Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Persistent instability in the Strait of Hormuz—a vital shipping route connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman—is disrupting global supply chains, hindering humanitarian aid delivery and driving up operational expenses, according to the United Nations.
World Food Programme (WFP) Acting Executive Director Carl Skau noted that earlier warnings about rising energy prices affecting vulnerable countries are coming true. Elevated oil prices above $100 per barrel through July may result in an additional 45 million people facing hunger, given the close link between energy and food costs.
Currently, 2.5 million more people in Somalia face acute food insecurity, with 2.3 million more in Afghanistan and 1.3 million in Sri Lanka also experiencing acute hunger. Factors include rising food prices, underfunded humanitarian responses, and increased operational costs that limit aid reach.
Skau also warned that higher fertilizer costs could reduce agricultural yields in East Africa this planting season, mirroring disruptions after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and potentially worsening food shortages in the coming months.
UNICEF reports that ships rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope are seeing transit times increase by two to four weeks. Air freight capacity has tightened on Middle Eastern routes, and port congestion is growing in Africa and elsewhere. These delays and higher costs mean fewer lifesaving supplies are reaching children in need.