Saudi Arabia and 7 countries form council to secure Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman praised on Monday the formation of the a new council aimed at securing the waterways of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The council, which includes Egypt, Jordan, Eritrea, Yemen, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia, will increase cooperation between the countries and aims to tackle piracy, smuggling and other threats in the seas that are key international shipping routes.

King Salman met the foreign ministers of the countries involved in Riyadh on Monday.

They discussed a number of issues related to developing joint cooperation in order to enhance security and stability in the region.

The ministers signed a founding charter for the Council of Arab and African States bordering the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, said the meeting came at a sensitive time when cooperation needs to be increased capabilities enhanced “so that we can deal with any risks or challenges facing our region, and work to protect the security of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”

“The Kingdom is very keen to coordinate and cooperate with the member states of this council, to face these challenges and the risks that surround us from every side,” he added.

The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are two of the world’s busiest shipping routes connecting Europe to Asia and the Middle East.