Tunisia to Issue $500M Bond to Fund 2016 State Budget

Tunisia's access to international capital markets to issue a 1,000-MTD bond ($ 500 million) is part of raising funds to finance the state budget 2016 and accordingly make the various development investments in the country, said Finance Minister Slim Chaker. 
Speaking at a hearing session held by the Committee on Finance, Planning and Development at the House of People's Representatives (HPR) on Tunisia's issuance of a bond on the international capital market, Chaker said "Tunisia will benefit from guarantee from the United States in this issuance." This guarantee will require an interest rate not exceeding in all cases 2% against a rate ranging from 6% to 7% for other financial markets, which will allow the State treasury to save between 200 and 250 MTD over a period of four years spanning the repayment of the credit, Tunisia's news agency (TAP) quoted the Finance Minister as saying. 
Tunisia will also benefit from free US guarantee, unlike Japan, which is granted only after a financial contribution, he added.