Guinea is currently facing a severe fuel shortage, which is a result of the explosion that occurred at the country’s primary fuel depot in Conakry on the night of December 17-18. To ease Guinea’s fuel crisis, Ivory Coast has proposed a solution by pledging to deliver 50 million liters of gasoline to their neighboring country every month.
The Guinean Minister of Economy has engaged in discussions with the Ivorian Minister of Energy to start negotiations on the terms of the contract, which are still ongoing.
“Ivory Coast pledges to deliver 50 million liters of gasoline to Guinea”, the announcement was made on December 27 on RTI, the national television network. Fuel convoys, consisting of trucks from Guinea, would depart from the depot in Yamoussoukro to reach the Guinean depot in N’Zérékoré, a city near the border with Ivory Coast.
These convoys will be secured, as specified by the Ivorian Ministry of Energy. Ivory Coast’s increased fuel stocks ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations would allow for these deliveries without jeopardizing the country’s energy security.
How long will these deliveries last? And what are the precise terms of the contract? The Ivorian government explains that discussions are ongoing to agree on the selling price of gasoline and transfer operations. In any case, these deliveries would cover just over 70% of Guinea’s fuel needs, which are around 70 million liters per month.
This agreement is significant for the Guinean economy, which has been burdened by the shortage, and an opportunity for Côte d’Ivoire, as Guinea is not a regular customer of petroleum products.
After the explosion of the country’s main fuel depot, which resulted in 24 deaths and more than 450 injuries, Guineans were deprived of gasoline for several days, leading to economic paralysis and creating tensions in many cities. Fuel is currently rationed in Guinea: a maximum of 25 liters per car and 5 for motorcycles while filling containers remains prohibited.