Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASMARA65
2009-02-23 12:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
ERITREA'S ENERGY POLICY: JUST IN TIME DELIVERY
how-toR 231231Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0189 INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI COMUSNAVCENT CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ DIA WASHDC CIA WASHDC HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000065
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2019
TAGS: ECON ENRG PGOV ER
SUBJECT: ERITREA'S ENERGY POLICY: JUST IN TIME DELIVERY
REF: (A) ASMARA 50 (B) 08 ASMARA 558
Classified By: Amb. Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000065
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2019
TAGS: ECON ENRG PGOV ER
SUBJECT: ERITREA'S ENERGY POLICY: JUST IN TIME DELIVERY
REF: (A) ASMARA 50 (B) 08 ASMARA 558
Classified By: Amb. Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)
1. (C) As of February 20, Eritrea was close to running out of
both gasoline and diesel, though 3 million gallons total were
due to arrive from Sudan on February 24 or 25, according to
the Total Oil country manager. He said he had gasoline, but
believed there were only 42,000 gallons in the country, about
an 8-day supply. The Asmara rumor mill was spinning early
last week that gasoline was not for sale. Prompted by an
anonymous call on February 16, the manager checked his
stations and found long lines for gasoline. Shortly
afterward the GSE authorities arrived to inventory the stock
and afterwards they shut down sales. The Total manager
speculated the GSE did not want people to see the lines. The
GSE told him he could sell to diplomats, but he did not want
to be seen giving preferential treatment.
2. (C) All fuel in Eritrea is price-controlled. The
government sells gasoline for about $10 per gallon, using the
surplus to subsidize diesel, which most vehicles use. He
said the GSE loses money on diesel anyway. Aviation fuel is
likewise price-controlled and much cheaper than elsewhere in
the region. For this reason, he thought, Qadhafi's air crew
had wanted to purchase it here during the recent visit (ref
A). The manager had been holding 24,000 gallons of aviation
fuel and was asked to move it urgently to Massawa for
Qadhafi's seven planes. He only supplied 2,600 gallons per
plane and didn't think it was enough to get the planes all
the way back to Tripoli.
3. (C) Discussing the Eritrean military's continued
involvement in fuel supplies and sales, (ref B),the manager
said he recently traveled to his depot in Tessenei, near the
Sudanese border, and was astonished to find the military
using Total's fuel storage tanks.
Minimize Considered.
MCMULLEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2019
TAGS: ECON ENRG PGOV ER
SUBJECT: ERITREA'S ENERGY POLICY: JUST IN TIME DELIVERY
REF: (A) ASMARA 50 (B) 08 ASMARA 558
Classified By: Amb. Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)
1. (C) As of February 20, Eritrea was close to running out of
both gasoline and diesel, though 3 million gallons total were
due to arrive from Sudan on February 24 or 25, according to
the Total Oil country manager. He said he had gasoline, but
believed there were only 42,000 gallons in the country, about
an 8-day supply. The Asmara rumor mill was spinning early
last week that gasoline was not for sale. Prompted by an
anonymous call on February 16, the manager checked his
stations and found long lines for gasoline. Shortly
afterward the GSE authorities arrived to inventory the stock
and afterwards they shut down sales. The Total manager
speculated the GSE did not want people to see the lines. The
GSE told him he could sell to diplomats, but he did not want
to be seen giving preferential treatment.
2. (C) All fuel in Eritrea is price-controlled. The
government sells gasoline for about $10 per gallon, using the
surplus to subsidize diesel, which most vehicles use. He
said the GSE loses money on diesel anyway. Aviation fuel is
likewise price-controlled and much cheaper than elsewhere in
the region. For this reason, he thought, Qadhafi's air crew
had wanted to purchase it here during the recent visit (ref
A). The manager had been holding 24,000 gallons of aviation
fuel and was asked to move it urgently to Massawa for
Qadhafi's seven planes. He only supplied 2,600 gallons per
plane and didn't think it was enough to get the planes all
the way back to Tripoli.
3. (C) Discussing the Eritrean military's continued
involvement in fuel supplies and sales, (ref B),the manager
said he recently traveled to his depot in Tessenei, near the
Sudanese border, and was astonished to find the military
using Total's fuel storage tanks.
Minimize Considered.
MCMULLEN