Manama: Under the chairmanship of Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the United Nations Security Council held an Arria-formula meeting, organised by the Kingdom of Bahrain under the theme "Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in a Changing Security Environment," at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the meeting followed a high-level open debate on maritime security held by the Security Council at the invitation of Bahrain during its presidency of the Council in April 2026, and was convened in light of recent developments affecting maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Bab Al Mandab, and the Red Sea following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption of maritime traffic through it.
The meeting aimed to move from identifying risks towards strengthening practical capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from major maritime disruptions. More than 50 speakers participated in the meeting, including Dr. Rania Al Mashat, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA); Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General and Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Beate Andrees, Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO); Thomas Kazakos, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping; and Professor Christian Bueger of the University of Copenhagen and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.
The interventions by the main speakers underscored that maritime insecurity does not remain confined to the sea, as vital maritime routes serve as shared arteries of international security and prosperity, carrying energy, food, and essential goods that account for more than 80% of global merchandise trade.
ESCWA noted that the Strait of Hormuz accounts for approximately 25% of global seaborne oil trade and 19% of liquefied natural gas trade, while the cost of the conflict during its first month was estimated at approximately $150 billion, equivalent to around 4% of regional GDP.
Kazakos stressed the need to respect the right of transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law and not subject it to political permits or arbitrary restrictions. He warned that any infringement of this right would establish a precedent whose impact would extend beyond the region. He also stressed that seafarers are civilians with no role in geopolitical conflicts, amid reports that 22 seafarers had been killed and that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had declined by approximately 95% during the crisis.
Andrees addressed the humanitarian and labour dimensions of the crisis, stressing the importance of the practical implementation of relevant international labour standards to protect and support seafarers during periods of disruption, including emergency assistance, evacuation and repatriation, medical support, and crew changes.
Professor Bueger noted that the current disruptions reflect a broader erosion of the international maritime order rather than isolated regional crises. He called for sustained global dialogue on responsible behaviour at sea and proposed three institutional measures for future consideration: making maritime security a permanent item on the Security Council's agenda, appointing a special envoy or a high-level panel of experts, and establishing a permanent mechanism for exchanging information, expertise, and legal analysis.
The meeting concluded with four areas for action: prevention, through adherence to international law and freedom of navigation and the strengthening of early-warning mechanisms; preparedness, through contingency planning and pre-established coordination channels; response, through the rapid exchange of information and protection of seafarers; and recovery and resilience-building, through restoring commercial confidence and supporting affected economies.
The meeting also heard interventions from Security Council members and a number of Arab and other countries, addressing the illegality of Iranian practices in the region. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco, delivered an intervention commending the role of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a hub connecting the seas and underscoring the international impact of violations in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandab on maritime navigation in different parts of the world.
Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, stressed the need to secure and protect supply chains, trade, and energy flows without obstacles or restrictions, highlighting the importance of supporting all efforts aimed at reducing tensions in a manner that safeguards the security, stability, and prosperity of the countries of the region.
The Kingdom of Bahrain, as the convening country, affirmed that it would continue consultations with Security Council members, the United Nations, relevant international and regional organisations, and stakeholders in the maritime sector on the practical proposals put forward during the meeting, in a manner that strengthens efforts to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from maritime threats.