MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT CRIPPLES AFRICA

The ongoing Middle East conflict has driven global oil prices up over 50 percent, severely impacting African economies. Twenty-nine African currencies have weakened, escalating costs for debt servicing, food, fuel, and fertilizer imports. Disruptions in Gulf energy supplies threaten ammonia and urea access during the critical March-May planting season, risking agricultural output and worsening food insecurity for low-income households and import-dependent nations. African institutions including AfDB, AUC, UNDP, and UNECA urge crisis responses and resilience measures amid this volatility.