Global Food Supply Faces Severe Disruption Due to Maritime Conflicts: UN Chief Warns

New york: The disruption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Black Sea, and Bab al-Mandab Strait has worsened hunger crises and must immediately end, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. Speaking to reporters in New York on Monday, Mr. Guterres warned that the global food supply has become collateral damage in conflicts involving the US, Iran, and Israel; Russia and Ukraine; and the Yemeni Houthis and Saudi Arabia. According to United Nations, the Secretary-General emphasized that maritime chokepoints must never become instruments of coercion and that the delivery of food, energy, and essential goods must never be impeded. The unimpeded exercise of navigational rights and freedoms is a cornerstone of peace, security, and shared prosperity, and must be respected, Mr. Guterres said. Protecting it is a legal obligation and a humanitarian imperative. Conflicts are constricting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where US and Iranian forces have each escorted limited numbers of mostly oi l tankers through separate sections. The decline in traffic through the Strait has spiked oil prices and container rates, impacting the cost of food and fertilizer. In the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have declared a naval blockade against shipping linked to Saudi Arabia, further exacerbating the situation. The Black Sea has also seen intensified attacks from Russian and Ukrainian forces on ports and cargo ships, threatening the global grain supply. These conflicts are making food more expensive to produce and ship, putting grain shipments from two of the world's major grain exporters at significant risk. The Secretary-General highlighted that these crises are choking the arteries of global trade, leading to higher prices, deepening hunger, weaker harvests, and greater suffering, especially for the world's most vulnerable people. Mr. Guterres called for adherence to international law, specifically the navigational rights under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCL OS), which countries bordering straits should respect. The US, Iran, and Israel have not ratified the treaty, but navigational rights and freedoms are vital for international peace and security. As a potential solution, Mr. Guterres framed a task force he established in March for safe, orderly, 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 could be expanded to include other products. The Secretary-General described this as a temporary measure until countries reestablish full navigational freedom, necessary to protect millions of vulnerable people worldwide. "This mechanism is not a substitute for fully restoring navigational rights and freedoms, or for the political solutions needed to end these conflicts. But it is a practical first step," Mr. Guterres stated.