Yemeni attacks disrupt Uganda Church's wine supply from Spain

The Catholic Church in Uganda is short of mass wine, reports the BBC, citing local African media. The blame for these shortages is placed on Yemeni Houthis, who are attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea.

Shortages of mass wine began in February, and this week, a Church-affiliated company, JW InterServices, has appealed to diocesan authorities to be very cautious with their supplies.

As the media explains, the Ugandan Church imports wine from Spain, which is transported by ships through the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Red Sea to eventually reach the port in Kenya's Mombasa and, from there, to Uganda, located in East Africa.

However, since last November, Yemeni separatists Houthis have been attacking commercial ships travelling this route.

Many shippers, thus, opt for a much longer (and more costly) but safer route around Africa - explained the managing director of JW InterServices, Father Asiku Alfred Tulu, to the local newspaper "Observer". Therefore, the wine expected at the beginning of April will not reach Ugandan customers sooner than at the end of May.