Foreign exchange reserves fell by 14 days of imports to 105 days of imports (23 billion dinars) on Monday, from 119 days of imports (25.9 billion dinars) on February 16, according to financial and monetary indicators published by the Central Bank of Tunisia. Economist Moez Hdidane told TAP this decrease is due to the repayment of the Eurobond of of 850 million euros (principal)on February 17, to which is added interest of 47.8 million euros, making a total of 898 million euros (equivalent to 3 billion dinars). Hdidane explained that the repayment of this instalment was made possible thanks to the 3-billion-dinar advance recently granted by the BCT to the Tunisian Public Treasury on an exceptional basis. The Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP), on February 6, approved a bill authorising the BCT to grant facilities to the Treasury in order to enable the government to mobilise the necessary resources to meet the urgent financial needs of the State. The economist also pointed out that the repayment of this Eurobond on 19 February will lead to a decrease in the balance of the Treasury's current account, which will fall from 4.5 billion dinars to 1.5 billion dinars, after 3 billion dinars have been drawn and converted into euros to meet this repayment. He also noted that the next major maturity of the public external debt on the international financial market will have to be repaid in October 2024. It is loan guaranteed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), contracted in 2014, the repayment of which will mobilise an amount of 1 billion dinars, equivalent to 5 days of imports. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
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