Ivorian fuel price cuts end transport strike

ABIDJAN – Ivory Coast’s commercial capital began to return to work yesterday after the government agreed to cut the fixed price of diesel fuel, ending a transport strike in the world’s top cocoa grower. Last week’s strike disrupted transport and sparked clashes between youths and police, though cocoa exporters said they were little affected because it happened at a quiet time of year.

“The price of diesel has fallen by 100 francs,” said Mamadou Coulibaly, a taxi driver in Abidjan. “It’s still not back to what it was before, but it’s acceptable,” he said as taxis lined the streets honking horns to mark the occasion. Though workers throughout the city returned to their offices, some union officials maintained a tough stance.

“We will continue the strike until the government brings diesel back to its former price, until the price of rice falls, until the price of gas falls to its former level, until households really feel a change,” Farikou Soumahoro, leader of the union which began the strike, said late on Sunday. Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, who met union leaders at the weekend, announced the measures at a Sunday news conference after an extraordinary cabinet meeting chaired by President Laurent Gbagbo.

Although the price rises stem from the high world oil price and other external pressures, continued protests could create serious political problems for Gbagbo. He is widely expected to stand for a second term in office in elections scheduled for November.

The price of diesel, which the government raised earlier this month by 44 percent to 785 CFA francs ($1.90) per litre to better reflect world crude oil prices, saw the biggest cut, falling 100 francs to 685 francs per litre. Soro said the diesel price cut and other concessions to transporters would cost the state 200 billion CFA francs ($484 million), and government ministers’ pay would be halved as part of efforts to make good the shortfall.