A group of 14 States has expressed this Thursday its support for the launch of a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at strengthening security cooperation in the Bab el Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
In a joint statement released by the Ministry of Defense of Saudi Arabia, the signatories emphasized that "Maritime security is a shared responsibility and cooperation and coordination among States are the cornerstone to address common and transnational maritime threats, thus contributing to greater global security, stability, and prosperity."
The plan provides for the drafting of a statute for this alliance, in order to facilitate collaboration among the States involved in the "exchange of information and intelligence, operational planning, joint exercises, lessons learned, training, capacity development, and execution of joint maritime operations."
The participating countries have stressed that "The coalition is purely defensive in nature and does not target any State, alliance, or international organization, and conducts its activities within the framework of full compliance with International Law, respect for the sovereignty of States, and the protection of freedom of navigation."
In the same text, they have called on those States "that share the objectives and principles of the coalition" to join the initiative and thus "expand cooperation and strengthen collective maritime security in the Bab el Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden."
The statement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Yemen, has been made public in a context marked by attacks from Houthi rebels against Saudi territory and after a meeting held in Riyadh with the presence of chiefs of staff and representatives from up to 43 countries, in addition to the delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia.