Since the initiation of the Tunisian Solidarity Program, the Tunisian Solidarity Bank has provided financing for 33 citizen companies throughout Tunisia, representing an investment of approximately $3.2 million.
Of these, 15 companies have already launched operations, demonstrating early progress in key areas identified by the program. According to Mohamed Ali Nahdi, Director of the Loan Department at the Solidarity Bank, the majority of these ventures focus on agricultural activities and related sectors.
These include trading agricultural machinery, processing forestry materials, milk collection, fodder production, and establishing cold storage facilities for dates. The program also encompasses service-based initiatives, such as transportation services dedicated to agricultural workers, aiming to enhance support across the agricultural value chain.
The Solidarity Program offers loans with a ceiling of $96,490 under highly favorable conditions, including a fixed interest rate of 5%, a 10-year repayment term, and a two-year grace period. Importantly, these loans do not require collateral, making it easier for new businesses to access capital. For companies outside of the agricultural sector, no self-financing contribution is required.
To streamline the process of forming citizen companies, the Solidarity Bank has introduced a digital platform for online application submissions. To qualify, each citizen company must have a minimum of 50 shareholders and meet the capital requirements of $3,216.34 for local initiatives or $6,432.68 for regional projects.