Tunisia's Long-Term External Debt Decreases by 7.1% in 2024
According to the statistical report published by the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), the country's long-term external debt (LT) stood at 75.966 billion dinars (MDT) in 2024, recording a decrease of 7.1% compared to 2023, which represents a reduction of 5.763 MDT.
Public Administrations Remain the Most Indebted Sector
The public administrations sector remains the most indebted, accounting for 82.3% of the total LT debt, which amounts to 62.537 MDT. This represents a decline of 6.5% compared to the previous year, resulting from a decrease in external borrowing combined with an increase in principal repayments. The Central Bank's debt has slightly decreased to 1.088 MDT, while the debt of deposit institutions and other sectors has also decreased.
Private Enterprises' External Debt Decreases by 16.6%
The external debt of private enterprises has fallen by 16.6% to 1.907 MDT. Public enterprises remain the majority in this sector, representing 85.7% of the total private sector debt.
Multilateral Debt Remains Dominant
In terms of creditors, multilateral debt continues to dominate, accounting for 64.9% of the total. The World Bank is the main lender, with an outstanding amount of 14.140 MDT, followed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) with 8.090 MDT. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced its outstanding amount to 5.339 MDT, while the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) has increased its share to 5.011 MDT after a new loan of $500 million. The share of commitments to the European Union has slightly decreased to 4.655 MDT.
Bilateral Official Creditors Represent 91.8% of Bilateral Cooperation
Bilateral official creditors represent 91.8% of bilateral cooperation, while the debt on international financial markets has decreased significantly to 7.947 MDT, reflecting the repayment of bond loans without new issues since 2019.
