Tunisian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can still benefit from the Private Sector Employment Support Programme to cope with the effects of the “COVID-19” pandemic thanks to a grant of 66 million Dinars (20 million Euros) from the German Development Bank (KfW) for the implementation of the Investing for Employment Facility (IFE) in May 2021.

Tunisian SMEs meeting the eligibility criteria, detailed in the note n°2021-16 of the Central Bank of Tunisia, can apply for this grant, before the closing date scheduled for the end of April 2022, through their banks, the KFW office in Tunisia said in a press release published Tuesday.

“Mainly, it is a support of 3 months of the wage bill, with a ceiling of 600 TND per employee and per company,” the same source said.

The BCT had specified that this programme aims to support private economic operators impacted by the “COVID-19” pandemic and to preserve jobs. This resource is intended to finance the interim interest paid or to be paid on the deferrals due on loans contracted before the crisis, the interest subsidy on new loans and the salary and operating costs related to the crisis.

The subsidy per beneficiary is capped at the equivalent in dinar of two hundred thousand euros ( €200,000).

According to the BCT, the Subsidy Contract was concluded on February 9 and 22, 2021 between the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Investment Support, the Central Bank of Tunisia and IFE.

Under the provisions of the subsidy contract, the BCT, in its capacity as executing agency acting in the name and on behalf of the Tunisian Government, is responsible for managing this resource. To this end, the BCT issued, on May 19, 2021, a Note to Authorised Intermediaries on the modalities of use of this subsidy.

Source: Tap News Agency