UN proposes 'confidence-building mechanism' for global trade routes

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday proposed a UN-led initiative to secure global maritime choke points, warning that regional conflicts are "choking arteries of global trade" and threatening the world's food system.

"Maritime choke points must never become instruments of coercion, and the world's food supply must never become collateral damage of conflict," Guterres told reporters.

He highlighted that transits through the Strait of Hormuz have reached a near standstill, while oil prices have surged by 36% since the war began on Feb. 28. Additionally, global container rates have spiked by 84% over the last year, severely affecting the cost of fertilizers and essential goods, he underlined.

The proposed "confidence-building mechanism," developed by a task force led by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), would serve as a "neutral facilitator" for the registration and verification of vessels. The initiative would focus initially on ships carrying fertilizers and related raw materials, providing an "orderly and predictable" transit process to reduce immediate risks and foster diplomacy with a "deconflicting mechanism" in Oman.

Guterres emphasized that the mechanism would not authorize passage or alter existing international laws. "Sovereign decisions remain entirely with participating member states," the UN chief said, adding that the plan can only proceed if all involved nations agree to the framework. He confirmed that the UN Office for Project Services has maintained intense contact with all parties and that all the parties involved have detailed knowledge of what the mechanism is about.

Guterres stressed that protecting navigational freedoms is a "legal obligation and a humanitarian imperative" as "millions of vulnerable people around the world depend on the collective ability of all parties to uphold it."

He issued an appeal for "full respect for international law," including the law of the sea and humanitarian mandates. Guterres demanded protection for civilian seafarers and infrastructure while calling for the "full restoration and respect of navigational rights and freedoms" in the Strait of Hormuz. He further urged an "immediate end" to attacks against commercial shipping in the Black Sea and the Red Sea, emphasizing that these rights are vital for "international peace and security."