At least 45 million people in developing countries could face food shortages due to disruptions in fertilizer supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
Sea-news.az reports that this was stated by Jorge Moreira da Silva, Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services, who previously headed the UN working group on humanitarian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to him, ensuring the passage of at least 5–7 fertilizer transport ships through the strait per day could help prevent a humanitarian crisis.
“For developing countries, this will be a decisive factor. They will either ensure food security or be forced to face a humanitarian crisis,” he stated.
According to UN data, approximately one-third of global fertilizer trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
“War [between the US and Iran] should not be a reason to halt the transit of humanitarian aid,” J. Moreira da Silva noted.
He called on Washington and Tehran to resolve the issue regarding fertilizer supplies as quickly as possible, separately from a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.
