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Tunisia IMF Bailout "in Weeks"


FILE - The International Monetary Fund headquarters building in Washington, U.S., Taken 4.18.2019.
FILE - The International Monetary Fund headquarters building in Washington, U.S., Taken 4.18.2019.

Tunisia expects to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund in coming weeks on a loan of between $2 billion and $4 billion over three years, the central bank governor said on Sunday.

"The size [of the bailout loan] is still under negotiation and I think it will be between $2 billion and $4 billion, we hope to reach a staff level deal in coming weeks," Marouan Abassi told Reuters.

Tunisia, which is suffering its worst financial crisis, is seeking to secure an IMF loan to save public finances from collapse.

"The size is still under negotiation and I think it will be between $2 billion and $4 billion, we hope to reach a staff level deal in coming weeks," Marouan Abassi told Reuters.

Fitch Ratings said on Friday that Tunisia’s wage agreement raises the likelihood of an IMF deal.

Tunisia is struggling to revive its public finances as discontent grows over inflation running at nearly 9% and a shortage of many food items in stores because the country cannot afford to pay for some imports.

Abassi said the possible deal will open doors for bilateral financing, including with Japan and Gulf countries.

"We have advanced talks with Saudi Arabia about bilateral financing," he added.

The IMF has signaled it will not move forward with a bailout sought by Tunis unless the government brings on board the UGTT, which says it has more than a million members and has previously shut down the economy in strikes

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