Saudi Arabia has proposed the creation of a multinational maritime defence coalition to strengthen security across the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden, seeking broader regional cooperation as attacks on commercial shipping continue to disrupt one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade corridors.
The initiative was presented during a high-level meeting hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Defense, attended by chiefs of staff and military representatives from 43 countries alongside the Delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia. The meeting followed invitations extended to 51 countries and international organisations, underscoring broad international interest in safeguarding maritime trade and regional stability.
At the conclusion of the meeting, 14 countries issued a joint statement supporting the proposal: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Türkiye, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia. Several other participating countries expressed support in principle and indicated they would complete their domestic approval procedures before formally joining the coalition.
Delegates reviewed a draft charter covering the alliance’s governance framework, command-and-control arrangements, operational structure and legal mechanisms, while military planners agreed to continue finalising the technical and institutional documents required before the coalition’s formal establishment.
Under the proposed framework, Saudi Arabia would serve as the founding nation, lead the alliance and host its permanent headquarters, providing an institutional platform for coordinating multinational maritime operations, intelligence sharing and defence cooperation among participating states.
The coalition would focus on protecting merchant shipping, oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, and critical offshore and coastal infrastructure while reinforcing freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden—a maritime corridor connecting Europe and Asia that carries an estimated 12–15% of global seaborne trade and a significant share of international energy shipments.
The proposal comes as security risks in the Red Sea remain elevated following repeated attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, prompting shipping companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, extending transit times, raising freight and insurance costs, and adding pressure to global supply chains.
Saudi Arabia’s initiative also reflects the Kingdom’s broader ambition to assume a larger regional security role while protecting maritime routes that support its energy exports, expanding Red Sea economic developments and long-term economic diversification agenda under Vision 2030.
The proposed alliance would complement existing international maritime security operations, including the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian and the European Union’s Operation Aspides, by providing a broader regional framework for defence cooperation and operational coordination among participating countries rather than replacing existing missions.
The coalition has not yet been formally established. Military planners will continue refining the charter, governance structure and technical framework before participating governments complete national approval procedures and sign the founding documents, paving the way for the alliance’s official launch and commencement of operations.
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