Africa's low-key high-stakes Strait of Hormuz diplomacy

African governments have been quietly engaging with the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, despite keeping a low profile on the international stage. The waterway, a key artery of world trade, has been blocked for almost six months, with maritime traffic reduced to a minimum since US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February. Iranian forces have fired on cargo ships, and threats from Tehran or Washington have halted shipping at times.

The crisis has had a significant impact on Africa, with some parts of the continent experiencing serious shortages of fossil fuels and long lines of cars at gas stations that have run out of fuel. The situation has also affected harvests, as many fertilizers are sourced from the Gulf region. According to Liesl Louw-Vaudran from the International Crisis Group, African governments have every reason to engage diplomatically in finding a permanent solution.

African governments' long-term plan appears to be based on the assumption that the crisis in the Middle East may continue for some time. Various rounds of talks and third-party deliberations have not yet stabilized the situation, although a deal between Iran and Oman on establishing a shipping route through the strait may help.

Brief written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories), DW News — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.