Saudi Arabia Announces Founding of Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced the establishment of a Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance, unveiling a joint declaration signed by participating countries aimed at strengthening maritime security, protecting strategic international shipping lanes, and enhancing collective defense cooperation.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Defense following a meeting of the alliance's founding member states in Riyadh on July 30.

According to the statement, the participating governments reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter and international law, stressing that growing threats to global maritime security require stronger international coordination and joint action to safeguard freedom of navigation and maritime trade.

The declaration said the new alliance seeks to enhance collective maritime defense cooperation, protect international shipping routes, and secure strategic waterways, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, in accordance with international law.

The founding members described maritime security as a shared international responsibility, emphasizing that cooperation and coordination among nations are essential to addressing cross-border threats and promoting regional and global peace and stability.

Under the agreement, participating countries pledged to complete their domestic procedures for formally joining the alliance in accordance with their constitutional and legal frameworks.

The declaration also outlines several areas of cooperation, including maritime security coordination, intelligence and information sharing, operational planning, joint military exercises and training, capacity building, and the development of mechanisms to improve interoperability among member states.

The statement stressed that all alliance activities and operations will respect the sovereignty of participating countries and remain consistent with each member state's national laws and procedures.

It further emphasized that the alliance is defensive in nature, does not target any specific country or organization, and is fully committed to international law, respect for state sovereignty, and the protection of freedom of navigation.

The founding members said the coalition remains open to additional countries that share its objectives and are willing to comply with the alliance's legal framework, with the aim of expanding international cooperation to enhance maritime security in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and surrounding waterways.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense said representatives of 14 countries approved the alliance's charter and agreed to proceed with the establishment of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance.

The founding members are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.

The declaration also calls for the establishment of a permanent military command, a joint command-and-control center, and a combined maritime operations center to coordinate the alliance's activities.

Concluding the statement, the founding members said the creation of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance represents a strategic step toward strengthening maritime security in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, supporting regional stability and prosperity, and complementing international efforts to protect global trade routes and maritime navigation.