IFRC: Middle East conflict is making humanitarian supply chains slower and more expensive

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is warning that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is tightening the screws on global humanitarian supply chains, as stated in an official press release published by the Federation. While the IFRC’s global supply chain hub in Dubai remains operational, disruptions to transport have forced the organization to reroute aid and rely on longer, more expensive land corridors. The result is clear: moving goods is becoming both more costly and slower — a serious problem at a time when humanitarian budgets are already shrinking and demand is rising.

The numbers behind the squeeze are striking. Sea freight costs have risen by around 70%, with surges of up to 300% on some routes thanks to schedule disruptions, rerouting, and port congestion. Reduced sailings from the UAE are pushing containers overland to ports like Jeddah, adding roughly $5,000 per container. International land transport across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) corridors is up 20–30%, driven by border delays, driver shortages, and tighter capacity, compounded by volatile fuel prices. Air freight is up 50–70% on many routes, as shippers move cargo from sea to air and compete for limited capacity with fluctuating fuel surcharges.

None of this is happening in a vacuum. The IFRC notes that the extra costs and longer delivery times will hit the most vulnerable communities hardest — the very people humanitarian aid is meant to protect. When budgets shrink and prices spike, the moral math is simple: fewer people get the help they need, and they get it later.

The Federation is calling for continued support to its global supply chain, warning that the current stresses are not a temporary blip but a protracted reality that will shape how and where aid reaches people for months to come.