German foreign minister warns shipping disruptions could trigger famine in poorer countries
Disruptions to shipping routes in the Middle East and the Black Sea could lead to famine in poorer countries if essential supplies of food and fertilizer fail to arrive, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned on October 23.
Speaking ahead of talks with fellow foreign ministers in Istanbul, Wadephul said attacks on maritime trade were already affecting consumers worldwide through higher fuel and food costs, Deutsche Welle reported.
"We're all feeling the effects of the attacks on shipping lanes, whether at the gas station or in the supermarket," he said. "But elsewhere, there is a threat of famine when fertilizers don't arrive in the places where they are essential for basic production."
Wadephul pointed to three areas of concern: Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, threats from Yemen's Houthi movement near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Russian attacks on shipping in the Black Sea.
The disruptions threaten countries that rely heavily on imported wheat and fertilizers, he said, singling out Turkey as a major wheat-processing country.
"We will not accept Iran and the Houthi militias holding global trade hostage," Wadephul said, calling for attacks on commercial shipping to stop.
Russia's attacks on Ukrainian ports and civilian vessels have also disrupted grain exports in recent months.
In July, Ukrainian agricultural company Kernel suspended operations at terminals in the port of Chornomorsk following Russian strikes. In August, a Russian attack on a cargo ship carrying Ukrainian wheat killed a Ukrainian sailor.
Further attacks in October struck vessels transporting corn and rapeseed oil, adding to concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
Wadephul was traveling to Istanbul for discussions with foreign ministers from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, France and the United Kingdom.