Al-Shahri: Maritime Coalition Protects Global Economy in Bab el-Mandeb, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden - Sarmad
(KUNA) – Commander of the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition, Rear Admiral Abdullah Al-Shahri, said on Thursday that the coalition, initiated by Saudi Arabia, aims to enhance maritime security and protect the global economy and shared maritime interests in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
Al-Shahri clarified in a statement relayed by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that Saudi Arabia, under the direction of its senior leadership, is leading an international initiative to establish a coalition that enhances maritime security and protects the global economy and shared maritime interests in the region.
He noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the coalition’s founding meeting, with representatives from 43 countries, reflected broad international consensus that “the security of international sea lanes is a collective responsibility” and that multilateral defense cooperation and continuous coordination are “the fundamental pillar for ensuring freedom of navigation, securing supply chains, and ensuring energy supplies.”
He emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the coalition’s headquarters and its leadership reflect “its stance and leading role” in enhancing and supporting regional and international security and building effective alliances to confront common maritime threats and challenges.
He affirmed that “the coalition has a purely defensive nature and does not target any state, organization, or alliance; rather, it operates in accordance with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and provisions of international law, with full respect for state sovereignty and the guarantee of freedom of navigation in international sea lanes.”
Rear Admiral Al-Shahri stated that “many countries have announced their joining of the coalition pursuant to the joint statement, while other countries continue to complete their arrangements and national procedures in preparation for joining, with the door remaining open to all countries wishing to do so.”
Last month on the 30th, the Saudi Ministry of Defense hosted a meeting of chiefs of staff and representatives of several brotherly and friendly countries, as well as the European Union delegation, in Riyadh to discuss Saudi Arabia’s initiative to establish a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at enhancing maritime security, protecting international sea lanes, and countering threats targeting maritime navigation and global trade.
Fourteen countries participating in the meeting issued a joint statement affirming their support for the multinational maritime defense coalition project and welcoming the consensus reached on its founding arrangements. These countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia.
