Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries have confirmed the creation of a maritime military coalition to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with more nations expected to join. Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye and Yemen are the first to sign up. How significant is this alliance to the region?
On Thursday, the Saudi Ministry of Defence announced that 15 countries have signed a declaration, 13 of which have fully joined the coalition so far. On July 30, the ministry had announced the creation of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance as a framework to strengthen collective maritime defence cooperation. The ministry described the coalition as “an open international coalition that welcomes the accession of all countries that align with its goals and principles”, adding that it continues to receive new membership applications.
On August 13, it posted on X: “The number of countries that signed the joint statement reached 15 countries, while 13 countries completed their national procedures, signed the coalition charter, and officially announced their accession.” The statement came after the third meeting of the alliance, which was held on August 13 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Details of how the alliance would work are still being formulated, but, according to the ministry, member states will exchange information and intelligence, develop operational planning, and conduct joint naval exercises and drills, in addition to building military capabilities and carrying out joint naval operations. The ministry earlier announced that Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri has been appointed as the commander of the coalition.
He will oversee joint naval defence, coordinate with member states and other maritime coalitions, and carry out missions under the coalition’s charter. The announcement of the coalition comes as the United States-Israel war on Iran continues to upend the energy and civil infrastructure of the Gulf region. It also comes as the war increases its focus on the Strait of Hormuz.
The virtual closure of the route, which formerly carried about 20 percent of global oil and natural gas exports, is weighing heavily on the global economy. In a recent escalation, Saudi-flagged ships in the Bab al-Mandeb-Red Sea-Gulf of Aden route have come under repeated attack from Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen. Ahmed Nagi, International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Yemen, told Al Jazeera that the new maritime alliance could be significant, but its importance will depend on how effective it is in practice.
While some of these initiatives had political significance, many struggled to translate their objectives into tangible results on the ground,” he said. It could become important if it is able to turn agreements and political commitments into concrete action that addresses the threats to maritime security and freedom of navigation,” he added. Nagi, however, highlighted that the alliance is an attempt from Saudi Arabia not only to deter the Houthis but also to frame the Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea as a global issue, rather than just a Saudi one.
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