Saudi Arabia Names Commander Of Multinational Maritime Coalition For Red Sea, Gulf Of Aden

Saudi Arabia has appointed Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri as commander of a multinational maritime defence coalition formed to protect freedom of navigation and secure trade and energy routes in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Saudi Ministry of Defence announced the appointment on Thursday, a week after Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries announced the creation of the Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition.

As commander, Al-Shehri will oversee joint naval defence activities, coordinate with member states and other maritime coalitions, and carry out missions under the coalition’s charter, the ministry said in a statement posted on X.

The coalition was formed on July 30 by Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye and Yemen.

The member countries said the alliance aims to protect freedom of navigation, international trade routes and energy supply routes in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, key maritime passages connecting the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean.

More countries preparing to join coalition

The Saudi Defence Ministry said more countries are completing procedures to join the coalition.

Some countries have already signed the joint declaration, while others are preparing to sign the declaration and charter before formally joining as founding members.

The ministry described the coalition as an “open international coalition” and said it welcomes countries that share its goals and principles. It added that the alliance continues to receive membership applications.

A separate statement will later be issued with the names of countries that have completed the signing process.

The coalition will hold a planning meeting on Aug. 12-13 to finalise its institutional framework and prepare for additional countries to join.

Focus on major shipping routes

The coalition’s focus areas include some of the world’s most important maritime routes for commercial shipping and energy transportation.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden provide a connection between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, while the Red Sea is a major route for vessels travelling between Asian and European markets.

Maritime security in the region remains a concern, with the Strait of Hormuz also in focus after the United States-Israel war on Iran.

Before the conflict, around 20% of global oil and gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The virtual closure of the route during the conflict has affected the global economy, according to the information provided by the Saudi statement.

Al-Shehri’s naval background

Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri has more than 32 years of military leadership and operational experience.

He previously served as head of planning, budget and force development for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. He also served as director of the Naval Oversight and Follow-up Office in Spain, director of the Sarawat Project for the construction of five naval combat ships, and secretary of the executive steering committee overseeing defence cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Spain.

Al-Shehri holds a master’s degree in Defence Policy and International Security from the Complutense University of Madrid and a master’s degree in Human Resource Systems Management from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

He has also completed advanced military education in the United Kingdom, Spain and France and has received several military decorations during his career.

References: Al Jazeera, SPA