Eritrea suspends sale of petrol as oil prices soar: official

ASMARA, Oct 15 (AFP) — Eritrea said on Friday that it has suspended sales of petrol due to soaring oil prices on the world market.

The sale of petrol has been suspended since Wednesday afternoon “in the wake of ever-increasing oil prices on the world market,” in a bid to curb consumption in the Horn of Africa country, which imports all its refined fuel products, Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed told AFP by telephone in Asmara.

“Our priority is to provide petrol to public services and development programmes in the best interest of the nation. We do not want superfluous consumption. We cannot let the people with the money consume all the petrol,” he said.

Diesel fuel would remain available, Ahmed said.

Early in October, Eritrea put an end to nearly one month of fuel rationing but also increased the price of refined fuel.

A litre of petrol went up by 40 percent to 20 nakfas (1.43 dollars / 1.14 euros), while diesel went up 25 percent to 10 nakfas (0.70 dollars / 56 euro cents) a litre.

This time, another price increase was ruled out because it would “affect even low-income households,” Ahmed said.

“The suspension of the sale of petrol should not provoke anxiety,” he added.

He did not say when the suspension would be lifted.

A petrol station manager, who asked to remain anonymous, earlier told AFP that he had received an order not to sell petrol but said no reason had been given to him for the decision.