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LoginUN: Middle East War Disrupts Refugee Aid Supply Chains
Geneva, May 01 (QNA) - The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said the Middle East war has sharply increased shipping costs, disrupting humanitarian aid deliveries to refugees in the region and Africa.
Freight rates from India, Pakistan, and China have risen by about 18 percent, while delays and port congestion are worsening operations.
UNHCR spokesperson Carlotta Wolf said the crisis is affecting global aid supply chains beyond the region, with transport capacity falling from 97 percent to 77 percent.
She noted shipping costs have doubled in some cases, including transport from UNHCR stockpiles to Sudan and Chad, rising from $927,000 to $1.87 million.
In Africa, higher fuel prices in Kenya are causing delays and reducing truck availability for deliveries to Ethiopia, DR Congo, and South Sudan. In Sudan, costs have doubled, while rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope adds up to 25 days.
UNHCR warned that continued instability could further strain operations through higher costs and delays, affecting millions of refugees. It said it needs $8.5 billion this year, with only 23 percent funded so far. (QNA)
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