Humanitarian corridor urged as strait of Hormuz disrupts aid delivery

Refugees in Chad fleeing Sudan are facing severe delays in food, fuel, and medical aid due to the closure of the strait of Hormuz. NGOs report that soaring oil prices and the blockade are significantly impacting the delivery of essential supplies to millions in need. Bob Kitchen, vice president for emergencies at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), stated, "We need serious and immediate conversations about humanitarian corridors through the strait of Hormuz so we can get supplies that are currently stuck in humanitarian hubs through the strait to resupply."

The IRC has reported that vital medicines are not reaching key hubs, with $130,000 worth of supplies stuck in Dubai, which are crucial for 20,000 people in Sudan. Kitchen emphasized that aid agencies are rapidly depleting their budgets due to increased fuel costs, stating, "It is more expensive to buy fuel to run our operations, moving commodities, moving personnel around many of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa."

Cecile Terraz, director at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, confirmed the adverse effects of rising oil prices, saying, "The reality here is that it’s 100% sure that the increase of oil price is affecting the lives of people and also our operations."

Since the conflict began in February, oil prices have surged, peaking at nearly $120 a barrel, which has led to a drastic reduction in the global supply of oil, food, fertilizer, and medicine. Estimates from Save the Children indicate that every $5 increase per barrel of oil costs the charity an additional $340,000 a month in shipping and operational costs. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that 45 million more people could face hunger due to these disruptions.

In Yemen, the cost of shipping goods has risen by up to 20%, while in Somalia, the price of medications for malnourished children has tripled. The WFP is now rerouting food supplies, which adds significant delays and costs. John Aylieff, WFP’s Afghanistan country director, noted that the supply of fortified biscuits is taking three weeks longer to reach Afghanistan due to the blockade, resulting in children going hungry.

The ongoing conflict and rising oil prices are expected to have long-lasting effects on food security and humanitarian operations globally. Nick Jones-Bannister of Mercy Corps warned that shortages of fertilizer and fuel could severely impact farmers' ability to grow crops, exacerbating food insecurity and potential civil conflict.

What to watch: The response of international leaders to the calls for a humanitarian corridor through the strait of Hormuz.