UN refugee agency warns Mideast crisis hampering aid efforts

UNHCR says the Middle East crisis is now disrupting humanitarian operations well beyond the region, with shipping delays and higher transport costs slowing aid deliveries.

In a briefing published on May 1, the UN refugee agency said instability around Gulf routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, is affecting maritime traffic and making it harder to move critical supplies. Reuters reported that the cost of sending some aid to Sudan has more than doubled since the disruption began.

UNHCR said the impact is showing up in higher fuel, food, freight and insurance costs, which are delaying deliveries and reducing the agency’s ability to move supplies where they are needed.

The agency said the shipping problems are forcing it to adapt its delivery strategy. A UN Geneva press briefing on the same day said transport disruptions were already changing how UNHCR moves aid.

The warning adds to broader UN concerns about the fallout from tensions around key Gulf routes. Earlier UN statements said instability in the Strait of Hormuz was already throttling supply chains worldwide and straining the global economy.

UNHCR did not say how long the disruption will last, and it remains unclear whether additional routing changes or humanitarian workarounds will be announced. For now, the agency says the crisis is directly hampering aid efforts at a time when delivery costs are rising and supply chains remain under pressure.