Fidan: The “Mecca Pact” is a pillar of regional security and prosperity

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that the establishment of the "Mecca Pact" came with the aim of protecting security, peace and prosperity in the region, stressing that stability cannot be imported or permanent solutions imposed from abroad.

Fidan said, in a speech during the ninth Istanbul Mediation Conference, that advancing the path of change towards peace and prosperity requires commitment to three basic principles: sincere dialogue, sustainable mediation, and regional ownership, considering that the current crises reveal deeper problems that reflect the international system’s loss of legitimacy.

He also added that his country is working to transform mediation into a strategic approach that goes beyond being a diplomatic tool, pointing out that stability cannot be imported, and that permanent solutions cannot be imposed from abroad. Fidan cited the Turkish efforts in Libya as an example of the role of consensus, mutual trust and inclusiveness in building confidence, expressing his belief that this approach will not only contribute to maintaining calm, but will also pave the way for reaching a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis in the near future.

These positions came as the ninth session of the Istanbul Mediation Conference was being held on October 23 and 24, under the title “New Partnerships and Horizons for Peace: Mediation in a Changing World,” with the participation of about 200 officials, diplomats, experts, academics, and representatives of research centers from different regions, in addition to high-level officials from international organizations, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The conference aims to enhance the role of mediation and diplomacy in preventing and settling conflicts, and exchanging experiences on mechanisms for building sustainable peace, in light of the escalation of international crises and the complexity of conflict paths.

In addition, Istanbul is also hosting a meeting of the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, known as the (R4) group, with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, in an expanded format held for the first time.

The talks are scheduled to address the Palestinian issue, developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen, and efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, in addition to discussing ways to enhance coordination between the seven countries.

This meeting comes in the context of a Turkish move to enhance cooperation between regional and European powers, while the “Mecca Pact” is gaining importance in discussions related to regional security, after it was established in August between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan on the basis of joint defense, while Egypt participates in the broader (R4) framework for regional consultation and coordination.