The Ministry of Defense on Thursday hosted chiefs of staff and representatives of friendly countries, together with the Delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia, to discuss the Kingdom's initiative to set up a multinational maritime defence alliance aimed at strengthening maritime security, protecting international sea lanes and countering threats to shipping and global trade.

Chiefs of staff or their representatives from 43 countries, along with the EU delegation, attended in person or by video link, out of 51 countries and organisations invited, a turnout that reflects growing international interest in joint maritime defence.

Participants discussed rising threats including attacks on commercial ships, energy tankers and maritime infrastructure, and the risks they pose to safe navigation, supply chains and the world economy, stressing the need for stronger multilateral defence cooperation to deter them.

They reviewed the alliance's draft charter, reference documents, organisational structure, command and control arrangements, operating mechanisms and work plan, intended to create an effective framework for dealing with shared threats in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Among the founding arrangements discussed was that Saudi Arabia would be the founding and leading state and host the headquarters.

Military planners from countries wishing to join will continue work in the next phase to finalise the charter, structure, command arrangements and technical groups, while those countries complete national procedures ahead of signing the charter and launching operations.

The Kingdom said the alliance is an open initiative welcoming all countries that share its aims, built on the conviction that the security of international sea lanes is a collective responsibility requiring a lasting international partnership to protect freedom of navigation and trade.

Fourteen countries issued a joint declaration of support welcoming the consensus on the founding arrangements: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia. Other participants also voiced support and are completing internal approvals, and the declaration remains open to them and to other interested states.

Participants ended the meeting by reaffirming their determination to complete the founding steps, saying the alliance will strengthen their joint ability to deter maritime threats and promote regional and international security and stability.