Tunisia Posts 2.5% Growth

The Tunisian economy grew 2.5% in the first quarter of 2018, compared to 1.9% in the same period a year ago, the investment minister said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Zied Ladhari said economic growth was bolstered by strong growth in agriculture, which expanded by 11.9% in first quarter this year up from 2.5% in the same period last year.
Tunisia is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund to speed up reforms that it says will help its economy recover from two major militant attacks in 2015 that hurt its vital tourism industry.
“This growth rate is important and it is the start of recovery of Tunisian economy after the 2015 terrorist attacks”, Ladhari told reporters.
Tunisia plans to cut its budget deficit to 4.9% of gross domestic product in 2018, down from an estimated 6% in 2017.
It aims to achieve 3% growth in 2018, compared to 1.9% for 2017.