Jorge Moreira da Silva, UN under-secretary-general and head of the UN Task Force for the Strait of Hormuz, told the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels that the disruption of shipping through the strategic waterway was already affecting global energy and food security.
He warned that if the situation does not improve, the consequences could be severe, particularly for developing countries that rely heavily on fertilizer supplies from the Gulf region. Millions of people could face food insecurity as a result of the disruption.
Mr. da Silva cited Sudan, Somalia, Mozambique and Tanzania as among the African countries highly dependent on fertilizer supplies from the Gulf. According to the UN official, these four countries rely on the region for up to 50%, and in some cases 60%, of their fertilizer supplies.
