Middle East war: Energy crunch hits vulnerable nations

(UN News) The war in the Middle East and the near halt to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has amplified the energy crunch facing developing nations in Africa and South Asia that rely heavily on imported liquid gas, food and fertilizers. And with Brent Crude still trading at more than $100 per barrel, many workers and households have reverted to using oil and coal, raising concerns of lasting environmental damage, while numerous countries have already announced fuel rationing and a move to online meetings. Just over four weeks since Israeli–US bombing of Iran began, sparking the wider regional conflict, the almost immediate disruption to tanker traffic in the vital Persian Gulf waterway cut oil shipments worldwide, followed by natural gas, coal, transport, food and fertilizers. “Only a small group of LDCs [Least Developed Countries] are net energy exporters: South Sudan, Angola, Chad, Mozambique, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Yemen,” said UNCTAD’s Junior Davis, Head of Policy Analysis and Research Branch Division for Africa, LDCs and Special Programmes. “The majority are net importers, including Niger, Zambia, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Togo, Sudan, Uganda, Nepal, Eritrea, Benin, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Senegal.” – Middle East war: Energy crunch hits vulnerable nations | UN News