IMF delayed loan file due to fears of major political upheavals: ex-Tunisia envoy says

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has once again postponed discussing the Tunisian file until the end of March because of “a negative notice issued by its Risk Management Department confirming that Tunisia is on the verge of major political upheavals in the upcoming months,” former Tunisian Ambassador to Qatar, Ahmad Al-Kadidi, revealed yesterday.

In a post on Facebook, Al-Kadidi wrote: “It is a second slap by the IMF within two weeks, and this time it referred the Tunisia file to the IMF’s Risk Management Department, which announced it expects social and political upheavals in Tunisia. The IMF’s Executive Board again postpones the consideration of the Tunisian loan file for the second time within just two weeks, after it received a negative notice from its Risk Management Department confirming that Tunisia will witness major political turmoil in the coming months.”

Earlier this month, he added, the IMF had postponed considering Tunisia’s file until the end of January.

In a statement published on its website, the IMF had said that the term of the agreement with Tunisia is 48 months, with financing amounting to $1.9 billion, and that it will be subject to the approval of its executive board, which in turn said that it is scheduled to discuss Tunisia’s request this month.

READ: Ex-minister says IMF loan will not end Tunisia’s crisis