Aid Crisis Deepens as Iran War Disrupts Global Supply Chains for Food and Medicine
Aid organizations are issuing urgent warnings that the ongoing war in Iran is severely disrupting their ability to deliver essential food and medicine to millions of people in need across the globe. They caution that if the violence persists, the suffering will intensify, with catastrophic consequences for vulnerable populations.
Supply Chain Disruptions and Rising Costs
The conflict has not only severed critical shipping routes, contributing to a global energy crisis, but it is also wreaking havoc on supply chains for humanitarian groups. This forces them to adopt more expensive and time-consuming alternative pathways. Key maritime corridors, such as the Strait of Hormuz, have been effectively closed, while routes from strategic hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are also heavily impacted. Transport costs have surged due to higher fuel and insurance rates, meaning that fewer supplies can be delivered with the same financial resources.
The World Food Program reports tens of thousands of metric tons of food are significantly delayed in transit. Meanwhile, the International Rescue Committee has $130,000 worth of pharmaceuticals intended for war-torn Sudan stranded in Dubai, and nearly 670 boxes of therapeutic food for severely malnourished children in Somalia are stuck in India. The U.N. Population Fund has delayed sending equipment to 16 countries as a result.
Exacerbating Existing Challenges
Steep cuts to U.S. foreign aid had already strained many aid groups, and the war is exacerbating these problems. The United Nations describes this as the most significant supply chain disruption since the COVID-19 pandemic, with shipment costs increasing by up to 20% and delays mounting as goods are rerouted. Additionally, the conflict is spawning new emergencies, such as in Iran and Lebanon, where at least one million people have been displaced.
"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. She added that even after the fighting ceases, the shock to global supply chains could continue to delay lifesaving aid for months.
Longer and More Costly Routes
Organizations are being forced to find innovative ways to transport goods. Some are bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal, rerouting vessels around Africa, which adds weeks to delivery times. Others are employing hybrid methods combining land, sea, and air transport, further driving up expenses.
Jean-Cedric Meeus, chief of global transport and logistics for UNICEF, explained that his agency is using a mix of land and air routes to send vaccines to Nigeria and Iran to meet vaccination campaign deadlines, but costs have soared. Previously, UNICEF sent vaccines to Iran directly by plane from global vendors. Now, they are flying vaccines to Turkey and driving them into Iran, increasing costs by 20% and adding 10 days to delivery times.
Save the Children International, which typically sends supplies by ocean freight from Dubai to Port Sudan, now must truck goods from Dubai through Saudi Arabia and then by barge across the Red Sea. This route adds 10 days and raises costs by about 25%, at a time when over 19 million Sudanese face acute food insecurity. The delay jeopardizes more than 90 primary health care facilities in Sudan, risking shortages of essential medicines.
Prioritization and Resource Strain
The spike in prices forces organizations to make difficult choices about what to prioritize. "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 for the United States. The group noted it has stockpiles in countries where it operates, but some could be depleted within weeks.
Rising costs are also affecting people's ability to seek help within their own countries. Doctors Without Borders reported that increasing fuel prices in Somalia, where about 6.5 million people experience acute food insecurity, have driven up transport and food costs, making it harder for individuals to access care. In Nigeria, the IRC says fuel prices have surged by 50%, clinics are struggling to power equipment like generators, and mobile health teams have scaled back operations.
Hunger Crisis Could Deepen
One of the most pressing concerns is the war's impact on global hunger. The World Food Program warns that if the conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people will become acutely hungry, adding to the nearly 320 million already facing hunger worldwide. Approximately 30% of the world's fertilizer passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and with planting season approaching in regions like East Africa and South Asia, small farmers in poor countries will be severely affected. Sudan imports more than half its fertilizer from the Gulf, and Kenya about 40%, according to aid groups.
The U.N. secretary-general has established a task force to facilitate fertilizer trade, modeled on the Black Sea Grain Initiative. However, aid groups argue this measure is insufficient. They emphasize that without a ceasefire, governments must provide additional funding to help organizations cope with rising costs.
International Response and Policy Decisions
Humanitarian experts observe a slower international response to funding aid during this war compared to previous conflicts like Ukraine, which may reflect growing pressure to invest in security over aid amid global turmoil. "They’re making hard choices between defense security and humanitarian aid," said Sam Vigersky, an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who has written about the war's impact on aid. He noted that when the U.S. goes to war, it typically has provisions for aid, but these have not been "activating" in this instance. "It’s not a capacity issue, it’s a policy decision," he stated.
Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, asserted that the U.S. has been the "most generous country in the world" regarding humanitarian aid. The department announced it is releasing an additional $50 million in emergency assistance to Lebanon, including funds for the World Food Program, and is collaborating closely with the United Nations and other entities to address humanitarian needs.
