The UNHCR agency has warned that the war in the Middle East is causing significant increases in commodity prices, making it difficult to distribute aid to refugees in the region and in Africa.
According to the agency's data, shipping rates from the three main source countries for emergency supplies – India, Pakistan and China – have increased by nearly 18 percent. Meanwhile, delivery delays and port congestion are also affecting the supply chain.
UNHCR emphasizes that any increase in costs for fuel and ship insurance due to the risk of war reduces the funds available for assistance on the ground.
"The crisis in the Middle East has generated far-reaching effects beyond the region, with growing consequences for global humanitarian supply chains and aid distribution," spokeswoman Carlotta Wolf said during a press conference in Geneva.
