Ethiopia’s Premier Urges Fuel Conservation as Mideast Conflict

(MENAFN) Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday called on fuel distributors, service stations, and consumers to reduce fuel usage and prioritize essential needs, as escalating tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt global oil supply chains.

He noted that the ongoing crisis has tightened international fuel markets and slowed the delivery of petroleum products to countries that rely heavily on imports, including Ethiopia.

“As a result of the situation in the Middle East, countries that purchase fuel are facing difficulties obtaining supplies as usual,” Abiy said in a statement shared on social media platform X.

He further emphasized that “Until the problem is resolved and the fuel supply system returns to normal, we must use fuel carefully and give priority to essential services,” urging more efficient consumption.

The prime minister also appealed to fuel distributors, gas stations, and the public to allocate available fuel toward critical sectors such as transportation, healthcare, food distribution, and other essential services.

The disruption comes amid intensifying conflict in the Middle East following joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which have reportedly resulted in around 1,300 deaths, including Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Iran has carried out drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, broadening the scope of the regional conflict and raising global concerns about energy security.

Additionally, Iran has effectively restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz since early March, a crucial shipping lane through which a large share of the world’s oil trade passes.

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