The bombs in the Strait of Hormuz may be thousands of miles away, but the hunger they will cause will be felt in Banjul, in Basse, in Kerewan.
A senior UN official has sounded the alarm the world cannot ignore. UN Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva has warned that parts of Asia and Africa face a looming food security crisis unless Iran and the United States immediately agree on a UN-backed plan to move fertiliser through the embattled Strait of Hormuz.
This is not a distant geopolitical game. This is about Africa’s next harvest. This is about survival. The facts are stark. Before the US-Israel war on Iran, a third of global urea — the world’s most used nitrogen fertiliser and nearly half of seaborne sulphur passed through Hormuz. Today, fertiliser shipments are “very negligible.” Traffic is disrupted, ships are targeted, and farmers from Senegal to Somalia are paying the price.
Moreira da Silva is blunt: It is “absolutely critical” that a deal is reached within weeks. If Africa misses this planting season, productivity will collapse and food prices will explode. Farmers operate on strict calendars. A delay of weeks means a failure of yield, a failure of food, a failure of life. The UN plan is ready. Drawn up in March, it proposes a UN-staffed coordination centre in Oman to register vessels and oversee safe passage. Five vessels a day could keep fertiliser flowing to countries in critical need. It could be activated in seven to ten days.
“So why the delay? Why are Washington and Tehran holding African stomachs hostage while they argue over nuclear terms and ceasefire conditions? What we are telling them is, while you continue your discussions towards a comprehensive deal, let us work, let us do our job,” Moreira da Silva said. He is right. The world cannot wait for a comprehensive deal while children go hungry.
For Africa, this threat could not come at a worse time. FAO already warned in May that scarcity would hit hardest from late 2026 into 2027. Our continent already battles debt, aid cuts of up to 28%, climate shocks, and 9.3% inflation. Our farmers already rely on imported fertiliser. In South Asia, costs are soaring. In Spain, farmers protest. In Africa, we cannot afford to protest — we will simply starve.
The African Union, Ecowas, and all African governments must speak with one voice in Bangkok and at the UN: Unblock Hormuz fertiliser now. Demand the Oman mechanism. Demand five ships a day.
Food security is national security. Africa did not start this war, but Africa will pay the highest price if fertiliser does not move. Act now, or reap hunger.
