The trade deficit at current prices narrowed, in 2023, reaching 17,069 MD against 25,231.4 MD in 2022, according to the note on Foreign Trade at current prices, published Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The coverage rate gained 8.9 points compared to 2022 to stand at 78.4%. This deficit is caused by the deficit recorded with some countries, such as China (-8418.3 MD), Russia (-6788.3 MD), Algeria (-4376.7 MD), Turkey (-3395. 2 MD), Brazil (-1299.6 MD) and Egypt (-853.5 MD). On the other hand, the balance of trade in goods recorded a surplus with other countries, mainly France (5,854 MD), Germany (2,744.7 MD), Italy (1,384.8 MD) and Libya (2313.4 MD). The trade balance deficit excluding energy was reduced to -7403.2 MD and the energy balance deficit stood at -9665.7 MD (56.6% of the total deficit) against -10,566.2 MD during the year 2022. // Exports increase by 7.9% // The results of Tunisia's trade with foreign countries at current prices in 2023 showed that exports increased b y 7.9% against +23.4% in 2022. They reached 62,077 .3 MD against 57,557.5 MD, in 2022. The INS explained that the increase reported in exports (+7.9%) in 2023 covered several sectors. Exports of the agri-food industries sector increased by 17.8%, those of textiles, clothing and leather by 6.9% and those of the mechanical and electrical industries by 15.9%. On the other hand, exports of the energy sector fell by 16.2% and those of mines, phosphates and derivatives by 25.8%. Tunisian exports to the European Union (70.3% of total exports) increased by 12.3%. This development is explained by the increase in our exports to several European partners, such as France (+10.7%), Italy (+17.5%), Germany (+9.8%), Spain (+26.9%) and the Netherlands (11.1%). Regarding Arab countries, exports increased with Algeria (+20.5%) and Libya (+7.6%). On the other hand, they fell with Egypt (-14%) and with Morocco (-2.8%). // Imports down 4.4%// As for imports, they recorded a drop of 4.4% against an increase of 31.7%, during the year 2022. In value terms, imports reached 79,146.3 MD against 82,788.9 MD during the year 2022. The decline observed in imports (-4.4%) comes mainly from the drop recorded in imports of energy products (-10.8%) and raw materials and semi-finished products (-7.3%), While imports of capital and consumer goods increased by +2.9% and +1.8% respectively. As for imports with the European Union (43.5% of total imports), they recorded a drop of 8.1% to stand at 34,455.3 MD. Imports fell by 3.8% with France, 17.4% with Italy and 15.5% with Spain. On the other hand, they increased by 16.8% with Germany and 16.7% with the Netherlands. Outside the European Union, imports increased with Russia (+134.9%), with Brazil (+22.5%), with Switzerland (+9.2%) and with the United Kingdom (+13. 1%). On the other hand, imports fell with Turkey (-20.1%), China (-2.1%) and the USA (-15.5%), according to the INS. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse