Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)
Mains level: Not Much
Central Idea
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced its withdrawal from the U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a maritime coalition responsible for securing Gulf waterways crucial to global oil trade.
What is Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)?
| Establishment | 2002 |
| Location | Bahrain |
| Objective | Promoting security, stability, and prosperity across maritime regions |
| Member Nations | Over 30 member nations |
| Primary Task Forces | Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151), Combined Task Force 152 (CTF 152) |
| Operations | Counter-terrorism, counter-piracy, maritime security, and cooperation |
| Collaborations | United Nations, European Union, NATO, and regional partners |
| Contributions | Naval assets including warships, aircraft, and maritime patrol vessels |
| Focus Areas | Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, and surrounding areas |
Reasons for UAE’s withdrawal
- UAE has not provided specific reasons for its withdrawal from the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in the official statement.
- One potential factor could be a desire to distance themselves from perceived dependencies or entanglements with the US.
- This could be part of a broader strategy by the UAE to assert its own regional influence, pursue independent foreign policies, or rebalance its relationships with China and Iran.
Recent incidents and tensions in Gulf Waters
- In late April and early May, Iran seized two tankers, one of which was empty and travelling between the UAE ports of Dubai and Fujairah.
- Iran was also accused of launching a drone attack on an Israeli-owned tanker in November 2022, escalating tensions with the United States.
- As a response to increasing harassment by Iran, the US announced the deployment of reinforcements to the Gulf, a vital route for a significant portion of the world’s sea-borne oil.
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