{
  "id": 8292293,
  "title": "Hormuz strains less developed economies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/hormuz-strains-less-developed-economies",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-18T19:27:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ANBA News Agency",
    "slug": "anba-news-agency",
    "url": "https://anba.com.br/en/hormuz-strains-less-developed-economies/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "São Paulo – Disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz disproportionately affect the world's least developed countries and small island developing states, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report released on Friday (18). UNCTAD identified 61 economies that experience dual exposure to the issue, as they are both net importers of energy and cereals. This matter was addressed during the session \"Hormuz in crisis: Protecting vulnerable economies\" held at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, from Tuesday (15) to Thursday (17), where UNCTAD's Acting Secretary-General, Pedro Manuel Moreno, participated.\n\nUNCTAD highlights that many of these 61 countries entered the crisis with significant debt burdens and limited financial reserves. \"Keeping maritime routes open, safe and predictable is not only a question of trade. It is a condition for development,\" Moreno stated. The Strait of Hormuz is responsible for 11% of global maritime trade by volume and roughly one-third of seaborne oil exports. A potential 50% increase in oil prices could add $20.4 billion annually to oil import costs for these more vulnerable economies, as per UNCTAD estimates.\n\nAnother concern is fertilizer supplies, as about one-third of global seaborne fertilizer trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Higher energy and fertilizer costs can impact farmers, food prices, and future harvests. Moreno emphasized that \"shocks travel quickly, but they leave slowly.\"",
  "summary": "According to UNCTAD, 61 net importers of energy and cereals are severely affected by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in the Middle East. The post Hormuz strains less developed economies appeared first on ANBA News Agency .",
  "key_points": [
    "Disruptions in Strait of Hormuz hurt least developed countries and small island states most.",
    "61 economies identified as dual importers of energy and cereals.",
    "Open maritime routes crucial for development and future harvests."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}