UN: Fertiliser disruption due to Hormuz crises may spark humanitarian emergency
A senior United Nations Office for Project Services official has warned that tens of millions of people could face hunger and starvation if shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are not restored soon.
Speaking to AFP, Jorge Moreira da Silva said the world had only “a few weeks” to prevent what he described as a likely “massive humanitarian crisis”.
Moreira da Silva said about one-third of the world’s fertiliser normally passes through the Gulf waterway, making continued disruption a major threat to global food production and supply chains.
He warned that the crisis could push an additional 45 million people into hunger and starvation if trade routes remain blocked.
Crew member walks on deck of oil and chemical tanker moored near Bordeaux, France, 5 May 2026 (Philippe Lopez/AFP)