Arabic version: مصر تطبق إغلاقًا مبكرًا للمتاجر لمواجهة أزمة الطاقة

Shops, restaurants, and cafes in Egypt have been told to close early as part of a raft of temporary measures to combat soaring energy prices caused by the Iran war. Starting on Saturday, these establishments must shut their doors by 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) for the next month.

According to BBC News, the Egyptian government is also dimming street lights and roadside advertising. Additionally, many employees will work from home one day a week in April to conserve energy. Hotels and tourist attractions will be exempt from these restrictions.

The energy crisis has been exacerbated by the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and liquefied natural gas. Egypt, reliant on imported fuel, has felt the impact of rising global oil prices, with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly noting that the country’s petrol bill surged from January to $2.5 billion in March.

In response to the crisis, the government has raised petrol prices and increased public transport costs. Furthermore, it plans to slow down large energy-intensive state projects and cut government vehicle fuel allowances by nearly a third. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government has also taken steps to conserve fuel by putting non-essential staff on leave.