U.N.: “Let the global economy breathe”

Added: 2026-05-01

[00:00:00]The Middle East crisis is lumbering into its third months. Despite a fragile ceasefire, the consequences grow dramatically worse with each passing hour.

[00:00:12]I'm deeply concerned about the curtailment of navigational rights and freedoms in the area of the Strait of Ormos, impeding the delivery of oil, gas, fertilizer, and other critical commodities, disrupting energy, transport, manufacturing, and food markets, and strangling the global economy.

[00:00:32]As with every conflict, the whole of humanity is paying the price. Even if a few are reaping huge profits, the pain will be felt for a long time to come. These consequences are not cumulative. They are exponential. And the longer these vital arteries choked, the harder it will be to reverse the damage and the higher the cost to humanity.

[00:00:58]Developing countries will be hit the hardest as crashing depth impedes their ability to cope with lost jobs, deeper poverty, and more hunger.

[00:01:10]The crisis has already locked in losses for months to come. And every day that ships cannot move escalates these costs and amplifies the reverberations across the global economy. And so my message to all parties is clear. Navigational rights and freedoms must be restored immediately in line with the Security Council resolution 2817.

[00:01:38]Open the straight. Let all ships pass.

[00:01:41]Let the global economy breathe