Geneva-headquartered container shipping line MSC said it was no longer accepting bookings for Mali due to security issues and a shortage of fuel.
Last month, the US embassy in Mali announced that persistent infrastructure challenges in Mali including continued disruptions of gasoline and diesel supplies, the closure of public institutions such as schools and universities nationwide, and ongoing armed conflict between Malian government and terrorist elements around Bamako increase the unpredictability of Bamako’s security situation.
The decision to temporarily suspend its services to and from Mali with immediate effect reveals growing operational challenges for companies navigating the increasingly unstable West African nation.
“Due to major operational challenges caused by safety concerns and a fuel shortage, road transportation for cargo destined for Mali is temporarily suspended until further notice,” MSC said in a statement posted to its website on Thursday.
MSC stated that it will no longer accept bookings for Mali (via true B/L and via B/L pier and transit to Mali), until the situation is resolved. This measure applies to all ports of discharge, including the Abidjan, Dakar, Tema, Lome and Conakry corridors.
African Union Commission chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed on Sunday “deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Mali, where terrorist groups have imposed blockades, disrupted access to essential supplies, and severely worsened humanitarian conditions for civilian populations.”
France’s foreign ministry on Friday recommended people leave Mali temporarily as soon as possible, because “the security situation in Mali is deteriorating, including in Bamako.”
The ministry urged people to use commercial flights and not leave by land, as the roads in Mali are targets of “attacks from terrorist groups.”
The ministry also reiterated its formal advice against travelling to Mali, “regardless of the reason.”
In its customer advise, MSC reiterated that it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as soon as services can resume.
France on Friday became the latest Western country to advise its citizens to leave Mali. The U.S. and other countries have issued similar notices.
The US Department of State on October 30 ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Mali due to safety risks. The U.S. government said it cannot offer routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Bamako due to safety risks.
