New mutual defense agreement, “El Tigre” takes office in Colombia, Pacific Islands split over Chinese missile test

Major new Middle East defense pact signed

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan on a Fridaysigned a joint defense agreement that characterizes an attack on one as an attack on all. Although it doesn’t spell out specific obligations, the pact brings together Turkey’s formidable army (NATO’s second largest), Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, and Saudi Arabia’s Gulf sway and sizable financial resources. It comes against the backdrop of the US-Israeli war on Iran — which has failed to dislodge the regime while instead provoking Iranian airstrikes against Gulf countries and a new anti-Saudi blockade by the Iran-backed Houthis. But it also reflects wider regional concerns both about Israel’s aggressiveness and uncertainty about US security commitments. The division of the region into “Abrahamic” and “Islamic” blocs, which Eurasia Group Middle East director Firas Maksad wrote abouthere, continues apace.

“El Tigre” takes office in Colombia

Abelardo de la Espriella will be sworn in today as Colombia’s president after narrowly winning June’s runoff. His presidency is expected to mark a sharp right turn from Colombia’s first left-wing leader, Gustavo Petro. De la Espriella, the far-right populist outsider also known as “El Tigre,” has pledged to strengthen security ties with the United States, cut government spending, and crack down on crime – echoing the playbook of several conservative leaders elected across Latin America in recent years. He takes office as security dominates public concern in Colombia, where violence, drug trafficking, and criminal activity have surged. But with a deeply divided electorate and only a slim electoral victory behind him, de la Espriella will face immediate pressure to deliver on his promises.

China’s missile test in the Pacific makes a splash

Chinese missile tests always make waves, but small nations in the Pacific hope they aren’t too big – literally. During a Pacific Island nations meeting in Fiji yesterday, eighteen foreign ministers discussed China’s July 6 nuclear missile tests in the South Pacific, which Tuvalu’s foreign minister said landed near the low-lying nation’s territory and sparked tsunami fears among residents. The ministers attempted – but failed – to agree on a joint statement condemning the tests. According to reports, Nauru and Kiribati, both of which have switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in recent years, refused to sign on to any statement. The deadlock highlights deep divisions among Pacific nations over China’s growing diplomatic presence in the region.