Live updates: Follow the latest news on the Iran war
The economic shock from the Iran war is rippling outward, hitting countries from Africa to South Asia and the Caribbean as surging oil prices squeeze budgets, currencies and households.
The conflict in the Middle East and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz have pushed up crude prices, forcing governments across continents to target foreign travel, official vehicles and commuting as swift levers to reduce fuel consumption.
In Senegal, the government has responded by suspending all non-essential foreign travel by ministers and senior officials, part of a broader effort to curb spending. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said only essential missions would be authorised and authorities are preparing further measures to cushion the shock in a debt-strained economy.
Authorities in Pakistan have moved more aggressively, restricting most foreign travel by ministers and senior officials while rolling out a wider energy-saving campaign. The government has cut fuel allocations by half, reduced the use of official vehicles and introduced remote working in parts of the public sector.
The response in Egypt has been similar, focusing on tightening state energy consumption. The government has imposed controls on official travel, reduced the use of government vehicles and limited electricity use in public buildings, while reviving earlier fuel-saving policies.
Authorities in Bangladesh have expanded existing austerity measures by curbing overseas travel for officials and limiting participation in foreign conferences, alongside cuts to fuel consumption and broader public spending.
In Haiti, in the Caribbean, the government has taken similarly direct action, limiting foreign travel to essential, preapproved trips while introducing wider spending cuts and fuel-saving measures. Officials have warned that rising energy prices could worsen an already fragile economic situation.
If the US-Israeli war on Iran, already in its second month, drags on, the risks would include prolonged disruption to energy flows, leading to even higher oil prices, deeper inflation and more aggressive austerity across countries.
