While Tunisia is facing serious economic difficulties, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached an agreement with the authorities.
This will allow the disbursement of $1.9 billion.
In exchange for this disbursement, announced on Saturday, the Tunisian government has committed to a program of reforms.
This includes in particular the taxation of undeclared work, support measures for the most modest households, as well as increased transparency within the public sector.
The funds released by the IMF should give oxygen to a highly indebted country which can no longer borrow on the international markets.
Tunisia's budget deficit could exceed 9% this year, inflation reached 9.1% year on year in September and food prices are soaring even more, up 13% compared to the same period l last year.
"
The global environment is deteriorating and high commodity prices are weighing heavily on the Tunisian economy, aggravating its structural weaknesses
," said officials from the IMF team present in Tunisia last week.
The new agreement "
will support the authorities' reforms to restore Tunisia's fiscal and external stability, strengthen social protection and promote higher, greener and inclusive growth
", they insisted.
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Tunis to question the policy of President Kaïs Saïed, accused of being responsible for the economic crisis that the country is going through.