UN urges US, Iran to allow fertiliser shipments through Strait of Hormuz

The United Nations has called on both Iran and the United States to permit fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz in order to alleviate the crisis faced by several vulnerable nations. Jorge Moreira da Silva, the head of the UN Office for Project Services, made this recommendation during the COP31 climate talks in Antalya, Turkey.

The ongoing blockade of the vital waterway, initiated after the US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February, has severely restricted shipping in the region and beyond. The situation is further complicated by the US blockade of Iranian ports.

While the US and Iran continue negotiations to end the conflict, Moreira da Silva emphasized the need for an immediate, exceptional, limited, and time-bound solution to the fertilizer issue. He proposed allowing five vessels per day to transport fertilizers. Currently, a third of the world's fertilizers passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the blockades, and their prices have risen by 30 percent since the restrictions were put in place.

Moreira da Silva highlighted that the consequences of this shortage extend disproportionately to the most vulnerable countries, including Mozambique, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

In Nepal, the price of food has doubled in six months, and farmers are unable to afford fertilizers. In Sudan, the finance minister informed Moreira da Silva that food prices had doubled in the same period. If the planting seasons are missed in different parts of the world, the UN warns that 45 million people could face severe and acute food insecurity, and 30 million may be pushed into poverty. The UN has a system ready to facilitate fertilizer shipments within seven to 10 days.