Nairobi, May 12: During a groundbreaking ceremony for a UN conference facility in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a strong appeal for the Strait of Hormuz to remain fully open and for a ceasefire to be maintained.
Guterres emphasized, “I urge that dialogue continues until a diplomatic solution is reached, that the ceasefire holds, and that the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open. If fighting resumes, the consequences will be severe.”
He pointed out that the crisis in the Middle East is not just a distant issue, as nearly 13% of Africa’s imports pass through this critical maritime route.
Many African nations are still awaiting essential supplies, including fertilizers and other agricultural products, from the Gulf region. Guterres warned that if fertilizers are not secured, a significant food security crisis could arise next year. He noted that the price of urea has surged by over 35% in the past month. Urea is the most widely used fertilizer globally. He stressed that it is crucial for the international community to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
Guterres stated that this would help bring energy and food prices back to pre-war levels.
Earlier on Monday, former U.S. President Donald Trump firmly rejected Iran’s response to America’s new proposal aimed at ending the conflict in the Gulf region. He described Tehran’s stance as “completely unacceptable.”
Trump posted on Truth Social, “I just read the so-called representatives of Iran’s response. I did not like it at all. Completely unacceptable! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
These statements came just hours after Iran sent its response to the U.S.-backed peace proposal, which aims to stabilize the region following weeks of military tensions and maritime disruptions.
Leave a Comment