Saudi Arabia has appointed Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri to lead a newly formed multinational maritime defence coalition tasked with protecting critical shipping lanes and energy routes. The announcement came from the Saudi Ministry of Defence on Thursday, just one week after the coalition’s establishment on July 30.
The coalition was established by 14 founding members including Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey and Yemen. The alliance aims to safeguard freedom of navigation and secure international trade in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which form a crucial maritime corridor connecting the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean.
As commander, Al-Shehri will oversee joint naval operations, coordinate with member states and other maritime coalitions, and execute missions according to the coalition’s charter. The Saudi Ministry described the alliance as an open international coalition welcoming additional members that share its goals and principles. Several countries are currently completing procedures to join the coalition as founding members.
The coalition plans to hold a planning meeting on August 12-13 to establish its institutional framework and facilitate the accession of additional nations. According to the Saudi Ministry, the coalition continues to receive new membership applications from interested countries.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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