Mali has suspended all school and university classes nationwide for two weeks starting Monday due to a worsening fuel shortage, the government announced late on Sunday.
The crisis follows a blockade imposed by al Qaeda-linked insurgents that has disrupted fuel imports into the country.
Militants from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) declared a blockade on fuel entering the landlocked West African nation in early September and have since attacked convoys of fuel tankers attempting to reach Mali or its capital, Bamako.
Analysts say the blockade is part of a broader pressure campaign by militant groups seeking to strangle the country’s economy and weaken its military-led government.
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According to Reuters, some fuel stations have shut down in Bamako, leaving residents struggling to find transportation. Many have been forced to walk, rely on scarce motorcycle taxis, or remain at home.
The announcement of the school closures came shortly after news on Friday that Russia, whose relationship with Mali has grown increasingly close in recent years, had agreed to supply between 160,000 and 200,000 metric tons of petroleum and agricultural products.
Alexey Keulika, who led the Russian delegation to Mali last week, did not specify which petroleum products would be delivered or when the shipments would begin.
Keulika also revealed that a board meeting would take place next month regarding a new Russia-backed gold refinery currently under construction in Mali.
Earlier in 2024, the Malian government delayed the start of the academic year due to severe flooding that followed the rainy season.
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Image Credit: Arise News
