Key humanitarian air, sea and land routes are being severely disrupted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, delaying critical aid deliveries to some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, according to aid officials.
The war involving United States and Israel against Iran entered its seventh day on Friday, sending shockwaves through global markets and supply chains. Airspace closures and the suspension of shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz have significantly hindered the movement of humanitarian assistance.
Aid operations to conflict-hit areas such as Gaza and famine-stricken Sudan are slowing dramatically, while the cost of delivering aid to hundreds of millions of people facing food insecurity is rising.
Jean-Martin Bauer, Director of Food Security at the World Food Programme, warned that those in urgent need will face longer waits for assistance.
“People in dire need of assistance will have to wait longer for food,” Bauer said.
The International Organization for Migration said shipments including tents, tarpaulins and lamps intended for the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank are currently stuck in the supply chain.
Dubai aid hub affected
Humanitarian organisations have also raised concerns about disruptions at logistics hubs in Dubai, where warehouses used for rapid regional aid deployment are struggling to move supplies due to restrictions on air and sea transport.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it has been unable to transport trauma kits intended for the Iranian Red Crescent from its Dubai hub, where emergency stockpiles valued at about 10 million Swiss francs are stored.
According to IFRC director Cecile Terraz, shipments cannot currently move through Jebel Ali Port, the region’s largest container terminal, after debris from an intercepted missile caused a fire there.
Operations at the World Health Organization logistics hub in Dubai have also been halted. Regional director Hanan Balkhy said the disruption is affecting about 50 emergency aid requests from 25 countries and is hampering programmes such as polio vaccination campaigns.
Growing global impact
The crisis is also expected to have broader consequences, particularly in Africa.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees warned that famine-hit Sudan is especially vulnerable following additional restrictions since February on the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
Some cargo shipments are now being rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, a route that can add up to three weeks to delivery times.
Rising fuel, transportation and insurance costs are also increasing operational expenses for humanitarian organisations. Terraz warned the IFRC may be forced to scale back some deliveries to the Iranian Red Crescent if disruptions persist.
Meanwhile, Emma Maspero from the supply division of the UNICEF said there are hopes that flights carrying perishable humanitarian goods, including vaccines, will be prioritised despite ongoing airspace restrictions.