(TAP)– Italy, through its Deposit and Loans Fund, has granted €50 million (about 157 million dinars) under financial support credit to the Central Bank of Tunisia, the Italian Agency for development cooperation (AICS) Tunisia said in a press release Wednesday.

This amount will help support Tunisian companies and may be used to face the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tunisia, by supporting the measures implemented by the Tunisian Government, the statement added.

AICS Tunis said the credit "is a first step to face the COVID-19" while stressing that Italy and Tunisia continue their cooperation to overcome these difficult circumstances together.