At a high-level UN Security Council meeting on food security, the United Arab Emirates argued that keeping the world fed cannot be separated from broader questions of global stability, framing food security as a genuine pillar of international peace.
Central to the UAE’s intervention was a demand directed at Tehran: full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2817 and the unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The Emirati delegation maintained that navigation through the waterway must remain free and protected under international law, given the corridor’s weight in moving energy, commodities and food across global markets.
The UAE leveled sharp criticism at what it called Iran’s unlawful conduct and its interference with freedom of movement through and near the strait. It also rebuked attacks and threats attributed to Iran-aligned groups, cautioning that such behavior could sever key trade arteries and deepen instability in worldwide food and commodity markets.
Turning to a broader concern, the delegation warned against turning supply chains into political tools. Using international shipping lanes to exert economic or political leverage, it said, threatens the steady flow of goods that countries dependent on imports rely on to stave off hunger.
The UAE tied safe passage to concrete conditions, listing secure humanitarian access, functioning ports and durable supply networks as prerequisites for protecting the world’s food supply. It characterized the defense of essential maritime routes as an obligation shared across nations, calling for coordinated action to keep those channels open and secure.
