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Rabat – Morocco’s Professional Association for wholesale distributors of butane gas cylinders has announced a two-day strike to protest the overwhelming increase in energy costs.
The national strike will take place from June 29-30 following “the enormous increases experienced by energy materials in Morocco recently, particularly diesel,” the association noted, arguing that it is “impossible” for them to continue the distribution activity amid the current circumstances. They also warned that they would extend the strike if necessary.
Emphasizing that they have not been presented with an immediate solution to the current crisis despite having contacted “all authorities concerned,” the distributors have concluded that it is “impossible to continue distribution.”
Significantly, the association of distributors called on all members to abide by its decision until their demands are met.
Fuel prices in morocco reached new heights recently. The price of diesel per liter stands at MAD 15 ($1.49), while gasoline reached nearly MAD 18 ($1.79), marking an unprecedented increase.
The energy sector has been experiencing ups and downs, with the government attributing the hiked prices to the global context.
Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Minister of Economy and Finance said recently that the repercussions of the current situation in Ukraine and the fallout of the COVID crisis on the global supply chain have deeply affected the prices of commodities in Morocco, including fuel.
Mustapha Baitas, the spokesperson of the government, echoed similar remarks during the weekly press briefings, saying that Morocco remains dependent on purchasing gas from the international market.
Stressing that the price increases covering commodities are due to the global context, Baitais has nonetheless emphasized that the situation is not an excuse and vowed that the government “is doing what if can and will not fail to do more to avoid such crises.”
