As the fuel supply in the country appears to have stabilized following some panic over a shortage, President Irfaan Ali today warned that the ongoing US-Iran conflict will have far reaching implications for countries like Guyana.

In a video recording released on his social media pages, President Ali explained that with the Strait of Hormuz still closed, effectively disrupting the flow of approximately 21% of global oil supplies, prices on the global market have skyrocketed, and the impact would be long lasting.

“The implications of the ongoing war in Iran is far reaching. The consequences of this war is not only the immediate impact, but the long-term impact of rebuilding the disruption in global supply chain, the destruction of important and critical global infrastructure that would enable price stability, whether it’s refined products, and all products associated with gas, petrochemicals, including of course, fertiliser, glass, minerals, everything that is linked to the energy ecosystem,” the President explained.

The war has resulted in the largest disruption in the history of the global supply system, resulting in a global energy crisis, the President said, as he cited a report from the International Energy Agency.

Already countries, such as Guyana, are experiencing a shortage of fuel.

The Opposition has criticized the Government’s management of the domestic fuel supply, but President Ali pushed back against the criticism.

Urging his fellow policy makers to get serious, the President explained that the supply chain shocks are now causing severe disruptions to all nations dependent on imported gas, fuel, fertiliser and refined products.

“So, our policy makers must understand this. They must understand the implications of this, and stop monkeying themselves around as if we are operating in a normative environment. These are the realities the world is operating in,” he said.

Pointing to an assessment done by the World Food Programme, the President said it is estimated that the conflict will push 45 million additional people into acute hunger by mid-2026, potentially reaching record levels of global hunger.

The price of fertilizer, he added, has increased by approximately 46% – a situation that would undoubtedly lend to increase food prices.

“Secondly, what is happening to fertiliser prices? Between February and March 2026, the urea prices surged by nearly 46% month on month. Understand this is 46% month on month, with higher prices expected to play out in the months ahead. This is the reality. This is what farmers, the food ecosystem and governments will be faced with because of demand supply, just because of what is happening on the supply side, as a result of the challenges on the Hormuz Strait,” he said.  

President Ali said due to its dependence on imported fuel for power, Latin America and the Caribbean are highly vulnerable, and the impact will be massive not only in the Energy Sector, but in Agriculture, Aviation, Construction and Tourism among other industries.

“It is expected that this region will face a massive impact. Already, we are seeing the aviation sector adding a fuel surcharge that will affect tourism, in turn, that will affect all of the countries dependent on tourism. The increase in the cost of fertiliser, increase in the cost for shipping, most of our products, whether it be food or imports construction material, all of that will be impacted as a result of what is happening,” he said.

Noting that it is not a simplistic social media post, the President said Guyana will have to navigate these difficult circumstances.

According to him, it calls for critical thinking, a shift policy, consistent dialogue and discussions to minimize the impact and disruption. He said it is important to establish measures that will help to safeguard the country’s ecosystem and minimize the impact on the Guyanese people.

Already, the Aircraft Owners Association has indicated that airfares will increase as a result of increases in aviation fuel. Some gas prices have also seen increases.

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