The Ministry of Economy, Finance and Investment Support announced that today, July 23, 2021, a total amount of US$ 506 million was paid (US$ 500 million as the principal and US$ 6 million as the interest), equivalent to 1412.6 million dinars for the patch loan that Tunisia obtained on the global financial market on July 24. 2014 .
This is the first time that the Ministry in charge of Finance in Tunisia has announced that it has repaid an external loan and that it has not failed to fulfill its obligations, so what are the indications for this?
In this context, Professor of Economics at the Tunisian University,Ridha Chkondali , told “JDD Tunisie”, today, Friday, July 23, 2021, that the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Investment Support seeks, through this announcement, to emphasize the state’s ability to pay its debts and to deny the allegations of experts who have been talking for months about its bankruptcy.
Chkondali added that this information is directed to the inside, that is to the parties that criticize and oppose the government’s performance, and are not reassurances to international donors such as the International Monetary Fund, with which negotiations are underway to obtain a $4 million loan, because the financial markets disclose such information and it is not a secret, according to him.
It should be mentioned that, this loan was issued on the global financial market following the US administration granting its guarantee to Tunisia under the guarantee agreement concluded between Tunisia and the United States of America on June 3, 2014 at an interest rate: 2.452%.
