The Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS) has launched the financing of the first list of communitarian companies by approving the financing of 15 companies for an investment cost of around TND 4 million in 2023, as part of the implementation of the business financing programme and in coordination with the Ministries of Finance, Social Affairs, Employment and Vocational Training. According to the Bank, these companies are mainly active in the fields of agricultural services, livestock farming, food industry and renewable energy. A first batch of these permits was distributed at the end of 2023 to 7 companies, representing an investment of around TND 1.6 million. This category of loans was approved under a financing line created for this purpose as part of the 2023 Finance Law in favour of entrepreneurs, with exceptional and easy conditions, not exceeding the maximum amount of 300,000 dinars, to be repaid over a period of 7 years with a one-year grace period and an annual interest rate of 5%. According to the Ba nk, the pace of financing for communitarian companies will accelerate in 2024 thanks to the consolidation of the financing line created for this purpose (TND 20 million) and the growing demand for the creation of these enterprises at local and regional level in various economic sectors. Applications for funding should be submitted via the updated platform on the BTS website. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse