Pakistan has joined 13 other countries in backing a Saudi-led multinational maritime defense alliance aimed at protecting shipping routes through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
A joint statement issued after a meeting in Riyadh said the alliance will strengthen collective maritime defense cooperation and safeguard freedom of navigation across strategic waterways. Saudi Arabia will serve as the lead state and host the alliance headquarters.
The founding supporters include Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense said representatives from 51 countries and international organizations attended the meeting, reflecting growing international concern over maritime security in the region.
Officials discussed the draft charter, command structures, operational mechanisms and future work plan. The proposed alliance will include a Joint Command, a Command and Control Center, a Combined Maritime Operations Center and a General Secretariat in Saudi Arabia.
The ministry said the alliance will remain open to other countries that share its objectives and described it as an exclusively defensive initiative that will operate in accordance with international law and respect for state sovereignty.
The move comes amid rising concerns over attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor, a key global trade route that carries a significant share of international commerce.
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