Tunisie Telegraph: Tunisian Economy and Self-Reliance Puzzle

Tunisia is striving to maintain its financial stability by paying its external debts on time, despite abandoning a new funding program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under its previous conditions and adopting a "self-reliance" policy. Although the country is capable of meeting its debt installment payments, figures reveal substantial pressures on public finances and the domestic economy. Financing the country requires enormous financial resources, limited growth rates, rising inflation, and concerns over foreign currency reserves. The external debt is projected to reach approximately 56.5 billion Tunisian dinars by 2026, while foreign currency reserves remain at a level that covers about 92 days of imports, raising concerns about Tunisia’s ability to face future economic shocks. While the economy recorded a 2.3% growth in the second quarter, achieving higher growth is essential to reduce the debt burden and strengthen a sustainable economic model. This presents a challenge amid the need to balance debt repayment, support growth, and contain inflation, which has reached 5.6%. Ultimately, the central question remains: Can Tunisia continue to repay its debts while maintaining its foreign currency reserves and achieving economic growth that improves citizens’ living standards—without the burden of debt repayment becoming an ongoing obstacle to the country’s progress?

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