Government ministers in Senegal have been banned from all non-essential foreign travel following the rise in the price of oil resulting from the conflict in Iran, the prime minister has announced.
Speaking at a youth rally on Friday, Ousmane Sonko said that the current cost of a barrel of oil was approaching double what had been budgeted for.
Sonko has postponed his own trips to Niger and Spain as part of the restrictions. He stated that the mines minister would announce further measures to curb government spending in the coming week.
Senegal's move is the latest response from the continent to the oil price rise, which has seen countries reducing fuel levies and rationing electricity.
In his speech to young people, the prime minister stated he did not want to 'frighten' his audience or put pressure on them. Instead, he wanted to convey the 'difficult world' that exists, while reassuring that Senegalese citizens are resilient.
Despite a fledgling oil and gas industry, Senegal relies heavily on importing fuel.
Last year, the International Monetary Fund described the economy as 'robust' with a growth rate of almost 8% and low inflation.
However, its public debt – standing at more than 130% of the total annual size of the economy - is concerning. Sonko, installed as prime minister two years ago, has blamed the previous government for this heavy burden, complicating his administration's current financial challenges.
Elsewhere on the continent, South Africa also reduced taxes on petrol to mitigate rising fuel prices, while Ethiopia faces fuel shortages leading to annual leave for employees in government institutions. South Sudan has begun to ration electricity, and Zimbabwe is increasing ethanol content in gasoline. The tensions in the Middle East have exacerbated these issues, affecting global supply chains.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict has limited the supply of essential fertilizers, prompting humanitarian concerns, especially in East Africa, where reliance on these imports is critical. The International Rescue Committee has labeled this situation a 'food security timebomb.'
