The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, warned that the Middle East conflict will hit the poorest countries without their own energy reserves the hardest.

The war is already pushing the world toward higher inflation and slower economic growth. The disruption of global energy supplies, especially following Iran\'s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz - through which about one-fifth of the world\'s oil and gas trade passes - has reduced the global oil supply by 13 percent.

Georgieva emphasized that vulnerable countries lacking the fiscal capacity to shield their citizens from price increases are the most affected. 85 percent of IMF member states import energy, making them directly exposed to these shocks.

Previous IMF projections for global growth of 3.3 percent in 2026 and 3.2 percent in 2027 are now being revised downward due to the conflict.

Even exporters are feeling the consequences. Qatar, for example, may need three to five years to restore 17 percent of its natural gas production. The International Energy Agency has documented damage to 72 energy facilities, of which one-third suffered serious damage.

The World Food Programme warns that millions of people could face acute hunger if the fighting continues until June.