Saudi Arabia hosted on Thursday an international meeting to discuss its initiative to establish a multinational “Maritime Defense Coalition”, as part of its efforts to enhance maritime security, protect international sea lanes, and counter threats targeting maritime navigation and global trade. The meeting witnessed broad participation from chiefs of staff and their representatives from 43 countries, as well as the European Delegation to Saudi Arabia. This reflects growing international interest in boosting maritime defense cooperation and underscoring the importance of unifying efforts to confront shared threats targeting the security of international sea lanes within the defense coalition's designated scope of responsibility. Participants discussed growing threats to maritime security, including attacks on commercial ships, energy tankers, and maritime infrastructure, and the risks they pose to the safety of navigation, the stability of global supply chains, and the international economy. They underscored the importance of enhancing multilateral defense cooperation to confront and deter these threats, and to maintain the security of international sea lanes. The meeting addressed the draft charter of the multinational Maritime Defense Coalition, its reference documents, organizational structure, command and control arrangements, operational mechanisms, and future steps. This aims to ensure the establishment of an effective institutional framework that bolsters maritime defense cooperation among participating nations and confronts shared maritime threats in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden. The participants discussed the foundational arrangements for the coalition, primarily that Saudi Arabia will serve as its founding and leading nation and host its headquarters, reflecting international confidence in its leadership role in strengthening collective maritime security. Gatherers are seen at the meeting on Thursday. (Saudi Defense Ministry) The gatherers agreed to continue the work of military planners from nations wishing to join the coalition during the upcoming phase to complete foundational procedures. This includes finalizing the coalition's charter, reference documents, organizational structure, command and control arrangements, operational mechanisms, and forming the necessary frameworks and technical teams, along with completing national procedures for countries wishing to join, in preparation for signing the charter, launching the coalition, and kicking off its duties. For its part, Saudi Arabia stressed that the coalition represents an open international defense initiative that accommodates all countries sharing its goals and principles, welcoming their accession and participation in its efforts, in accordance with their national procedures. This aims to deepen collective maritime security, safeguard the freedom of navigation and global trade, and embody the principle of shared international responsibility in confronting common threats, stemming from a firm conviction that the security of international sea lanes is a collective responsibility requiring an effective and sustainable international partnership. Furthermore, 14 countries issued a joint statement affirming their support for the coalition project and welcoming the consensus achieved regarding its foundational arrangements. They are: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia. Other countries expressed their support for the initiative and are in the process of completing their necessary domestic national procedures and approvals to join the joint statement. The meeting concluded by underscoring the shared determination to move forward with completing the foundational procedures to establish the coalition, thereby bolstering collective capability to confront and deter threats targeting maritime security, protecting international sea lanes, safeguarding freedom of navigation and global trade, and promoting regional and international security and stability.
