The Red Sea, a strategic maritime corridor linking the Suez Canal to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Photo: NASA
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has proposed the creation of a multinational maritime defence alliance involving 43 countries to strengthen security across the Red Sea and safeguard one of the world’s busiest trade routes amid escalating regional tensions.
The proposal was announced on Thursday, July 30, after the Saudi Ministry of Defence hosted a meeting in Riyadh attended by chiefs of staff and military representatives from 43 countries, along with the European Union delegation.
According to the ministry, the proposed alliance aims to enhance maritime security, protect international shipping lanes and energy supply routes, and counter growing threats targeting commercial vessels, oil tankers and maritime infrastructure in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi Arabia would serve as the founding and leading state of the alliance and host its headquarters.
During the meeting, participants discussed the draft charter of the proposed coalition, its organisational structure, command and control arrangements, operational mechanisms and the next steps required before its formal launch. Military planners from interested countries will continue work on the alliance’s legal and institutional framework.
The ministry said the initiative would remain open to all countries that share its objectives, allowing them to join after completing their respective national approval procedures.
Following the meeting, 14 participating countries issued a joint statement backing the proposed alliance. They include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.
Saudi officials said several other participating countries had also expressed support and are completing domestic procedures before formally joining the initiative. The option to sign the joint statement will remain open to additional countries.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman were not among the countries listed as signatories.
The proposal comes as attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea continue to raise concerns over global trade and energy supplies.
On July 20, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group announced what it described as a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea and has since claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on Saudi-linked vessels. In response, Saudi Arabia has carried out air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen’s Hodeidah, saying the sites were being used to threaten international shipping.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, handling a significant share of global trade and energy shipments.
Saudi Arabia said the proposed alliance reflects a shared international commitment to protecting freedom of navigation, securing global supply chains and strengthening collective maritime security in the face of evolving regional threats.
This post was last modified on July 30, 2026 11:55 pm