In the current global geopolitical scenario, there are two conflicts that dominate and hegemonize the interest of governments and the media: the Russian-Ukrainian one and the Israeli-Palestinian one. Precisely on the latter, a front has been open for several months now relating to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, with the Houthi terrorist group targeting ships transiting off the coast of Yemen and which they believe to be linked to Israel. This happened in December 2023.
About nine months have passed and no one (or almost no one) is talking about the crisis situation in the Red Sea. “A veil has been drawn over what is a very important crisis. – says Cavaliere Domenico De Rosa, CEO of SMET – From over 5 million tons per day that were transiting before the beginning of the crisis, we have reached 800,000 tons per day, and the trend has consolidated, the volume of goods transiting through Suez is gradually decreasing. We will pay for this on our tables and we will see it reflected in the numbers of the ISTAT basket. Prices can start to run again”.
The CEO of SMET recalls that, due to the fear of terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Houthis, insurance premiums have increased significantly and people prefer to adopt longer but safer routes.
“Having to circumnavigate Africa rather than passing through Suez, logistics costs increase significantly, times increase and all this has an impact on prices. – recalls Cavaliere Domenico De Rosa – We have already observed this at the beginning of this crisis, at the end of last year. Italy is particularly penalized, considering that almost half of our maritime exports pass through Suez. We are the first who, in order to concretely safeguard our economic and commercial interests, should give priority to the resolution of the crisis that has arisen in the Red Sea”.
Cavaliere Domenico De Rosa launches the appeal as follows: “No one is talking about Houthi terrorism anymore and the news about it, in newspapers and other media, is almost non-existent. The Italian government is making the navy escort available to ships passing through there, but this is not enough at all. It is not enough, and the vertical collapse of commercial traffic in the Red Sea proves it. Italian and international politics is focused on other scenarios – recalls Cavaliere and CEO of SMET Domenico De Rosa – certainly important, but which have a much less significant economic impact than the prolonged crisis in the Suez Canal”.
The CEO of SMET concludes the analysis by referring to the concepts of geopolitical realism and pragmatism. “We come from difficult years, between covid, wars and skyrocketing inflation. At this time, we need greater sensitivity towards our interests, both as a Country System and as an Italian nation. Our geopolitical priority should be the resolution of the crisis in the Red Sea, to avoid new price increases and the potential, devastating effects on the pockets of Italians, as well as entrepreneurs themselves. We cannot afford missteps: we are gambling the economic recovery of the country – concludes Cavaliere Domenico De Rosa – and we must act with pragmatism, reclaiming our role in Europe and in the world”.
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– 2024-09-07 10:19:56
