Tunisia – Tunisian authorities announced, yesterday, Wednesday, that the energy trade deficit increased during the first 5 months of the current year 2024, by 22 percent, compared to the same period last year.
This came according to a statement by the National Observatory of Energy and Mines in Tunisia, affiliated with the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, which was reported by the official Tunisian News Agency.
The observatory said, “Tunisia’s energy trade deficit increased by 22 percent at the end of last May, compared to the same period last year (2023), reaching 4.6 billion dinars ($1.48 billion), compared to 3.77 billion dinars ($1.21 billion).”
He added that exports recorded a 23 percent increase in value, reaching 1.46 billion dinars ($470.9 million), while imports increased by 22 percent, reaching 6.1 billion dinars ($1.96 billion) during the same periods.
He pointed out that “the percentage of import coverage of exports was close to 25 percent until the end of last May.”
The observatory stressed that “trade exchanges in the energy sector remain hostage to three factors: the quantities exchanged, the exchange rate, and Brent prices (dollar/dinar).”
He pointed out that “Brent prices last May witnessed an increase of $7 per barrel, compared to May 2023.”
On June 21, the Tunisian authorities announced their intention to cut off electricity in some areas during the current summer, in order to create a balance between supply and demand.
The Director General of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company, Faisal Trifa, said at a press conference in the capital, Tunis, at the time that the company was fully prepared for the summer of 2024, and would ensure the balance between supply and demand, and work to avoid the deficit that was recorded during the past year.
Tunisia relies on natural gas for electricity production, as its contribution is estimated at more than 97 percent. The Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (governmental) provides regarding 99 percent of the production, while the private sector produces only 1 percent.
Anatolia
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2024-07-11 02:35:44
