The UAE has warned that disruptions to maritime trade, energy flows and supply chains could deepen global food insecurity, highlighting the impact such interruptions can have on the availability of fertilisers and agricultural production.
UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Almarar made the remarks at an Arria-formula meeting of the UN Security Council on September 17, held ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting focused on protecting freedom of navigation and maritime security.
Almarar said recent developments had demonstrated that threats to the flow of supply chains, trade and energy could affect food security and the availability of fertilisers needed for agriculture, while also creating wider repercussions for the global economy.
He called for the flow of supply chains, trade and energy to be protected in accordance with international law and the law of the sea, while respecting the sovereignty of states.
The UAE minister also highlighted the disproportionate impact that supply disruptions can have on countries in the Global South. He cited World Food Programme estimates that continued disruptions could push as many as 45 million additional people into acute food insecurity.
The warning comes amid continuing concerns over the effects of disruption to major maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, on energy, shipping and agricultural inputs. Earlier this year, the UAE warned that disruption to the waterway had increased transportation and insurance costs, strained supply chains and contributed to volatility in commodity prices, with nitrogen fertiliser prices reported to have risen sharply.
The issue is particularly significant for countries that rely heavily on imported food, fuel or agricultural inputs. Prolonged disruption to shipping can increase freight and insurance costs and make fertilisers and other essential inputs more expensive, potentially adding pressure to agricultural production and consumer food prices.