RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries established a maritime defense coalition on Thursday aimed at protecting shipping in key waterways of the Middle East.
The announcement came after military figures from dozens of countries met in Riyadh to discuss the alliance.
The Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition aims to tackle the growing challenges facing global maritime security, the alliance said in a joint statement.
The alliance will serve as a framework for maritime defense cooperation, “aimed at enhancing maritime security, protecting freedom of navigation, securing international trade routes and energy supply lines, and safeguarding shared maritime interests in the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, in accordance with the provisions of international law, United Nations conventions, and international custom,” the statement said.
The founding members of the coalition inlude Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia.
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The alliance is part of efforts to enhance maritime security, protect international sea lanes, and confront threats targeting maritime navigation and global trade, the Kingdom’s defense ministry said.
Member states said the coalition is purely defensive in nature, does not target any state, alliance, or international organization, and conducts all its activities in full compliance with international law, respect for state sovereignty, and the protection of freedom of navigation.
They agreed that Saudi Arabia is the founding and leading state of the coalition and serves as its permanent headquarters.
The chiefs of staff and their representatives from 43 countries, in addition to the European Union’s delegation to the Kingdom participated in the meeting.
Over 50 countries and organizations were invited and participation was in person or via video link.
This reflects growing international interest in strengthening maritime defense cooperation and stresses the importance of unifying efforts to confront common threats targeting the security of international sea lanes, the ministry said.
Participants examined growing threats to maritime security, including attacks on commercial vessels, energy tankers, and critical maritime infrastructure, and the risks they pose to safe navigation, global supply chains, and the stability of the international economy. They highlighted the need to strengthen multilateral defense cooperation to deter and counter such threats and safeguard international shipping lanes.
Participants also reviewed the draft charter of the coalition, together with its reference documents, organizational framework, command-and-control arrangements, operational mechanisms, and proposed next steps.
The discussions focused on establishing a robust institutional framework to strengthen maritime defense cooperation among participating countries and coordinate responses to shared threats across the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
This underscores the international community’s confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership and its central role in advancing collective maritime security, the ministry said.
Participants agreed that military planners from countries intending to join the coalition would continue their work to finalize the coalition’s charter and reference documents, establish its organizational structure, command-and-control arrangements, and operational mechanisms, and form the required technical frameworks and specialized teams.
Prospective member states will complete their respective national procedures, paving the way for the signing of the charter, the formal launch of the coalition, and the commencement of its operations, the ministry said.
The multinational maritime defense coalition is an open international defense initiative welcoming all countries that share its objectives and principles, the ministry said.
Participation will be subject to each country’s national procedures and will contribute to strengthening collective maritime security, safeguarding freedom of navigation and global trade, and upholding the principle of shared international responsibility in addressing common threats.
The initiative reflects the Kingdom’s firm conviction that the security of international maritime routes is a collective responsibility requiring effective, sustained, and coordinated international cooperation.
