CARICOM presses for safe Hormuz shipping as Middle East fighting intensifies

The Caribbean Community says rising fighting in the Middle East is deeply worrying, and that any military pressure on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could hit world commerce, oil and gas markets, and small states in the region that rely heavily on imports.

In a release on Monday from its Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana, CARICOM said heads of government are troubled by ongoing bloodshed, deaths, attacks on civilian facilities, and the knock-on effects on global markets.

The bloc pointed to the strait as among the planet’s busiest sea lanes. It said even brief interruptions to vessels moving through the waterway can ripple outward, squeezing supply lines, pushing up shipping charges, and making it harder for countries to obtain basic necessities.

CARICOM restated its backing for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, and noted that every one of its member governments has ratified the treaty.

“The rights conferred by the UNCLOS are firmly entrenched in customary international law, and are binding on all States, regardless of whether they are States Parties to UNCLOS,” the statement said.

Officials also insisted that ships enjoy transit passage without needing “any license, levy, or authorization,” and that coastal states along the route must not block or halt lawful movement through the channel.

The Community appealed to all sides in the fighting to honour international rules, protect crews and commercial traffic, and reopen secure, uninterrupted use of the Strait of Hormuz.

It further demanded a swift lowering of tensions and a full stop to armed confrontation.

“CARICOM will continue to closely monitor developments in the Middle East and remains steadfast in its support for diplomacy to promote sustainable peace in the region and greater stability globally,” the statement added.