While The agency site TAP greets today The good resistance of the Tunisian dinar against the US dollar – reaching its highest level since February 2022 – a shadow flat on this monetary embellious. From August 1, Tunisian exports to the United States could be subject to customs duties of 25 %, as evidenced by The recent official letter sent by the US administration to President Kaïs Saïed.
A remarkable but fragile monetary performance
According to the indicators published on July 11, the Tunisian dinar recorded an assessment of 6.7 % against the dollar, to reach a value of 2.90 dinars for a dollar. This performance is part of an upward trend of 7.40% over the last twelve months, placing Tunisia among the few countries in the region to see its currency strengthened against the greenback.
This monetary robustness is supported by solid fundamentals: stable foreign currency reserves evaluated at 23.5 billion dinars (102 days of importation), constant rising tourist revenues and regular Tunisian transfers abroad. The Tunisian central bank also maintains a rigorous monetary policy, praised by international observers for its consistency and its ability to preserve price stability.
The American tariff threat: a resistance test
But this favorable situation could come up against a harsher commercial reality. As part of a rebalancing of its bilateral relations, the American administration plans to impose a tax of 25 % on certain Tunisian products, a measure which could significantly weaken the competitiveness of national exports.
The most exposed-agrifood and textile sectors-represent a considerable part of Tunisian exports to the United States. This commercial dependence makes the Tunisian economy particularly vulnerable to any modification of the conditions of access to the American market, especially since these sectors are also large providers of jobs.
Negotiations in progress: between hope and uncertainty
In an attempt to lighten this pressure, the American-Tunisian Chamber of Commerce (Amcham Tunisia), chaired by Marouane Ben Jemaa, currently leads intensive negotiations with its American counterparts. The objective is ambitious: obtaining a substantial reduction in the 10 %tax, like what other business partners have obtained.
According to Ben Jemaa, discussions are advancing and a compromise remains possible before the deadline of August 1. These negotiations represent a crucial issue for the Tunisian economy, as they could determine the trajectory of trade with the United States for the coming months.
