The Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition held its fourth planning meeting at the Western Fleet Command in Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jeddah, bringing together 154 naval commanders, operational planners, ambassadors and European Union representatives from 41 allied and partner countries, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.
The meeting marked the coalition’s transition from its foundational phase toward active operations, according to SPA.
Participants discussed the progress achieved during the previous phase, the accession of countries to the coalition, operational requirements, and contributions from participating countries.
The coalition is working to integrate capabilities and prepare for operational execution and an active presence in the designated maritime area of operations, according to the report.
Saudi Arabia announced in July the establishment of a multinational maritime defense alliance it said aimed at protecting shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden. ■
