Strait of Hormuz de-escalation is urgent, says UN chief

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent de-escalation in the Strait of Hormuz during a visit to Nairobi ahead of the Africa Forward Summit. Rising tensions between Iran and the U.S. have pushed oil prices higher, threatening global supply chains, with 13% of Africa’s oil and fertilizer imports passing through the strait. Guterres warned that any restart of hostilities would have catastrophic consequences, particularly for African nations still awaiting critical agricultural inputs like urea, which has surged over 35% in a month. The UN chief stressed that the crisis is not distant, as disruptions could trigger a food security crisis across the continent. He reiterated demands for the strait to remain fully open, arguing that restricted access would destabilize energy and fertilizer markets worldwide. Kenya, with its planting season largely over, faces less immediate risk, but other African countries remain vulnerable without Gulf-produced supplies. Guterres also highlighted systemic inequities in global governance, noting that African nations pay three times more in loan interest than developed countries. He called for reforms to the UN Security Council, including permanent African representation, and praised France and the UK for preparing legislation to limit veto use in cases of genocide or grave crimes. He described the current Council’s composition—with only one Asian and no Latin American or African permanent members—as outdated and lacking legitimacy. Beyond the Strait of Hormuz, Guterres addressed ongoing conflicts across Africa, urging ceasefires in Sudan, renewed dialogue in South Sudan, and political solutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Sahel. He emphasized that external actors must stop exacerbating instability, framing peace as essential for Africa’s development and global security.