The West African nation Suspends Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Blockade Exacerbates Fuel Crisis
The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and colleges countrywide due to a severe fuel scarcity resulting from a embargo on energy resources implemented by militant groups.
Top education official stated on state television that all academic facilities would be inactive until November 9th, clarifying that the travel of staff and pupils had been disrupted by the blockade.
He stated that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to alleviate the situation so that educational activities could continue on 10 November.
For several weeks, the nation has been facing a fuel shortage, particularly in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a restriction by striking transport vehicles on key routes.
Mali is landlocked, so all energy resources are delivered by truck from neighboring states such as Senegal and CĂ´te d'Ivoire.
Extended lines have been forming around gas pumps in the main city in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly become deserted.
The military government had in recent days reassured residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has continued.
Last week, the US Embassy in the capital declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would leave Mali amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and increasing protection worries.
It explained that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the power distribution and had the “capacity to affect” the broader protection environment in unexpected forms.
Mali is currently ruled by a army council under the leadership of the military leader, who seized power in a takeover in two years ago.
The junta had public backing when it took power, promising to tackle the ongoing instability triggered by a separatist rebellion in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then co-opted by extremist groups.
The United Nations stabilization force and European soldiers had been sent in 2013 to deal with the escalating insurgency.
The international troops have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the military government has hired private military contractors to combat the instability.
However, the jihadist insurgency has continued and significant areas of the northern and eastern territories of the nation remain not under administrative command.
