Antananarivo: The Malagasy government declared a state of energy emergency across the entire territory for a period of 15 days to address a major energy supply crisis currently affecting the country.
According to a presidential communique, this situation is attributable in particular to the repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East, which have disrupted energy supplies and public services in Madagascar.
The government said that this state of emergency would allow for the implementation of rapid and targeted measures to restore energy supplies, ensure the continuity of essential services, and maintain the proper functioning of the national economy.
The ongoing energy crisis also impacts public order, security, and institutional stability, the communique added.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to mobilise all necessary resources to overcome this crisis and limit its effects on the daily lives of the population.
According to local media, since mid-March, petroleum stations in Madagascar have faced insufficient storage capacity or temporary stock shortages. The country’s supply of refined petroleum depends heavily on imports, particularly from Oman, Xinhua news agency reported.
Several African governments have responded to surging global oil prices, spurred by the Iran war, by implementing sharp fuel price increases, energy-saving measures, or electricity rationing. “This decision was taken following the observation that the country is facing a deep crisis due to disruptions in energy supply across the island, linked to the conflict in the Middle East,” the cabinet said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump announced that he has agreed to suspend planned military strikes on Iran for two weeks, linking the pause to Tehran’s agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing negotiations toward a broader peace deal.
In a statement, Trump said the decision came “based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan,” who had urged restraint as tensions escalated.
“Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” he said, describing the move as part of “a double-sided ceasefire.”
The announcement signals a temporary halt in what had been shaping up as a major escalation in the Gulf, with Trump asserting that US military goals had already been achieved.
(IANS)
