(TAP) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday approved the payment of a $247 million loan tranche to Tunisia, the sixth under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, Reuters quoted Minister of Reforms Taoufik Rajhi as saying.

The total disbursed tranches, since 2016, have so far, reached about 1.6 billion dollars (4.7 billion dinars).

The IMF HAD approved, in late September 2018, the payment to Tunisia of the fifth tranche of the loan programme, worth $ 245 million.

Tunisia signed an agreement with the IMF in December 2016 on a loan programme of approximately $ 2.9 billion over four years, to revive its economy.

The loan programme is linked to Tunisia's pursuit of economic reforms aimed at controlling its deficit.

Structural reforms under the agreement between Tunisia and the IMF focus on improving governance, the business climate, fiscal institutions and the financial sector.