EIB grants two new loans to Tunisia for transport and energy
16 December 2010
Last Sunday Tunisia received two loans from the European Investment Bank to finance the construction of an electricity power station and the new suburban rail network in Tunis.
At a total cost of 520 million dollars, the new gas-powered station will be constructed at Sousse and will enter service in 30 months.
It will increase Tunisian electricity generation by a capacity of 400 MW. The EIB is participating to the sum of 260 million dollars to this project.
Another loan agreement, this time for the sum of 160 million USD, has been signed with the Société Réseau Ferroviaire de Tunis for the creation of the suburban rail network in Tunis.
The project relates to the construction of the first sections of the two lines and the acquisition of 28 trains.
Philipe de Fontaine Vive, vice-president of the EIB, when signing the agreements, pointed out that EIB's financing agreements in Tunisia in 2010 had reached 500 million Euros (671 million USD), reports Agence France Presse.