Global Food Supply Disrupted as Maritime Conflicts Escalate

New york: The disruption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Black Sea, and Bab al-Mandab Strait has exacerbated hunger crises and must be immediately addressed, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr. Guterres highlighted that the global food supply chain has become collateral damage in ongoing conflicts involving the US, Iran, and Israel; Russia and Ukraine; and the Yemeni Houthis and Saudi Arabia. According to United Nations, Mr. Guterres stressed that maritime chokepoints should never be used as instruments of coercion, and the delivery of essential goods like food and energy must remain unhindered. He pointed out that the unimpeded exercise of navigational rights and freedoms is crucial for ensuring peace, security, and shared prosperity. Protecting these rights is not only a legal obligation but also a humanitarian necessity. In the Strait of Hormuz, commercial shipping has drastically slowed as US and Iranian forces escort limited numbers of mos tly oil tankers through separate sections of the strait they control. This decline in traffic has resulted in spiked oil prices and increased container rates, indirectly raising the cost of food and fertilizers. Meanwhile, in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have declared a naval blockade against Saudi-linked shipping. Historically, about 12% of seaborne oil trade has passed through Bab al-Mandab and approximately 20% of the world's oil supply through Hormuz. The current conflicts have led to global oil price shocks and further increased prices. In the Black Sea, intensified attacks by Russian and Ukrainian forces on ports and cargo ships threaten the global grain supply. These conflicts are making food more expensive to produce and ship and are putting grain shipments from major exporters at significant risk. Mr. Guterres noted that these crises are choking global trade arteries and squeezing the global food system, resulting in higher prices, deepening hunger, weaker harvest s, and greater suffering, particularly for the world's most vulnerable populations. Navigational rights, rooted in international law, are vital for maintaining international peace and security. Under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), countries bordering straits should not impede transit passage, although the US, Iran, and Israel have not ratified the treaty. Mr. Guterres reiterated that these rights and freedoms are not merely abstract principles but are enshrined in international law. To address the situation, Mr. Guterres referred to a task force he established in March for ensuring safe and predictable maritime transit for humanitarian purposes through the Strait of Hormuz. Headed by UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva, the task force currently focuses on commercial fertilizers and related raw materials but could expand to include other products. Mr. Guterres described this mechanism as a temporary measure until full navigational freedom i s reestablished, emphasizing that it is a practical first step but not a substitute for the necessary political solutions to end these conflicts.