Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry: 41 countries participate in the fourth planning meeting of the multinational naval defense coalition

The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that the multinational defensive naval coalition held its fourth planning meeting in Jeddah on Thursday, with the participation of naval commanders and representatives from 41 countries. Meanwhile, Coalition Commander Rear Admiral Abdullah Al-Shahri affirmed that “protecting waterways is an international responsibility.”

In statements carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Al-Shahri said the coalition is advancing at an accelerated pace. Within a short period, it has transitioned from organization and coordination to activating command and launching operations, reaching initial operating capability (IOC) today, in preparation for integrating and deploying capabilities for operational activation and maritime presence.

Rear Admiral Al-Shahri emphasized that “any threat to freedom of navigation will be met with deterrence,” stressing that “an expansion of the threat will accelerate the deployment and integration of capabilities in the area of responsibility.”

The Saudi “Defense” ministry stated that the “multinational defensive naval coalition is currently in the phase of capability integration and operational readiness.”

In an official statement, the ministry said, “The fourth planning meeting of the multinational defensive naval coalition was held on Thursday at the Western Fleet Command in Jeddah Province, with the participation of 154 naval commanders, planners, ambassadors, and representatives of the European Union, representing 41 friendly and sister countries. This comes as part of the coalition’s continued transition from the establishment phase to actual operations, after reaching the initial operating capability (IOC) phase. It is now operating in the phase of capability integration and readiness for operational execution and actual presence in the maritime area of operations.”

The statement added that the meeting discussed operational developments and achievements during the previous phase, as well as progress in countries joining the coalition. During this phase, several countries signed the charter and joint statement. Currently, there are 28 liaison officers, alongside discussions on the requirements for joint operations and the determination of capability contributions from participating countries. This supports coordinated and integrated multinational defensive operational execution and enhances the coalition’s operational readiness.

The fourth planning meeting represents an advanced stage in the coalition’s trajectory, as the focus shifts to enhancing operational readiness and preparing for operations under a unified command, culminating in deployment and the commencement of operational task execution in the area of responsibility. This is driven by the understanding that protecting freedom of navigation, waterways, and maritime straits constitutes a shared international interest requiring effective partnership, diverse capabilities, and collective response.

The coalition works to support the security and safety of maritime navigation in accordance with international law, within a multinational operational environment based on unified command, capability integration, information sharing, and coordinated efforts to counter threats targeting the security of navigation and maritime waterways in the area of responsibility.