Defensive Naval Coalition Holds Fourth Planning Meeting with Participation from 41 Countries

The multinational defensive naval coalition held its fourth planning meeting in Jeddah on Thursday, with the participation of 154 naval commanders, planners, and ambassadors representing 41 countries, according to a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on Friday.

According to the statement, the meeting comes as part of the coalition’s continued transition from the establishment phase to operational execution, following its attainment of Initial Operating Capability (IOC). The coalition is now in the phase of integrating capabilities and preparing for operational execution and a physical presence in the maritime area of operations.

The meeting discussed recent developments and achievements during the previous phase, as well as the accession of countries to the coalition. During this phase, several countries signed the charter and the joint statement. Currently, there are 28 liaison officers. The discussions also covered the requirements for joint operations and the specification of capabilities from participating countries, aiming to support coordinated and integrated multinational defensive operational execution and to enhance 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, ultimately leading to deployment and the commencement of operational tasks in the area of responsibility. This begins with protecting freedom of navigation, maritime passages, and straits, which constitute a shared international interest requiring effective partnership, diverse capabilities, and collective response, according to the statement.

The statement noted that the coalition is working 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 passages in the area of responsibility.