On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, the Tunisian Treasury repaid a $1 billion principal loan on the international financial market, along with $57.5 million in interest, related to the “Dollar Bonds_10 years_5.75% $1.000 B Reg S_30/01/2025.”
This marks the largest loan Tunisia has secured on the international financial market, initially contracted in January 2015 under the government of Mehdi Jomaa at an interest rate of 5.75%.
At the time, Tunisia was rated BB- with a negative outlook by Fitch Ratings and Ba3 with a negative outlook by Moody’s.
Due to a slight increase in the dollar against the dinar ahead of this repayment, Tunisia had to repay a total of 3,182.6 million dinars in principal and 183 million dinars in interest, amounting to 3,365.6 million dinars, equivalent to 15 days of imports.
Following the repayment of the dollar bond, foreign exchange reserves dropped to 104 days of imports on Wednesday, January 29, compared to 119 days the previous day.
As a result, foreign exchange reserves decreased from 26,701.4 million dinars on January 28 to 23,325 million dinars on January 29, 2025.
