New Zealand minister warns of Middle East supply chain risks

FILE PHOTO: The Callisto tanker sits anchored in Port Sultan Qaboos as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 12, 2026. New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay said it was in the mutual interest of the Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership to keep trade lines open, including via air and sea freight, to ensure the flow of fuel and other essential goods. - Reuters

WELLINGTON: New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has highlighted the Middle East conflict's impact on global supply chains at a Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership meeting.

"We see an opportunity for FIT partners to signal a joint commitment to maintaining open and resilient supply chains, working together to share real-time information and coordinating joint responses when supply chains are disrupted," McClay was quoted as saying in a government statement on Tuesday (March 17).