Arabic version: تكاليف الغذاء في أفريقيا مهددة باضطراب هرمز
According to Al Jazeera, African countries are facing rising fuel and fertiliser costs linked to disruption around the Strait of Hormuz during the United States and Israel’s war on Iran. Trade ministers and a senior United Nations Trade and Development official warned that the increases could raise food prices and threaten future harvests.
Luz Maria de la Mora, director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities at UN Trade and Development, said the Strait crisis needed to be resolved “sooner rather than later” to make fertiliser affordable for rural communities. She said fertiliser prices had risen dramatically and that many countries had reduced its use, a move that could affect crops next year as well as food availability and prices.
The Strait of Hormuz previously carried one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade. De la Mora said higher oil prices had disrupted supply chains and that the effects were lasting longer than expected. The issue was discussed as Doha hosted UNCTAD’s World Investment Forum on October 25 and 26, bringing together heads of state, policymakers, chief executives and investors.
Zimbabwe’s Monica Mutsvangwa said rising fuel and fertiliser prices were a critical concern because more than 70 percent of the country’s population depends on agriculture. Uganda’s trade minister, Sanjay Tanna, said fuel prices in his country had more than doubled, though domestic food production and subsistence farming had offered some protection from international market volatility. He also said Uganda’s currency had lost 10 percent of its value against the US dollar.
Officials also highlighted longer-term efforts to strengthen African economies. De la Mora said transparent institutions, the rule of law and infrastructure could help attract investment. Jean-Jacques Bouya, the Republic of Congo’s deputy prime minister for coordination, development infrastructure and land planning, said the country aimed to expand local processing so more value from natural resources remains within Congo.
