Manama: Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al Shehri, Commander of the Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition, announced that Saudi Arabia is spearheading an international initiative to establish a coalition aimed at enhancing maritime security and protecting global economic and maritime interests in the Bab al Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Rear Admiral Al Shehri emphasized the significance of the Kingdom's hosting of 43 countries at the coalition's founding meeting, highlighting it as evidence of a broad international consensus. The move underscores the collective responsibility for securing international waterways, emphasizing that multilateral defense cooperation and continuous coordination are essential for ensuring navigation freedom and securing supply chains and energy supplies.
He further noted that several countries announced their intent to join the coalition by the end of the meeting, with others in the process of completing their national arrangements. Membership is open to all interested countries. The coalition's headquarters and leadership being hosted in Saudi Arabia demonstrates the Kingdom's pivotal role in bolstering regional and international security and its leadership in building coalitions to counter shared maritime threats.
Rear Admiral Al Shehri reiterated that the coalition's primary goal is to strengthen maritime security, ensure freedom of navigation, secure trade routes, and protect maritime interests in the specified regions. He assured that the coalition is defensive in nature and does not target any specific country or organization, operating under the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, while respecting state sovereignty and freedom of navigation in international waters.