Aid organizations are warning that the ongoing war in the Middle East has severely disrupted the delivery of food, medicine, and essential supplies to millions of people in need worldwide. The conflict, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, has forced humanitarian groups to reroute shipments along longer, costlier paths, threatening the timeliness and reach of life-saving assistance.
“The war on Iran and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz risk pushing humanitarian operations beyond their limits,” said Madiha Raza, associate director for public affairs and communications for Africa at the International Rescue Committee.
Supply Chain Challenges
Vital shipping routes have been effectively blocked, including the Strait of Hormuz, and logistical hubs in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi have also been affected. Increased fuel and insurance costs mean organizations can deliver fewer supplies for the same budget.
- The World Food Program reports tens of thousands of metric tons of food delayed in transit.
- The International Rescue Committee has $130,000 worth of pharmaceuticals for Sudan stranded in Dubai and nearly 670 boxes of therapeutic food for severely malnourished children in Somalia stuck in India.
- The UN Population Fund has delayed shipments of critical equipment to 16 countries.
Jean-Cedric Meeus, chief of global transport and logistics for UNICEF, explained the impact on vaccine delivery:
“Before the war, UNICEF sent vaccines to Iran by plane directly from vendors around the world. Now it’s flying the vaccines to Turkey and driving them into Iran, which has increased costs by 20% and added 10 days to the delivery time.”
Longer Routes and Higher Costs
Aid organizations have had to adopt alternative routes, often combining land, sea, and air transport. For example, Save the Children International must now truck supplies from Dubai through Saudi Arabia and then by barge across the Red Sea to Port Sudan a route that adds 10 days and increases costs by 25%.
“In the end, you sacrifice either the number of children that you serve … or you sacrifice the number of items that you can afford to buy,” said Janti Soeripto, president of Save the Children USA.
Rising costs are also affecting access to care for local populations. Doctors Without Borders reported that higher fuel prices in Somalia where 6.5 million people face acute food insecurity are limiting people’s ability to reach clinics. In Nigeria, fuel prices have surged by 50%, forcing clinics to scale back mobile health operations and struggle to power essential equipment.
Aid groups warn that even if hostilities end soon, the shock to global supply chains could delay humanitarian assistance for months, leaving millions at risk.
