Saudi Arabia hosted an international meeting to discuss forming a maritime
defense alliance, the Saudi defense ministry said. Delegations from 43 countries
and an EU delegation attended; participants discussed Saudi Arabia acting as
founding leader and host of the proposed alliance’s headquarters. The grouping
would bolster defense cooperation across the Bab al‑Mandeb, Red Sea and Gulf of
Aden to protect navigation and global trade. Fourteen countries, including
Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti, issued a joint statement backing
the proposal. The defense ministry said any country may apply to join.
