GENEVA, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The war in the Middle East poses a dire threat to global food security, the World Trade Organization chief warned on Thursday, appealing for global supply chains to remain open.

The Middle East conflict "threatens global food security, since shipping disruptions and higher energy costs reduce the supply and raise the cost of fertiliser", Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told reporters in Geneva.

"A prolonged interruption in supply could ripple through food systems, prompting farmers to reduce their use of fertilisers and plant less input-intensive crops," she said, insisting it was "essential to keep global food trade channels open and predictable, allowing food supplies to flow to where they are most needed".