Mali Suspends Schools and Universities as Islamist Militant Restrictions Worsens Fuel Crisis
Mali has temporarily halted schools and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a critical fuel scarcity triggered by a embargo on energy resources implemented by Islamist insurgents.
Minister of Education stated on national broadcast that all education institutions would remain closed until 9 November, noting that the transportation of employees and learners had been impacted by the imposed limitations.
He stated that the authorities were “working tirelessly” to alleviate the crisis so that classes could continue on 10 November.
For several weeks, the nation has been facing a energy deficit, notably in the main city, after insurgents from an jihadist network imposed a embargo by striking tankers on key routes.
Mali is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are delivered by land routes from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.
Lengthy waits have been winding around petrol stations in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently grown silent.
The military government had previously assured citizens that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has continued.
Recently, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako stated that non-critical embassy personnel and their families would depart Mali amid the intensifying fuel shortage and escalating security concerns.
It noted that the petroleum supply issues had affected the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.
The West African nation is now led by a armed forces administration headed by Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a takeover in 2021.
The military government had popular support when it took power, vowing to deal with the protracted safety emergency prompted by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.
The UN peacekeeping mission and France's military had been sent in a decade ago to combat the escalating insurgency.
The international troops have departed since the junta took over, and the ruling council has hired Russian mercenaries to tackle the insecurity.
However, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the north and east of the country remain outside government control.
