Saudi Arabia Leads Initiative for Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance
Saudi Arabia hosted an international meeting in Riyadh to advance its proposal for a multinational maritime defense alliance. The initiative aims to strengthen maritime security, protect international shipping lanes, and counter threats to global trade. Chiefs of staff and representatives from 43 countries, along with the European Union Delegation to Saudi Arabia, participated in the meeting. The coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, will have its permanent headquarters in the Kingdom. Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt, endorsed the proposed alliance, which seeks to protect freedom of navigation and international trade routes through strategic waterways such as the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. 
