IMF’s support to Tunisia is still on -Jihad Azour
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not received any requests from the Tunisian authority about reconsidering Tunisia’s reforms program, and it is still continuing to support the country, Jihad Azour, the director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, stated.
During ongoing discussions with the Tunisian authority, who the IMF has worked side by side with to garner international support to Tunisia and its people, by achieving more economic stability to curb inflation, said Azour.
“The IMF has always offered support to Tunisia, during COVID and following the Bardo National Museum incident, and will keep supporting the North African country, not just through the IMF program, but also through the technical assistance and holding discussions with the Tunisian authority,” Azour added.
The reforms program takes the challenges that Tunisia faces into consideration, and offers prospects for the future, which needs bigger space for investments and for the private sector, Azour mentions, stressing on the need to reconsider public institutions activeness.
Azour noted that the Tunisian government has taken a set of actions to redirect social protection targeting a group of support mechanisms that are not effective, as it is based on a high level of injustice and benefits those who are not in need. The current support system is not suitable for the current state, as in reality, the poor pay for the rich, with the government compensating every five liters of gas bought with $20, which is not sufficient in the current state of the economy.
Tunisia has got the approval of IMF experts about the governmental reforms program later last year, which got its hopes up about getting a $1.9 billion loan from the IMF over 48 months, but the file remained pending.
Azour’s comments comes in light of the IMF’s relations with Tunisia, as well as the reforms program that the Tunisian government offered, and which has been the topic of discussions between the IMF and Tunisia over a year.
