African Nations Hit by Iran Crisis Fuel Shortages

0:00On March 26, a fuel crisis sparked by the conflict in Iran is hitting several African nations hard, forcing electricity rationing in South Sudan and Mauritius. In Juba, the capital of South Sudan, power cuts are now rotating daily across parts of the city to save limited reserves. Mauritius, which relies heavily on imported oil for electricity, has imposed curbs on high-use areas after a key oil shipment failed to arrive. South Sudan produces plenty of crude oil, but imports refined fuel, generating most of its power from it. The rationing adds the outages that started last May. In Mauritius, officials secured emergency fuel from Singapore, set to dock on the 1st of April, though at higher prices, leaving just 21, days of stock in the meantime. Every day people are feeling the pinch, like vendors in Zimbabwe's capital whose transport costs have doubled, squeezing profits on basics like soft. Drinks. Fuel prices there jump 40% in under a month, prompting plans to blend more ethanol into petrol and cut import taxes.

1:04Kenya reports shortages at 1 in 5 petrol stations from panic buying, while distributors scramble to restock. Zimbabwe, Uganda, and South Africa are urging calm, with governments hunting alternatives and warning against price hikes, though a long war could. Strain supplies further. Across the region, leaders are racing to secure fuel amid rising costs and fears of worse to come, as the ripple effects from the Middle East continue. To unfold, world news, powered by AI, this is Global News Today.