Tunisia may cut imports to tackle trade deficit

Tunisia says it will restrict some imported goods to tackle its widening trade deficit and protect foreign reserves as the local dinar currency slides to historic lows against the euro.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed told reporters on Friday in Sfax City that a cabinet meeting next week would decide on the details of the restrictions.

“The fall of the dinar reflects this enormous trade deficit but there is no need to panic.

“We will take some decisions. We will limit some random imports. We have a lot of unnecessary imports,” Chahed said.

He said Tunisia’s trade deficit expanded by 57 per cent to reach $1.68 billion in the first quarter of this year because of a jump in imports.