Manama: Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held a meeting via video conference on a political initiative titled "Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilisers". The meeting was attended by Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, and Gordan Grlic Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia and current chair of the Mediterranean Group.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Albudaiwi stated that GCC countries have activated alternative logistics routes by redirecting shipments from Arabian Gulf ports to ports on the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. This strategic move aims to protect supply chains and maintain the uninterrupted flow of essential goods. The measures have been supported by customs and logistics facilitation arrangements designed to sustain global supplies of energy and fertilisers amid current circumstances.
The GCC Secretary General emphasized that the meeting took place at a critical time, highlighting the Iranian attacks targeting GCC countries and Iran's continued disruption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. These actions, he noted, expose the direct link between regional security and global food security. He detailed that Iran and affiliated groups have launched approximately 7,000 ballistic missile and drone attacks against GCC countries over 45 consecutive days since February 28, 2026, targeting civilian facilities, infrastructure, and oil and gas installations.
Albudaiwi reported that these attacks have caused deaths, significant material damage, and disruption to global energy markets and supply chains, particularly affecting food commodities and agricultural fertilisers. He condemned the Iranian attacks against GCC sovereignty, along with the disruption of maritime navigation and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as global coercion and violations of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
He welcomed the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, which condemned the attacks, called for their immediate cessation, and urged against threats to maritime navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and surrounding waters. However, he noted that Iran has yet to comply with the resolution.
The GCC Secretary-General warned of the disruption to maritime navigation affecting the global economy, citing shortages in oil, gas, petrochemical products, and agricultural fertilisers, as well as a notable increase in urea prices. He pointed out the direct threat this situation poses to global food security, especially for developing countries reliant on imported energy and food supplies, which are already facing inflationary pressures and sovereign debt burdens.
Albudaiwi mentioned that several countries have introduced emergency economic measures to mitigate the crisis impact, emphasizing the need for coordinated international action to stabilize prices and strengthen logistics coordination to ensure uninterrupted flows of essential goods. He highlighted that the meeting provided an opportunity to transform discussions into practical initiatives that enhance cooperation among participating countries and support regional and international stability.
He reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remain the best means of resolving crises, stressing the need for Iran to respect the sovereignty of neighboring countries and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of GCC states. Albudaiwi also called for necessary measures to safeguard supply chains, maintain international maritime navigation, and support global food security, urging an end to Iranian attacks on GCC territories, ports, and interests in the Arabian Gulf.
Albudaiwi further emphasized the importance of protecting maritime corridors and ensuring uninterrupted international navigation, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb. He described maritime and regional security as essential pillars of international peace and security. He concluded by stressing the importance of adherence to international law and stronger international cooperation to protect energy security, supply chains, and freedom of navigation in accordance with international resolutions and treaties.