Working for IMF-Tunisia deal - Meloni tells Saied

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 6 - Premier Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday that she told Tunisian President Kais Saied that Italy is working to facilitate an agreement between Tunis and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan to help the North African country address the severe financial crisis it is facing.
    The unstable situation in the North African country has been a major factor in a huge increase in the number of migrants coming to Italy from across the Mediterranean this year.
    "I told President Saied about the efforts a friendly country like Italy is making, while fully respecting Tunisian sovereignty, to try to get to a positive conclusion for the agreement between Tunisia and the IMF," Meloni said after meeting Saied during a visit to Tunisia.
    She said the agreement for a loan of around 1.9 billion dollars "remains fundamental to strengthen the country and for its full recovery".
    She said she was willing to return to Tunis in the near future with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
    "Italy has been the spokesperson at the EU level too for a concrete approach to increase support for Tunisia in the battle against human trafficking and illegal immigration, as well as for a comprehensive package of financing and opportunities that Brussels is working on," she said "I'm very grateful to the European Commission.
    "I told President Saied that I was willing to return here to Tunisia soon, together with Ursula von der Leyen, to accelerate the implementation of this EU package". (ANSA).