DID Press: UN has warned that failure by Iran and the United States to reach an agreement within the next few weeks on the passage of fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a serious food security crisis in parts of Asia and Africa.
According to Reuters, the UN established a task force following the outbreak of the latest war to facilitate the movement of fertilisers through the strategic waterway. However, the proposed mechanism has yet to be implemented.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, a UN Under-Secretary-General, said on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Bangkok that the mechanism could become operational within seven to 10 days of an agreement between Tehran and Washington.
He stressed the urgency of reaching an agreement, warning that failure to do so within the coming weeks could cause vulnerable countries to miss planting seasons and face worsening food insecurity.
The warning comes ahead of World Food Day on October 16. Disruptions to fertiliser shipments could put agricultural production chains under increasing pressure, with consequences extending beyond the Strait of Hormuz, particularly for countries heavily dependent on food imports.