one of which is\nthrough the Mecca Defence Pact,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to HNW, Indonesia, as one of the largest Muslim-populated\ncountries in the world and a founding member of the OIC, can encourage\nthe strengthening of cooperation in other fields, including the economy\nand education.<\/p>\n
He cited the example of cooperation concepts such as the ASEAN\nEconomic Community, which Indonesia developed together with ASEAN\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\u201cCooperation of this kind could be initiated more seriously, for\nexample with a concept similar to the ASEAN Economic Community, which\nhas been successfully developed by Indonesia together with other ASEAN\ncountries,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
HNW assessed that the close cooperation within the Mecca Defence Pact\ncould serve as a momentum to strengthen the unity of OIC countries while\ndeveloping cooperation in various fields.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, the very close Mecca Defence Pact, which has even been modelled\nafter NATO, should become a shared momentum to forge closer unity and\ndevelop other cooperation, such as economic and educational cooperation,\nso that it not only realises security and defence but also advances\ncivilisation and brings prosperity to its peoples,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hnw-welcomes-mecca-defence-pact-urges-strengthened-oic-cooperation-1786618459", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }