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[INTERNATIONAL] · Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar · 5 sources

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Saudi Arabia leads creation of multinational maritime defense alliance

The Saudi Ministry of Defense hosted a meeting in Riyadh that brought together chiefs of staff from 43 countries and a delegation from the European Union to discuss establishing a multinational maritime defence alliance. The participants examined growing threats to commercial vessels, oil tankers and maritime infrastructure in the Red Sea, the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, and agreed that the alliance should protect international sea lanes and global supply chains.

Saudi Arabia will act as the founding and leading state, with the alliance’s headquarters to be located in Riyadh. Delegates reviewed a draft charter, organisational structure, command‑and‑control arrangements and operational procedures, and pledged to continue work on finalising the charter and launching the alliance. Fourteen countries issued a joint statement endorsing the initiative, while other invited states are completing national procedures to join.

The alliance is intended to provide a collective deterrent capability against maritime attacks and to ensure the free flow of trade through these strategic waterways.

Entities

Bab al-Mandeb Strait · Kingdom of Saudi Arabia · Lt. Gen. Small Ben Aziz · Red Sea · Riyadh · Saudi Arabia · Yemen

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