Ammon News - UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that any disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a global food crisis, calling for the strait to "remain open and allow the global economy to breathe."

In his address Monday evening to the UN Security Council, convened under the agenda item "Maintenance of International Peace and Security" and the topic "Security and Protection of Maritime Waterways," Guterres emphasized that the sea lanes, which are vital arteries of global trade, are currently under pressure.

He stated, "Geopolitical tensions are spilling over into the seas, commercial vessels are being used as a tool of pressure, and the rights and freedoms of navigation, as enshrined in the fundamental principles of the Law of the Sea, are being undermined." He stressed that the disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of March have negatively impacted global energy security, food supplies, and trade, noting that they represent the worst disruption to supply chains since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Guterres added, "The continuation of this disruption for an extended period risks triggering a global food crisis and pushing millions of people, particularly in Africa and South Asia, into hunger and poverty."

He noted that more than 20,000 seafarers, along with more than 2,000 ships, are stranded at sea due to restrictions on freedom of navigation.

He stressed the need to respect the rights and freedoms of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "I call on the parties to open the Strait, allow the passage of ships without imposing transit fees or discrimination, enable the resumption of trade, and give the global economy a chance to breathe."

WAFA