Saudi Arabia leads a multinational defensive maritime coalition to protect the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab

The Saudi Ministry of Defense issued the following statement:

"The Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted today, Thursday, July 30, 2026, a meeting of chiefs of staff, representatives of sisterly and friendly countries, and the Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom, to discuss the establishment of a multinational defensive maritime coalition, as part of efforts aimed at enhancing maritime security, protecting international sea lanes, and countering threats targeting maritime navigation and global trade. Saudi Arabia will be the founding state and leader of the coalition and will host its headquarters, reflecting international confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership role in تعزيز collective maritime security.

The participants agreed to continue the work of military planners from countries wishing to join the coalition during the coming phase, in order to complete the founding procedures, including finalizing the coalition’s charter and reference documents, organizational structure, command-and-control arrangements, operational mechanisms, and the necessary technical frameworks, in parallel with the completion of procedures.

The meeting saw broad participation by chiefs of staff and their representatives from 43 countries, in addition to the Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom, out of a total of 51 countries and organizations invited. Participation took place either in person or via video conference, reflecting growing international interest in strengthening maritime defense cooperation and underscoring the importance of unifying efforts to confront shared threats targeting the security of international sea lanes within the defined area of responsibility of this defensive coalition.

Participants discussed the growing threats targeting maritime security, including attacks on commercial vessels, oil tankers, and maritime infrastructure, and the risks these pose to the safety of maritime navigation, the stability of global supply chains, and the international economy. They stressed the importance of enhancing multilateral defense cooperation to confront and deter these threats and to preserve the security of international sea lanes.

Participants also discussed the draft charter of the multinational defensive maritime coalition, its reference documents, organizational structure, command-and-control arrangements, and future mechanisms and work plans, in a way that ensures the building of an effective institutional framework that strengthens maritime defense cooperation among participating states and addresses shared maritime threats in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

The meeting also reviewed the foundational arrangements for the multinational defensive maritime coalition project, foremost among them that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia be the founding state and leader of the coalition and host its headquarters, reflecting international confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership role in strengthening collective maritime security.

The participants agreed to continue the work of military planners from countries wishing to join the coalition during the coming phase to complete the founding procedures, including finalizing the coalition’s charter and reference documents, organizational structure, command-and-control arrangements, operational mechanisms, and the necessary technical frameworks, in parallel with the completion of the national procedures of countries wishing to join, in preparation for signing the charter, launching the coalition, and commencing its duties.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms that the multinational defensive maritime coalition represents an open international defense initiative that welcomes all countries sharing its goals and principles. It welcomes the accession and participation of any party, in accordance with its national procedures, in a manner that strengthens collective maritime security, safeguards freedom of navigation and global trade, and embodies the principle of sharing international responsibility in confronting common threats, based on the firm conviction that the security of international sea lanes is a collective responsibility requiring an effective and sustainable international partnership.

As part of the outcomes of this meeting, 14 of the participating countries issued a joint statement affirming their support for the multinational defensive maritime coalition project, having agreed on its foundational arrangements.

They are: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Yemen, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of the Sudan, the Republic of Djibouti, and the Federal Republic of Somalia. Other countries participating in the meeting also affirmed their support for the initiative and are in the process of completing the necessary internal national procedures and approvals to join the joint statement. The door will remain open for other interested countries to join this statement after completing their national procedures.

The meeting concluded by reaffirming the shared determination to move forward in completing the founding procedures for establishing the multinational defensive maritime coalition, in a way that enhances the collective ability to confront threats targeting maritime security, protects international sea lanes, safeguards freedom of navigation and global trade, and strengthens regional and international security and stability."