KUWAIT CITY, September 22, 2026 — The goal of becoming a part of the ongoing security talks between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is being achieved in the maritime domain, while coordinating efforts for stability in the region and the safety of one of the most vital maritime routes in the world.
On September 21, 2026, the Foreign Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, talked over the phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to discuss the recent developments in the regional matters and the diplomatic work done to strengthen the security and stability. Particular emphasis was put on the issue of maintaining safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as has been declared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait.
On the same date, Kuwait’s Interior Ministry Undersecretary Lt Gen Abdulwahab Al-Wuhaib took part in the Military and Security Coordination Committee meeting, conducted virtually under the Kuwait-Saudi Coordination Council. Representatives from various institutions met in the virtual conference, including law enforcement organisations, defence and foreign affairs ministries, the National Cybersecurity Center of Kuwait, and the Kuwaiti Anti-Corruption Agency known as Nazaha, which suggests that their cooperation is not limited to military cooperation only.
The meeting focused on the joint initiatives and how to improve military and security cooperation, stressing the cooperation in terms of knowledge and information sharing. The Saudi Gazette indicated that the meeting took place on September 21 and was already the third meeting of the committee.
The timing gives the discussions added significance because of the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. Located between Iran and Oman, the waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and remains one of the world’s most important oil-transit chokepoints. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an average of 20.9 million barrels per day of crude oil, condensate and petroleum products passed through the strait during the first half of 2025. That volume was equivalent to approximately 20% of global petroleum-liquids consumption and around 25% of global maritime oil trade.
The security environment has also placed freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers under renewed international scrutiny. In July 2026, the International Maritime Organization Council reaffirmed that the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation should not be threatened, impeded, denied, hampered, impaired or suspended.
