Negotiations with IFM ongoing – Tunisia’s Social Affairs Minister

Malek Ezzahi, Tunisia’s Social Affairs Minister, indicated Monday that talks between the North African country and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are still ongoing.
The North African country, according to the Minister, has been in several months of negotiations for a $1.9 billion loan from the Washington-based institution to supplement the national budget facing a $2 billion deficit.
The loan is attached to a string of conditions and reforms has been rejected by the country’s powerful labor union, UGTT.
Ezzahi also indicated that the reforms will not be implemented at the detriment of underprivileged segments of the country’s populations. Tunisia’s President Kais Saied last month indicated that his country will end talks with the IMF and the World Bank that he accused of hijacking the sovereignty of countries.