German foreign minister warns shipping attacks could spark famine in the Global South

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned that continued assaults on key maritime routes - the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab strait and the Black Sea - could deprive the Global South of vital fertilizer shipments, heightening the risk of famine. He noted that the Iranian shutdown of Hormuz, Houthi intimidation of the Red Sea passage, and Russian strikes on Black Sea shipping are already inflating fuel and food prices in Europe.

The minister stressed that the poorest populations, reliant on wheat imports, are most vulnerable. Speaking ahead of a "R4+E3" foreign-ministers summit in Istanbul, he urged the group, which includes Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, France and the United Kingdom, to act together to end the indiscriminate attacks. Wadephul framed the security of free navigation as essential for regional stability and for partners like Turkey, a major wheat processor. The meeting aims to explore new diplomatic avenues beyond existing formats to address these intertwined crises.