UK and France host military planners for talks on safeguarding Strait of Hormuz
Over the next two days, military planners from more than 30 nations will convene at a UK-France-led conference to discuss plans to keep the world's most important oil transit chokepoint open.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil transits, has been a source of tension between the US and Iran, and with ceasefire negotiations now stuck in limbo, global economic shockwaves have followed in its wake.
Hosted at the UK's Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) at Northwood, the talks aim to build on last week's discussions between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron, where both leaders announced the coordination of a peaceful mission to defend the freedom of navigation in the strait.
It is intended to protect merchant vessels, reassure commercial shipping operators and conduct mine clearance operations.
A multinational effort
The two-day conference in London on 22 and 23 April will focus on military capabilities, command and control, and how military forces could deploy to the region.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: "The task, today and tomorrow, is to translate the diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the strait and support a lasting ceasefire."
He added that he was confident that "real progress can be made".
"International trade, energy security and the stability of the global economy depend on freedom of navigation," he continued.
"By building on our common purpose, strengthening multinational co-ordination and planning for effective collective action, we can help reopen the strait, stabilise the global economy and protect our people."
This article will be updated periodically with developments of the talks.
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