African Digest

Nigeria cuts fuel price
LAGOS – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan announced yesterday a cut in petrol prices of around 30 per cent in a bid to end a nationwide strike now into a second week, as soldiers seized the main protest site in Lagos.
Jonathan made the announcement in a televised national address after a week that saw him remain largely silent in public as the strike and mass protests shut down Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer.
Nigeria’s main labour unions said they were suspending protests planned for yesterday against the removal of fuel import subsidies.

US calls for Sudan agreementKHARTOUM – Threats and unilateral action by Sudan are increasing tensions over oil, the United States embassy said, urging an agreement with South Sudan at this week’s African Union-led talks in Addis Ababa.’We are greatly concerned by recent Sudanese public threats and unilateral actions that impede the flow of oil from South Sudan, jeopardise the viability of the oil sector and increase tensions,’ said an embassy statement dated Saturday.Sudanese officials say they are taking some South Sudanese oil destined for export as compensation during a dispute over how much the south should pay to use the north’s oil infrastructure.Egypt tourism downCAIRO – Revenues from Egypt’s lucrative tourist industry dropped by 30 per cent in 2011 due to unrest that rocked the country following the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, the minister of tourism said on Sunday.The number of tourist arrivals fell by 33 per cent in 2011 with tourists spending fewer nights in Egypt than in the previous year and spending on average about US$13 each less per day.Tourists spent 114 million nights in Egypt in 2011 compared to 141 million nights in 2010, each spending about US$72 per day instead of US$85 the previous year.