Kuwait reaffirmed its strong condemnation of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and threats to freedom of navigation, as well as the continued obstruction of shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait by its regional proxies and warned that these practices threaten global food security, disrupt the flow of essential goods and drive up transportation and insurance costs.
The statement was delivered by Diplomatic Attaché Dalal Sharar before the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) of the UN General Assembly during discussions on poverty eradication, agricultural development, food security and nutrition.
Sharar called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817 and urged Iran to immediately cease actions and threats that obstruct lawful transit and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
She stressed that these demands were consistent with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. She also highlighted the interconnected challenges facing global food security, including climate change, water scarcity and supply chain disruptions caused by threats to vital maritime routes.
Addressing the continuing global hunger crisis, Sharar said millions of people continued to suffer despite a decline in the global prevalence of hunger to 7.8 percent in 2025. She noted, however, that progress remained uneven across regions.
Approximately 292 million people in Asia were suffering from hunger, while Africa accounted for the largest number of hungry people worldwide, at around 309 million, or nearly one-fifth of the continent’s population.
Sharar emphasized the need to direct support and resources towards the areas most in need and strengthen their resilience against successive shocks.
On the situation in the Gaza Strip, she expressed Kuwait’s strong condemnation of the Israeli occupying entity’s use of starvation against civilians as a method of warfare, describing the practice as prohibited under international humanitarian law and condemned by UN Security Council Resolution 2417.
Concluding her remarks, Sharar reiterated Kuwait’s position that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions and eliminating hunger were shared international priorities and fundamental pillars of sustainable development and human dignity.
She called for intensified international efforts to promote equitable and inclusive development, ensure sustainable financing, protect the environment and strengthen international cooperation.
— KUNA