Saudi led 14 nations establish Middle East maritime defense coalition

Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries established a maritime defense coalition on Thursday aimed at protecting shipping in key waterways of the Middle East. The announcement came after military figures from dozens of countries met in Riyadh to discuss the alliance. The Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition aims to tackle the growing challenges facing global maritime security, the alliance said in a joint statement.In a statement published on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance was established as a framework to strengthen collective maritime defence cooperation.
The states declared their intent to protect freedom of navigation, securing international trade routes and energy supply routes through the three waterways, which form a strategic maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. The move comes as the United States-Iran conflict has become focused on the Strait of Hormuz. The virtual closure of the route, which formerly carried about 20 percent of global oil and gas exports, is weighing heavily on the global economy.
It said the alliance will serve as a framework for maritime defence cooperation, aimed at enhancing maritime security, protecting freedom of navigation, securing international trade routes and energy supply lines. The alliance is part of efforts to safeguard shared maritime interests in Bab El-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden, in accordance with the provisions of international law. “The door remains open for other countries to accede to the coalition’s charter after completing their national procedures,” the Saudi ministry’s statement said.
The founding members of the coalition include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia. Member states said the coalition is purely defensive in nature, does not target any state, alliance, or international organisation, and conducts all its activities in full compliance with international law, respect for state sovereignty, and the protection of freedom of navigation. They agreed that Saudi Arabia is the founding and leading state of the coalition and serves as its permanent headquarters.