Djerba - (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron announced Saturday to his Tunisian counterpart, Kais Saied, that his country will grant a loan of 200 million euros to Tunisia, which is going through a deep economic crisis exacerbated by the Russian war in Ukraine.

A statement issued by the Elysee stated that "the President of the Republic renewed France's support for Tunisia and the Tunisian people in facing the challenges facing the country."

The French President also welcomed "the constructive and open dialogue between the Tunisian government and the International Monetary Fund, in the hope that it will lead to a final agreement."

The meeting of the two presidents came on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Francophone Summit on the island of Djerba, with the participation of about ninety delegations and 31 senior leaders, to confirm that the Francophone Organization can play an "important role" on the international scale in resolving the current crises.

Since the 2011 revolution, Tunisia has been facing an economic crisis, exacerbated by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of political stability in the country.

And the Russian war on Ukraine contributed to the exacerbation of the crisis in a country that relies heavily on imports of grain and fuel, two sectors that are witnessing a rise in prices.

Tunisia, whose debts exceed 100 percent of GDP, reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund in mid-October to obtain a new loan of about two billion dollars, to be disbursed in installments starting in December.

On the other hand, the Tunisian government committed itself to implementing reforms that include the gradual removal of government subsidies for basic food and energy products, and the restructuring of public companies that monopolize many sectors.

Emmanuel Macron also discussed with his Tunisian counterpart the political situation in Tunisia, recalling that "fundamental freedoms... are essential... for democratic gains" in Tunisia at a time when NGOs are denouncing the decline of democracy since Saied decided to monopolize power in the country on July 25. 2021.