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Bangladesh has joined a new Saudi Arabia-led multinational maritime defense alliance (Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance), formed to ensure the security of vital international shipping lanes amidst growing tensions in the Middle East. A total of 14 countries, including Saudi Arabia, have become members of this alliance.
According to an Al Jazeera report, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense announced the formation of the alliance in a statement on Thursday (July 30). Its objective is to ensure freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, and to bolster the security of critical routes for international trade and energy supply.
Besides Bangladesh, the alliance also includes Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, and Comoros.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that member countries would engage in intelligence sharing, joint planning, coordinated military exercises, and, when necessary, joint maritime operations to ensure maritime security. The statement also emphasized that the alliance is purely defensive and not aimed at any specific country.
According to analysts, international vessels navigating through Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea have faced new security risks due to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz stemming from the US-Iran conflict, and attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The initiative to form this alliance has been taken to ensure security in these vital maritime routes under such circumstances.
Stakeholders consider Bangladesh’s inclusion in this alliance particularly significant. As a substantial portion of the country’s import-export trade relies on sea routes, ensuring the security of international shipping lanes is closely linked to Bangladesh’s economic interests.
Approximately 10 to 12 percent of the world’s maritime trade, along with a significant amount of crude oil and fuel, is transported daily through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Consequently, any instability in this route could have a major impact on global energy markets and international trade.