Tunisia’s business community has welcomed the government’s swift action to support businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, but it doubts that measures will go far enough to prevent massive job losses and business closures in the already stagnant Tunisian economy.

The Tunisian Union for Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), which represents the private business sector in Tunisia, is in urgent talks with the minister of finance, Mohammed Nizar Yaiche. They are petitioning him to issue special provisions to safeguard businesses and jobs during the time of enforced confinement.

The response to the business community's demands came March 21, one day before Tunisia began its period of complete confinement to contain the spread of coronavirus. 

Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh announced a set of financial measures to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, including the establishment of a fund of 2.5 billion Tunisian dinars ($860 million) to support businesses. The funds were raised through the redirection of funds from government projects already assigned under the 2019 national budget.