Issued on: 01/05/2026 - 08:15Modified: 01/05/2026 - 10:29

Amid geopolitical volatility and economic fragility, François Picard is pleased to welcome John W.H. Denton, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce. Denton is warning that "the Strait of Hormuz is about much more than oil and gas": we are drifting towards a food security crisis of global proportions.

While headlines fixate on oil and conflict, Denton insists that "the sharpest issue at the moment is actually the deterioration of access to fertiliser", a development he links directly to "cataclysmic risk" for global food systems.

Equally striking is his re-evaluation of geopolitical actors. Syria, once war-torn, unstable and isolated, is now described as making an "extraordinary contribution" to global trade reconfiguration" that was once unthinkable. This unexpected shift underscores a broader theme: the fluidity of the global order in times of crisis.

Read moreFood security: Why UN chief Guterres's plan to get fertiliser flowing in Hormuz is stalling

At the heart of Denton's argument lies a simple but urgent principle: "This is not a humanitarian gesture; that's actually keeping a food system operating."

In other words, the stakes couldn't be higher. This is not just a moral issue, it affects the entire system: we are touching the very foundations of economic and human stability.

Related keywords

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.