It was learned this week that Tunisia had solicited the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. What form can these “aids” take?
With our correspondent in Tunis, Amira Souilem
The coffers are empty in Tunisia and contact with the IMF has been cut off since President Saïed’s coup d’etat last July.
For Fadhel Kaboub, a specialist in financial sovereignty issues, this option was not viable anyway. “The IMF will insist on very painful austerity measures such as cuts in food and energy subsidies, cuts in wage bill that will harm the most vulnerable people in Tunisia.“
Faced with this impasse, Tunisia is now turning to what it calls “its Arab brothers”. Understand the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Two countries that could release 3 to 5 billion dollars, according to Fadhel Kaboub, in the form of subsidies, loans, and the sale of fuel at unbeatable prices. “It is natural that this type of aid should be a foreign policy tool in the service of their interests. When a country lacks food and energy sovereignty, its monetary and economic sovereignty will be very limited and therefore its political sovereignty will be seriously compromised,” argues Fadhel Kaboub.
Negotiations that come as Moody’s downgraded Tunisia’s sovereign rating last week, which should further complicate access to external financing for the country.
