Bahrain Chairs UN Security Council Debate on Maritime Security Amid Rising Global Threats

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, chaired a high-level open debate of the United Nations Security Council on maritime security, as part of the Kingdom’s presidency of the Council for April.

The session, convened at Bahrain’s request, brought together senior international officials, including António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, along with global experts in naval and maritime security.

In his opening remarks, Al Zayani highlighted the urgency of addressing growing threats to maritime security, noting that the debate comes at a critical time marked by escalating global challenges and deliberate attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation through international waterways.

He emphasised that more than 90,000 vessels traverse oceans and seas daily, facilitating global trade worth trillions of dollars, underscoring the need for a coordinated international response to safeguard maritime routes.

The minister also expressed appreciation to nearly 100 countries that have joined a Bahrain-led statement on maritime security, which condemns Iranian actions, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its use as a political and economic tool.

Al Zayani stressed that freedom of navigation remains a fundamental principle of international law and global peace, calling for full compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which governs maritime rights and transit through international straits.

The session saw participation from more than 80 countries, reflecting broad international concern over maritime security and the need to ensure the continued flow of global trade and stability across key shipping routes.