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The Saudi Defense Ministry said the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition initiated its operational phase on Wednesday from the designated command headquarters in the Kingdom. Commodore Rashid Sheikh of Pakistan has assumed the position of deputy commander in line with prior agreements on leadership rotation. Liaison officers from multiple member states have begun assignments at the headquarters while additional officers from nations completing accession procedures are being integrated into the structure. This marks the shift of the coalition into active status following extended planning.
According to a joint statement by the founding states issued on July 30 the coalition was formed to strengthen maritime defense cooperation and address challenges to security in key areas. The participating governments committed to safeguarding freedom of navigation protecting international trade routes and securing global energy supplies through the Bab al-Mandab Strait the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia was named the founding and leading state responsible for hosting the permanent headquarters along with the joint command the command and control center the combined maritime operations center and the general secretariat. The founding document stressed that the coalition operates in accordance with the United Nations Charter international law and recognized maritime norms.
The Saudi Defense Ministry reported in an August 13 statement that the third planning meeting in Jeddah drew representatives from 39 countries to advance activation plans. Fifteen nations had signed the joint statement by that stage while 13 had finished domestic procedures to formally join the charter the ministry said. Rear Adm. Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri of Saudi Arabia was appointed overall commander with the first deputy commander position assigned to Pakistan. Those steps completed the coalition’s organizational and planning frameworks including its emblem and reference documents.
A press statement from the ministry following the Jeddah meeting noted that arrangements were finalized for embedding officers from member states into the joint command maritime operations and intelligence components. The integration process has now started as the coalition moves from institutional setup to functional operations. The ministry added that remaining countries are continuing their national processes to accede to the alliance which remains open to additional partners sharing its goals.
Founding documents list core members as including Bahrain Bangladesh the Comoros Djibouti Egypt Jordan Kuwait Pakistan Qatar Saudi Arabia Somalia Sudan Turkey and Yemen according to details released by the Saudi Embassy. This composition brings together states across the Gulf the broader Middle East and parts of Africa and South Asia to coordinate on maritime defense. The ministry has previously indicated that the structure will support information sharing and joint activities to maintain stability in regional sea lanes.
The Saudi Defense Ministry has stated that the operational launch builds directly on progress achieved during the July founding meeting in Riyadh and the subsequent August planning session. Chiefs of staff and representatives from more than 40 countries plus a European Union delegation participated in early discussions that shaped the coalition’s direction. The command headquarters will now serve as the central hub for executing defensive missions and enhancing readiness across its area of responsibility.
