Shafaqna Pakistan: Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries, including Pakistan, on Thursday announced the formation of a multinational maritime defence coalition to enhance the security of key shipping lanes and protect freedom of navigation, international trade and energy supply routes in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Defence, representatives from 43 countries and the European Union participated in an international meeting to discuss the proposed alliance. The gathering endorsed Saudi Arabia as the coalition’s founding and lead nation, with its headquarters to be based in the Kingdom.
The ministry said the coalition aims to strengthen maritime security, ensure freedom of navigation, protect international trade and energy supply routes, and safeguard shared maritime interests across the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea 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.
“This aims to establish an effective institutional framework for cooperation in confronting shared maritime threats in areas including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden,” it added.
The ministry said participants reached understandings on finalizing the establishment procedures, including the final draft of the alliance charter and completing the necessary organizational structures and technical arrangements, paving the way for the alliance’s launch and the commencement of its operations.
It said the alliance represents an international defense initiative open to all countries wishing to join, and aims to protect freedom of navigation and global trade, and to enhance regional and international security and stability in the face of threats targeting international maritime routes.
“The door remains open for other countries to accede to the coalition’s charter after completing their national procedures,” the ministry said.
The announcement comes a day after two sources familiar with the deliberations told Reuters that Saudi Arabia was seeking to build an international coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks.
Source: Express Tribune
