Sahin Demir
30 July 2026•Update: 30 July 2026
Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries announced the creation on Thursday 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 announcement came in a joint statement issued at the conclusion of an international meeting hosted by by Riyadh, where chiefs of staff and representatives from 43 countries, as well as a delegation from the European Union, took part to discuss ways of enhancing the security of international maritime routes and countering threats to global navigation and trade.
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 statement also designated Saudi Arabia as the coalition’s founding and leading state and permanent headquarters, with the Joint Operations Coordination Center, the Joint Maritime Operations Center and the General Secretariat to be based in the kingdom.
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.
According to the ministry, 14 countries issued a joint statement at the conclusion of the meeting backing the creation of the maritime coalition, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, Yemen and the Comoros.
“The door remains open for other countries to accede to the coalition’s charter after completing their national procedures,” the ministry said.
The move comes amid escalating threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group declared what it called a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20 and subsequently claimed attacks on Saudi-linked vessels. Riyadh has vowed to protect maritime traffic and respond to threats against international navigation.
