WNAM MONITORING: Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries, including Pakistan, on Thursday announced the creation of a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at safeguarding freedom of navigation, international trade and energy supply routes in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Saudi defence ministry said representatives from 43 countries and the European Union attended an international meeting that discussed the proposed coalition, including Saudi Arabia serving as its founding and leading state and hosting its headquarters.
The ministry said the coalition would strengthen maritime security, safeguard freedom of navigation, secure international trade routes and energy supply lines, and protect shared maritime interests in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
It said 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti, issued a joint statement supporting the proposed coalition. Among the six Gulf Arab states, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were not listed among the countries backing the statement.
The founding states said participation in the coalition’s activities would remain a sovereign decision for each member state, stressing that the alliance is “purely defensive in nature, does not target any state, alliance or international organization, and will conduct all its activities in full compliance with international law while respecting state sovereignty and protecting freedom of navigation.”
The joint statement said the coalition was established as a “framework for maritime defense cooperation” aimed at enhancing maritime security, protecting freedom of navigation, securing international trade and energy supply routes, and safeguarding maritime interests in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in accordance with international law, UN conventions and internationally recognized norms.
The statement said participating states would continue completing their domestic procedures necessary for formally acceding to the coalition’s charter. It also called for strengthening cooperation in maritime security, intelligence and information sharing, operational planning, joint exercises, exchange of lessons learned, training, capacity building and joint maritime operations in accordance with the coalition’s charter.
The Saudi Defense Ministry said Thursday’s meeting addressed the growing threats to maritime security, including the security of commercial vessels, oil tankers, and maritime infrastructure. It also explored ways to strengthen multilateral defense cooperation to protect supply chains and the global economy.
Participants also discussed the draft alliance charter, its organizational structure, command and control arrangements, and future operational mechanisms, the ministry said.
