Tunisia to seek $4 billion IMF loan, PM says

Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tunis, Tunisia April 30, 2021. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia will seek a $4 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund in talks starting next week, Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi told Reuters on Friday, saying politicians faced a "last opportunity" to save the economy.

Mechichi said he expected talks to last about two months and had "confidence" Tunisia could secure financial support to help it through an economic crisis that has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.