Source: UN News: Thursday, 14 May 2026 00:02 AM
Due to the deep crisis prevailing in the Middle East region and the Strait of Hormuz and the tension between Iran and the United States not being resolved, an increase in oil prices has been recorded again on Monday. In view of this, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged a peaceful resolution to the crisis, warning of adverse consequences for Africa and other regions. The UN chief has said in his strong appeal that until a diplomatic solution is found, the talks will have to continue, the ceasefire will have to remain in force and during this time the Strait of Hormuz will have to be kept completely open. UN Secretary General He has reached Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to participate in the Africa Forward Summit, where he warned that “rekindling any kind of conflict will have dire consequences.” He said that the emergency in the Middle East is not a distant crisis. About 13 percent of Africa’s total imports are oil and fertilizers, which are transported through the vital waterway through the Persian Gulf. “It is very important and we have appealed to both sides to fully open the Strait of Hormuz Strait, without any kind of restriction.” He told reporters in Nairobi that “it is absolutely necessary keeping in mind the interests of the entire international community… Energy “This is the only way to bring prices and fertilizer prices back to pre-war levels.” UN News/Daniel Dickinson The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is affecting trade globally. Following the February 28 bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States, and Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks, several countries in the Middle East were in the midst of violent conflict. During this period, energy and oil installations were also attacked, and shipping was stopped in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway strategically important for the supply of fuel, fertilizers and other goods. Despite a ceasefire agreement between Iran and America in early April, maritime transport has come to a standstill due to the tension and blockade in this water area and tension is prevalent. Food security risks According to the UN chief, the situation is not so dire for Kenya at the moment, since the planting season has largely ended here, but many other African countries are still waiting for supplies of fertilizer and other agricultural products, which are brought here from countries in the Gulf region. According to an estimate, the price of the world’s most used fertilizer (condensed nitrogen) has increased by 35 percent in the past month, and This is happening during the planting season. “Without fertilizer, you can imagine how serious the problem of food security could become next year.”United Nations Secretary General He is inaugurating new UN offices in Nairobi and has also participated in organizing a new conference center at the UN Office in Nairobi.
