OMM Newsroom
Turkey and Qatar signed a mutual defense agreement on Nov. 13 aimed at strengthening collective security and regional stability. They said they would take a joint stance if either country faced an external armed attack. The agreement was signed in Istanbul during a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, after the 12th meeting of the Supreme Strategic Committee, AnewZ reported.
The leaders discussed relations between Turkey and Qatar, as well as regional and global developments. Erdogan said the defense agreement would add a new dimension to the two countries’ brotherly ties. He also said the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, which took effect last year, had brought them closer to their bilateral trade target.
Erdogan said Turkey was working to strengthen and diversify its energy partnership with Qatar, and that cooperation in the defense industry would also expand. The two sides said they intended to increase energy cooperation, including trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Under the agreement, the countries will consult on security threats, defense policy, and regional and global security issues. They also agreed to deepen cooperation through joint exercises, defense industry partnerships and personnel training. A joint statement affirmed their commitment to protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity and working toward a safer and more stable region.
A statement from the Turkish Presidential Administration said Erdogan had called for continued joint efforts to prevent a renewed outbreak of war in the Gulf region, create conditions for dialogue and achieve peace. The meeting also addressed Israel’s attacks on Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the region, Syria’s steps toward normalization, and recent developments in Libya.
Turkey’s other defense initiatives
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in August. Under the agreement, an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all three countries. Turkey’s parliament ratified the agreement last week, paving the way for Ankara to provide military support to Saudi Arabia, which has faced attacks by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
In October, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation in Doha. According to Turkey’s Ministry of Defense, the document covers strengthening defense capabilities, military exercises, training, research and development, and cooperation between defense industries.
The agreement, called “Badr,” is intended to strengthen cooperation among the participating countries. Turkey has said it is not directed against any other country and that it is open to new members, including Egypt.
