The landlocked west African country of Niger is increasingly feeling the pinch of an army rebellion in nearby Ivory Coast from where it imports large quantities of consumer goods.
With supplies drying up, the shelves in the supermarkets and the small shops are getting barer and barer. Rising prices are exacerbating the situation for consumers.
Around 120 trucks loaded with diverse goods for Niger are blocked in the Ivory Coast inland capital of Yamoussoukro, where the presence of French troops is blocking a rebel advance to the south, and in the rebel-held city of Bouake, in the centre.
Bouake, Ivory Coast’s second city, has served as the rebels’ headquarters since the start of their uprising on September 19. ”Since the events we haven’t received any supplies,” said a seller of cola nuts, indispensable in West Africa for social and other functions.
The bitter nuts, mild stimulants, are ritually chewed throughout the region.
A 200-litre can of Ivorian cooking oil, highly prized by Niger housewives, is now 14% dearer, selling at 130 000 CFA francs (198 euros /$195) against 114 000 francs (174 euros /$171) before the uprising started.
Burkina Faso, which lies between Ivory Coast and Niger, has closed its border with Ivory Coast since the unrest began, forcing Niger merchants to import goods from Ghana, east of Ivory Coast, which adds to transport costs. There is the additional hassle of paying off policemen, retailer Elhadj Idi said.
Ivorian corn, also greatly sought after in Niger, has disappeared. Now the stocks come from Ghana or Benin. Fruit and vegetable prices have also shot up. A banana now costs 100 CFA francs against 25 CFA francs before — a fourfold increase.
Oranges sell for 35 CFA francs whereas earlier they were sold at 10 CFA francs apiece. Worried importers are facing rapidly vanishing stocks of Ivorian-made construction material, including lumber, metal products, and paint.
In the eastern region of Galmi, onion farmers are also rattled. The Ivorian trucks are no longer arriving to take their onions away, and they are rotting. Livestock exporters are keeping their fingers crossed, praying for the crisis to be resolved before the Muslim feast of Tabaski, in three months, which involves the ritual slaughter of cows, sheep, goats and chickens.
Much of Ivory Coast’s meat is imported from Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, and meat prices are now shooting up in Abidjan.
The crisis has also cut bus links between Niger and Ivory Coast. Djibo, a driver, sits with a frown in Niamey’s bus terminus. The 32-year-old has more than one reason to be angry. His wedding was due to have been held in rebel-held Bouake, now out of bounds. – Sapa-AFP