Saudi Arabia leads the establishment of a multinational defensive maritime alliance

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense hosted, on Thursday, a meeting of the chiefs of staff, representatives of friendly and allied countries, and the European Union Delegation to the Kingdom, to discuss the Kingdom’s initiative to establish a multinational maritime defense coalition. This effort is part of broader initiatives aimed at enhancing maritime security, protecting international sea lanes, and countering threats targeting maritime navigation and global trade.

The meeting saw broad participation from the chiefs of staff and their representatives from 43 countries, alongside the EU Delegation to the Kingdom, out of the 51 countries and organizations invited. Participation was either in person or via video conference, reflecting growing international interest in strengthening maritime defense cooperation and underscoring the importance of unifying efforts to confront shared threats to the security of international sea lanes within the defined scope of responsibility of this defense coalition.

Participants discussed the escalating threats targeting maritime security, including attacks on commercial vessels, energy tankers, and maritime infrastructure, and the risks they pose to the safety of maritime navigation, the stability of global supply chains, and the international economy. They emphasized the importance of enhancing multilateral defense cooperation to confront and deter these threats, and to safeguard the security of international sea lanes.

Participants also reviewed the draft charter of the multinational maritime defense coalition, its reference documents, organizational structure, command and control arrangements, operational mechanisms, and future action steps. These discussions aim to ensure the establishment of an effective institutional framework that enhances maritime defense cooperation among participating states and addresses shared maritime threats in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

During the meeting, the foundational arrangements for the multinational maritime defense coalition were discussed. Key among these is the designation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the founding and leading state of the coalition, with the headquarters to be hosted in the Kingdom. This reflects international confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership role in enhancing collective maritime security.

Participants agreed to continue the work of military planners from countries interested in joining the coalition in the coming phase to complete the foundational procedures. These include finalizing the charter of the coalition and its reference documents, completing the organizational structure, command and control arrangements, and operational mechanisms, and forming the necessary technical frameworks and teams. This will proceed in parallel with the completion of national procedures by interested countries, paving the way for the signing of the charter, the launch of the coalition, and the commencement of its operations.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirmed that the multinational maritime defense coalition represents an open international defense initiative, open to all countries that share its objectives and principles, and welcoming their membership and participation in its efforts in accordance with their national procedures. This initiative aims to enhance collective maritime security, preserve freedom of navigation and global trade, and embody the principle of sharing international responsibility in confronting shared threats. It is driven by the firm conviction that the security of international sea lanes is a collective responsibility requiring effective and sustainable international partnership.

As a follow-up to the outcomes of this meeting, 14 participating countries issued a joint statement affirming their support for the multinational maritime defense alliance project and welcoming the consensus achieved regarding its foundational arrangements. These countries are: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Yemen, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of the Sudan, the Republic of Djibouti, and the Federal Republic of Somalia. Other participating countries also affirmed their support for the initiative and are in the process of completing the necessary domestic procedures and approvals to join the joint statement. The door to joining this statement will remain open to them and to other interested countries, once their domestic procedures are completed.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared resolve to proceed with completing the foundational arrangements for establishing the multinational maritime defense alliance, thereby enhancing collective capacity to confront and deter threats targeting maritime security, safeguarding international sea lanes, protecting freedom of navigation and global trade, and strengthening regional and international security and stability.