🔸Saudi Arabia’s initiative: a 14-country multinational naval defense alliance

🔸Saudi Arabia’s initiative: a 14-country multinational naval defense alliance

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Thursday, July 30, that 14 countries have backed Saudi Arabia’s proposal to form a “multinational naval defense alliance” aimed at protecting international shipping lanes and global trade.

The countries are: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia.

The ministry said that the chiefs of the general staffs of the armed forces and representatives from 43 countries took part in a meeting on the initiative either in person or via video conference. A delegation from the European Union was also present at the meeting.

According to the statement, the participants discussed attacks on commercial vessels, energy-carrying ships, and maritime infrastructure, as well as the risks these actions create for navigation, global supply chains, and the international economy.

The statement said: “It was agreed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would be the founding country and leader of this alliance and would host its headquarters.”