The Mozambican government is investigating the causes of a new fuel shortage that has re-emerged across several parts of the country, weeks after a period of relative supply normalisation that followed a major crisis recorded between April and May.
According to Lusa, Council of Ministers spokesman Inocêncio Impissa said the executive is gathering information to determine what is driving the reappearance of fuel shortages.
“An analysis is still being carried out to understand what is effectively happening, so that one appears to be experiencing, or is at least beginning, a second wave of shortage,” he said at the close of a Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, 4 June, in Maputo.
Responding to questions from journalists, Impissa confirmed that the government is monitoring the situation, which re-emerged over the past weekend, with filling stations closing due to lack of fuel and long queues forming at those that remained operational.
The return of queues has been most visible in recent days in the city of Matola, Maputo Province, following a normalisation period that came after a crisis linked to logistical difficulties associated with the conflict in the Middle East. Between April and May, shortages of petrol and diesel led to queues of dozens of vehicles and forced the deployment of the Rapid Intervention Unit at stations that still had supplies.
The police presence was intended to guarantee security and manage the flow of motorists, motorcyclists, and consumers who arrived at filling stations carrying containers to purchase fuel. At the time, the shortage led to the closure of several stations across the country and disrupted business activity and transport.
On 7 May, the price of diesel rose by 45.5%, while petrol increased by 12.1%. The government attributed the revision to movements in international markets and supply difficulties caused by the Middle East conflict.
On 12 June, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Estêvão Pale argued that biofuels could help reduce the effects of international fossil fuel price volatility, reiterating that they should form part of the national energy matrix diversification strategy.
Speaking at the opening of the National Biofuels Seminar in Maputo, the minister acknowledged that Mozambique faces a context marked by international price volatility and the impact of the Middle East conflict on global supply chains. He added that the country has favourable natural, agricultural, and logistical conditions for developing a national biofuels supply chain, while conceding that biofuels will not replace fossil fuels in the short term.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=527037
