Source: UN News: Wednesday, 08 April 2026 00:01 AM
The ongoing violent war in the Middle East has led to widespread disruptions in the supply of fuel and other essential goods, causing an increasingly severe humanitarian and economic impact on countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Strait of Hormuz – The movement of commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has almost come to a standstill. Shortage of oil, gas and fertilizers is being felt, their prices are increasing rapidly, which is directly affecting the countries dependent on imports. This war, which started with Israel and the United States beginning aerial bombardment of Iran on February 28 and subsequent retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Iran, has now entered its second month. Countries located in the Gulf region have also come under the grip of this conflict. Before the war broke out, a large portion of global oil, gas, fertilizer and commercial goods passed each day through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. However, due to the prevailing insecurity on this waterway, the movement of ships has stopped, due to which the prices of oil, gas and other goods have increased and inflation has increased in many parts of the world. At the same time, there has been a decline in global trade and economic growth estimates. Inflation hit. In Asian countries, the price of Brent Crude crude oil rose to about $ 110 per barrel during morning trading on Monday, although later it recorded a slight decline. In countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Philippines, an increase in transportation, electricity and agricultural costs is being recorded, due to which inflation and economic pressure and At the same time, rising insurance costs due to risks during war, along with disruptions in maritime transportation, are placing additional pressure on the supply chain. Whereas, due to shortage of fertilizers, concerns about food production have increased, due to which food security is expected to be affected in the future. The impact of the current crisis is also clearly visible on humanitarian aid operations. The cost of humanitarian relief efforts is rising due to rising fuel and transportation costs, making delivery of aid more challenging. UN agencies have warned that if the crisis prolongs, an additional 9 million people in the region could face severe food insecurity, worsening the humanitarian situation. © Unsplash/Zach Theo A refinery is visible off the beach. The Middle East war has created a crisis of oil and food supplies all over the world. Increase in emergency measures: After the increase in fuel and food prices due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the governments of the countries are implementing emergency measures. Taking emergency steps, India has ordered to divert the supply of LPG gas from industrial consumers to domestic consumers, so that the availability of cooking gas can be ensured to the common people. On the other hand, there has been a sharp rise in the prices of fuel in Nepal, where petrol is Rs 200 per liter. The price of aviation fuel in Nepal has almost doubled, which has further increased the inflationary pressure. The state-controlled fuel company started selling partially filled LPG cylinders last month in a bid to discourage hoarding and panic buying. The landlocked country is dependent on imports from India for almost all of its fuel supplies, further exacerbating the impact of the ongoing crisis. Power cuts © UNICEF/Prakash Mathema People stand in line with LPG cylinders in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. In Bangladesh, limits have been placed on fuel sales and power cuts have been imposed. At the same time, restrictions on controlled supply and movement in Sri Lanka and Myanmar have started affecting normal life and economic activities. On the other hand, a sharp rise in prices is being seen in Pakistan. There has been an increase of 24 percent in the prices of petrol and 28 percent in wheat flour, due to which the inflationary pressure has increased further. In Afghanistan, the situation is becoming more serious due to the increase in food prices, large number of displaced people and pressure on limited resources. There is additional burden on already weak services here, which is likely to deepen the humanitarian crisis. Vietnam has cut import duties on petroleum products and warned of a possible shortage of jet fuel. To reduce energy consumption, Thailand has instructed government agencies to work from home and has postponed non-essential foreign trips. Tweet URL
The Philippines has temporarily implemented a four-day work week for government offices. Earlier, emergency had been declared in the country on March 25. Whereas, Cambodia has mandated real-time availability of fuel stocks at distribution points. Lao Democratic Republic has banned the sale of fuel in containers of more than 5 liters to prevent hoarding. Appeal for immediate ceasefire Over the weekend, several casualties were reported in Israeli attacks targeting southern areas in Lebanon and the capital Beirut.United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire, describing the current crisis as “on the brink of a widespread war”. He has also focused on the need to maintain freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz while emphasizing respect for international law. On the other hand, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)IAEA) has reported another incident near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, in which the plant’s infrastructure has been damaged. However, no increase in radiation levels has been recorded. The agency has warned that attacks around nuclear sites could have serious security consequences and must be stopped at any cost. The UN Human Rights Office has expressed concern at the increasing restrictions, arrests and crackdown on civil liberties in the Middle East region. The UN office said that such incidents are deepening the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among the common people.
