Ethiopia sends civil servants on mandatory leave to curb fuel demand amid crisis
via The Reporter Ethiopia2 min read
The Ethiopian government has instructed public institutions and state-owned enterprises to place non-essential employees on annual leave. This measure aims to alleviate the severe fuel shortage impacting transportation across the country, particularly in Addis Ababa. The crisis, exacerbated by the Iran war's energy implications, has led to massive queues at fuel stations. Public institutions are currently identifying essential staff, with some, like the Ethio Engineering Group, already implementing the leave policy. The Group's internal notice advised employees to use commercial transport services. The global energy situation, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has led to similar measures in other Asian countries. Earlier, the Ethiopian government urged fuel conservation and prioritized allocation for large public projects, such as a new international airport in Bishoftu. US-Israeli attacks in Iran have driven oil prices to their highest since the COVID-19 pandemic, with predictions of further increases. Ethiopia's fuel import spending already exceeds USD four billion annually. The government is also exploring long-term solutions, including replacing the public fleet with electric vehicles by 2030 and encouraging public transport providers to adopt compressed natural gas.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Reporter Ethiopia.
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