‘ME war compounds Asia humanitarian crises’

• UN says import-dependent countries facing higher fuel, power and farm input costs
• UNOCHA seeks $151m for Pakistan flood response targeting 1.9m people

ISLAMABAD: The escalation in the Middle East since February is generating spillover effects across Asia and the Pacific, compounding humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations.

Higher fuel prices are increasing transport, electricity and agricultural input costs in import-dependent countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines. The main impact stems from rising oil prices following reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply, much of it destined for Asia.

In its latest bulletin, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) says it needs $151 million for humanitarian assistance in Pakistan to implement the floods support plan, under which 1.9m people have been targeted to be assisted out of 2.8m people in need.

Fuel and wheat price shocks are feeding rapidly into inflation and wider food price pressures in Pakistan, with fuel and wheat flour prices rising. With 77 per cent of the country’s energy imported, higher oil prices are rising transport, fertiliser and milling costs. Higher freight, insurance and border-related disruptions are adding further strain to supply chains and the broader economy.

Maritime war-risk insurance has risen by 25 to 50pc, reducing vessel traffic and further disrupting regional supply chains, including for landlocked countries such as Afghanistan. The crisis is also heightening food security risks in import-reliant countries, with price increases reported for wheat and agricultural fertilisers. Up to one-third of global trade in fertiliser raw materials passes through the Strait of Hormuz, UNOCHA says.

Disruptions to ammonia and nitrogen shipments are threatening food production systems dependent on fertiliser imports. Sustained increases in fuel, transport and food prices are also likely to raise the cost of humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar amid shrinking funding.

Maritime uncertainty and airspace restrictions are affecting humanitarian logistics. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that, if the crisis persists until mid-2026 and oil remains above $100 per barrel, nearly 45m additional people could face acute food insecurity globally, including 9.1m in Asia.

The WFP has warned that the total number of people around the world facing acute levels of hunger could reach record numbers in 2026 if the escalation in the Middle East continues to destabilise the world’s economy.

New analysis by the WFP estimates that almost 45m more people could fall into acute food insecurity or worse if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year, and if oil prices remain above $100 a barrel. These would add to the 318m people around the world who are already food insecure.

Although the conflict is centred on a global energy hub rather than a major food-producing region, its potential impact is similar due to the close link between energy and food markets. In many parts of the world, vulnerable families currently managing to secure basic food may soon struggle to afford even minimal sustenance, the WFP says.

“If this conflict continues, it will send shockwaves across the globe, and families who already cannot afford their next meal will be hit the hardest,” said WFP Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Carl Skau. “Without an adequately funded humanitarian response, it could spell catastrophe for millions already on the edge.”

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2026