MANAMA, Bahrain – The commander of the Kuwait-led combined task force responsible for gulf maritime security within Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) conducted a visit to Qatar Emiri Naval Base to continue strengthening the relationship between Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) and CMF, April 29.

Kuwait Commodore Mohammad Alarefi, commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 152, and staff met with Qatar Major General Abdullah Bin Hassan Al-sulaiti, head of QENF, to highlight the importance of cooperation in the region, Qatar’s role within CMF, and future capabilities and opportunities in the Arabian Gulf.

“The Arabian Gulf is one of the most strategically vital waterways in the world. Its security is not the responsibility of any one nation; it is a shared duty, a collective responsibility that we all bear,” Alarefi said. “Maritime security in this region cannot be achieved in isolation… It requires unity of purpose, consistent collaboration, and a long-term commitment to one another.”

CTF 152 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the world’s largest international naval partnership. CTF 152’s mission is to counter smuggling activities, disrupt activities that support terrorism using the maritime commons and to support legal fishing in the Arabian Gulf.

Combined Maritime Forces is a 46-nation naval partnership upholding the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.