Political instability, rising public debt and high unemployment were already dragging on Tunisia’s economy before the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. Ten years after demonstrations in the country kickstarted the Arab Spring, many of the public grievances that sparked the country’s Jasmine Revolution remain.
While Tunisia requires external assistance to address its multiple economic challenges, negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were put on hold in July after president Kais Saied drew international condemnation in July after suspending parliament and tightening his personal grip on power.
