| Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) declared a global food ‘emergency’ at a news conference in New Delhi, after food riots across several parts of the world. |
| Violent protests occured in Egypt, Cameroon, Haiti and Burkina Faso, which then spread to other regions. In Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal there was evidence of clashes between demonstrators and police over rises in the cost of food and fuel. |
| Cameroon |
| President Paul Biya has raised state salaries by 15%, and has suspended customs duties on basic foodstuffs such as fish, rice and cooking oil. Public discontent over high prices provoked riots at the beginning of March 2008, leading to the deaths of 24 people. |
| Prominent civic leader Simon Nkwenti, President of the Cameroon Teachers Trade Union (CATTU), criticized these measures as ‘cosmetic and a non-event’. |
| In response, President Biya ordered the arrest of former ministers on March 31st, declaring his intention to fight the ‘mismanagement of public funds’ to ‘ease the country's suffering’. Polycarpe Abah Abah, former Minister of the Economy and Finance, and Urbain Olanguena Awono, former Minister of Public Health, were the most prominent of those arrested. |
| Burkina Faso |
| President Tertius Zongo responded to demonstrations in the country by dismissing his long-serving Minister of Agriculture Salif Diallo. |
| Laurent Ouedraogo, Secretary General of the Confédération Nationale des Travailleurs du Burkina (CNTB), commented that a ‘reaction was expected’ amidst rising prices for basics like food, clothing and fuel. |
| Cote d’Ivoire |
| Following violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Abidjan, Minister of Finance Charles Koffi Diby announced ‘emergency measures’ – including reduced taxes and duties on basis commodities. |
| Several consumers unions called for Trade Minister Soumahoro Youssouf to resign for a ‘slow response’ to the crisis. |
| Senegal |
| Prime Minister Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare reacted to protests with a minor cabinet reshuffle announced on March 31. |
| Minister of Commerce Abdourahim Agne was replaced by Mamadou Diop Decroix; Minister of Internal Affairs Ousmane Ngom was replaced by Cheikh Tidane Sy. |
| Mozambique |
| At least six people were killed during protests in February over high fuel prices and rising living costs. Prime Minister Luisa Dias Diogo responded by agreing to cut the price of diesel fuel for minibus taxis. |