"The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will sign, Monday afternoon in Tunis, two agreements to support Tunisian small- and medium-sized Enterprises (SME) and international trade," EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti said.

At the end of his meeting, Monday, with Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, Mr. Chakrabarti pointed out that the first agreement will be signed with Tunisie Leasing.

"A 10-million-euro loans (1euro=2.28td) will be granted to Tunisie Leasing to support Tunisian SME and promote job creation," he specified.

The second agreement will be signed with the Tunisian-Kuwaiti Bank (BTK), and provides for "a 10-million-dollar loan (1 dollar=1.67td) aimed to support international trade and help exporters have access to funding, to reinforce Tunisia's economic growth," EBRD President explained.

He said that the Bank's investments in Tunisia in the private sector are expected to reach 100 million euros in 2014, asserting EBRD's will to invest in the reform and restructuring of the banking sector in Tunisia and in the public sector's activities, such as urban transport mainly the railway.

Mr. Chakrabarti affirmed that the Bank will be a long-term partner for Tunisia which is forging ahead of the path of a gradual and modern reconstruction, assuring that "Tunisia is a model for many other regions."

Besides, he estimated that economic growth in Tunisia will be better this year, provided that the tourism and trade sectors will be relaunched, reasserting in this regard, EBRD's commitment to help Tunisia reach this objective.

For his part, Minister to the Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs Co-ordination and Monitoring Nidhal Ouerfelli said that during the meeting, Mr. Chakrabarti expressed the Bank's will to invest in several sectors and projects such as those in relation with infrastructure and development, the banking sector's reform, renewable energies and clear energy and investment in the clean-up project in lake Bizerte.