Mali Suspends Educational Institutions and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Intensifies Petrol Crisis

Long queues at petrol stations in Mali
Lengthy lines have been appearing around petrol stations in recent weeks

The landlocked West African country has closed schools and universities throughout the country due to a critical petrol shortage caused by a embargo on petroleum supplies imposed by militant groups.

Minister of Education stated on state television that all learning centers would stay shut until the ninth of November, noting that the transportation of employees and pupils had been impacted by the blockade.

He stated that the administration were “working tirelessly” to end the emergency so that educational activities could continue on the tenth of November.

For a number of weeks, Mali has been experiencing a energy deficit, notably in the main city, after armed groups from an jihadist network initiated a embargo by targeting fuel trucks on key routes.

The country is landlocked, so all energy resources are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.

Long queues have been forming around fuel outlets in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.

The ruling military council had earlier this month promised the public that it was only a passing concern, but the emergency has endured.

Recently, the United States diplomatic office in the capital stated that non-critical embassy personnel and their dependents would evacuate the country amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing security concerns.

It noted that the petroleum supply issues had affected the supply of electricity and had the “capacity to affect” the broader protection environment in unpredictable ways.

The West African nation is presently governed by a army council headed by the military leader, who took control in a military overthrow in recently.

The military government had public backing when it took power, committing to tackle the long-running security crisis caused by a independence uprising in the northern territories by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.

The United Nations stabilization force and France's military had been stationed in previously to address the increasing militant activity.

These forces have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the military government has contracted foreign fighters to combat the insecurity.

Nonetheless, the Islamist rebellion has endured and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the state remain outside government control.

Theresa Nielsen
Theresa Nielsen

A certified financial planner with over 15 years of experience in investment banking and personal wealth management.