WTO 'less optimistic' for world trade prospects over Red Sea tensions

The World Trade Organization's chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said she was "less optimistic" about world trade in 2024, pointing to tensions in the Red Sea.

The head of the international trade body said on Wednesday weaker global economic growth, "worsening geopolitical tensions, the new disruptions we see in the Red Sea, on the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal" meant "we are less optimistic".

She was speaking to journalists at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos where political and economic elites are meeting to discuss global challenges.

Before the Hamas attack on Israel in October and the subsequent outbreak of Israeli massive aggression in Gaza, the WTO had predicted trade would grow by 0.8 percent in 2023 and projected growth of 3.3 percent this year.

But Okonjo-Iweala warned the figure for 2024 would now be lower in future forecasts.

Vital trade route disrupted

"We think there are a lot of downside risks to the forecasts we had made last year of 3.3 percent of growth of merchandise volumes this year. So we expect weaker performance," she said.

"We will be revising estimates for this year, but they won't be ready for another month or so," Okonjo-Iweala added.

A spate of attacks by Yemeni group on Red Sea shipping has disrupted the vital trade route while the worst drought in decades to hit the Panama Canal has forced authorities to slow transits.

Yemen's Houthi group say their strikes are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The attacks have, however, also caused shipping companies to avoid the Suez Canal.

More than 24,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza in Israeli bombardments and ground assault since October 7, according to local health officials.