Key Points
- Riyadh meeting attended by representatives from 43 countries.
- Alliance targets growing maritime security threats.
- Focus on Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
- Saudi Arabia to host alliance headquarters.
- Charter and command structure under review.
- Membership remains open to additional countries.
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced plans to establish a Multinational Maritime Defence Alliance, with Pakistan joining 13 other countries in endorsing the initiative aimed at protecting critical international shipping routes and countering growing maritime security threats.
The proposal was unveiled during a high-level meeting hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Defence in Riyadh, attended by chiefs of staff and senior military officials from 43 countries, along with representatives of the European Union. The participants discussed creating a coordinated international framework to safeguard global sea lanes, enhance maritime navigation security, and strengthen collective defence cooperation.
Growing maritime threats
Delegates voiced concern over the increasing number of attacks on commercial vessels, oil tankers, and maritime infrastructure, warning that such incidents threaten international trade, global supply chains, and economic stability. They stressed the need for a unified multinational response to ensure the safety of international waterways.
During the meeting, participants reviewed the proposed alliance’s founding charter, governance structure, command-and-control system, operational framework, and the roadmap for its formal establishment.
صدور بيان مشترك عن 14 دولة من الدول المشاركة لإنشاء التحالف البحري الدفاعي متعدد الجنسيات، مع استمرار انضمام بقية الدول فور استكمال إجراءاتها الوطنية، وبقاء باب الانضمام مفتوحًا أمام جميع الدول الراغبة. pic.twitter.com/A5EmSLvkjk
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) July 30, 2026
Strategic maritime focus
The alliance is expected to focus on securing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden — three of the world’s busiest and most strategically important maritime corridors.
Participants agreed that Saudi Arabia would serve as the alliance’s founding nation and host its permanent headquarters, highlighting the Kingdom’s expanding role in regional and international maritime security.
Military experts from interested countries will continue technical consultations to finalise the alliance’s charter, organisational structure, command arrangements, and operational mechanisms before its official launch.
وشهد الاجتماع مشاركة رؤساء الأركان وممثليهم من 43 دولة إلى جانب مندوبية الاتحاد الأوروبي لدى المملكة، من أصل 51 دولة ومنظمة مدعوة، بما يعكس الاهتمام الدولي بتعزيز التعاون الدفاعي البحري وتوحيد الجهود لحماية أمن الممرات البحرية. pic.twitter.com/la8vuyh7DF
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) July 30, 2026
Broad international support
Saudi Arabia said the initiative would remain open to all countries that share its objectives, adding that participation would be subject to each state’s domestic approval procedures.
At the conclusion of the meeting, 14 countries — Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia — issued a joint statement endorsing the proposed alliance and welcoming progress on its foundational arrangements.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence said several other participating countries have also expressed support for the initiative and are expected to join the joint declaration after completing their respective national procedures.
The participating countries reaffirmed their commitment to completing the alliance’s establishment, saying it would strengthen collective efforts to protect international shipping lanes, preserve freedom of navigation, secure global commerce, and promote regional and international stability.
