A decree dated December 8, 2022, ratifying a financial protocol concluded on December 1, 2022 between the Tunisian government and the Algerian government relating to the granting of a loan for the benefit of Tunisia was published in the Official Journal of the Tunisian Republic of Thursday, December 8, 2022, as well as another decree of December 8, 2022, ratifying a financial protocol between Tunisia and Algeria relating to the granting of a donation for the benefit of Tunisia. However, until then the amounts of this loan and of what were unknown.
The Tunisian Ministry of Finance indicated that the value of the loan granted by Algeria to Tunisia amounts to 200 million US dollars, to be repaid over 15 years, including 5 years of grace, and at an annual interest rate 1% fixed.
In response to the “Bawsala” organization regarding the donation, the ministry said that “the donation granted by Algeria to Tunisia amounts to 100 million US dollars”.
The non-governmental organization for the defense of human rights “Bawsala” indicated, in a post on its Facebook page, having obtained, last Monday, “a response from the Ministry of Finance concerning the value of the loan and the grant, granted by the government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Tunisian government in accordance with the agreement reached between the two parties on December 1, 2022.” And she continued: “This response is in accordance with the request for access that the organization Al -Bawsala submitted to the Ministry of Finance on December 19, 2022.”
Algeria had already granted a loan of 300 million dollars to Tunisia in 2021
Algeria has previously provided financial assistance to Tunisia, which is suffering from an economic and financial crisis due to the Corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine, in addition to the political instability the country is experiencing, including a financial loan of 300 million dollars, which Algeria had paid on December 9, 2021 to Tunisia during a visit.
In February 2020, Algeria made a financial deposit of $150 million which was placed in the Central Bank of Tunisia, announced at the time by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune during the visit of Tunisian President Kais Saied in Algeria, and also announced a delay in the payment of royalties owed by Tunisia to the benefit of the two companies Sonelgaz and Sonatrach, in return for the export of electricity and gas from Algeria to Tunisia.
In addition, the two countries have strong strategic relations, which was confirmed by President Tebboune in his interview with national media last week, where the head of state affirmed that Tunisia will not collapse and that she will emerge victorious from her crisis, declaring: “Tunisian President Kais Saied is an honest, educated and nationalist person. »
Expressing the greatest respect for all the Tunisian people, and also assuring that no interference in the affairs of Tunisia will be tolerated either by Algeria or by any other country.
