Play store
Saudi Arabia has appointed Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri to lead the newly formed Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition, a 14-nation alliance established to safeguard freedom of navigation and secure vital shipping lanes in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In a statement on Thursday, the Saudi Ministry of Defence said Al-Shehri will oversee joint naval defence operations, coordinate with member states and other maritime alliances, and implement the coalition’s charter.
The coalition was launched on July 30 by Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye and Yemen to protect international trade and energy supply routes through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
Saudi Arabia said additional countries are in the process of joining the alliance, with some already signing the joint declaration while others are preparing to complete the required procedures. The ministry described the coalition as an open international partnership that welcomes countries sharing its objectives and principles.
A planning meeting is scheduled for August 12-13 to finalise the coalition’s institutional framework and facilitate the accession of new members.
The initiative comes amid heightened concerns over global maritime security as tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt key shipping routes. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, together with the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, forms a critical link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, while instability surrounding the Strait of Hormuz has raised concerns over global energy supplies and international trade.
