UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday issued an urgent appeal for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the ongoing disruption of shipping through the vital waterway is inflicting severe damage on global energy security, food supplies, and trade.
“Navigational rights and freedoms through the Strait of Hormuz must be respected. These principles must be upheld in full, and without delay,” Guterres said at a Security Council open debate on the safety and protection of waterways in the maritime domain.
“I appeal to the parties: open the strait, let ships pass, no tolls, no discrimination, let trade resume, let the global economy breathe,” he added.
Navigational rights & freedoms through the Strait of Hormuz must be respected.
I appeal to the parties:
Open the Strait.
Let ships pass. No tolls. No discrimination.
Let trade resume.
Let the global economy breathe.Safe, unimpeded passage is an economic & humanitarian…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 27, 2026
Since early March, the disruption has sent shockwaves through international markets. The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of global oil trade, one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas, and nearly one-third of internationally traded fertilizers, making safe passage an “economic and humanitarian imperative,” the UN chief said.
Guterres outlined the cascading consequences: acute volatility in energy and commodity markets, surging transport and insurance costs, and the worst supply chain disruption since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis.
“These pressures are cascading into empty fuel tanks, empty shelves, and empty plates. The humanitarian toll is mounting,” he warned. “This crisis coincides with critical planting seasons. Prolonged disruption risks triggering a global food emergency, pushing millions, especially in Africa and South Asia, into hunger and poverty.”
The burden, he noted, falls heaviest on least developed countries and small island developing states, nations most dependent on maritime imports and least able to absorb a shock they did nothing to cause.
Guterres called for restraint, dialogue, and confidence-building, offering his good offices to help find common ground. More broadly, he urged respect for international law, efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity, and deeper dialogue and cooperation.
“The ocean must be a zone of peace and cooperation, not confrontation or coercion. This is our moment to choose, and act,” Guterres said.
