Tunis/Tunisia — Prime Minister Najla Bouden chaired on Wednesday at the Kasbah a ministerial working session on the case of the Small and Medium Enterprises Financing Bank (BFPME).

On this occasion, it decided on a series of urgent measures to improve the situation of the BFPME, in the short term, said a statement from the Prime Ministry published late afternoon. It was recommended to work on the development of a new economic model for the BPME within the framework of an integrated approach to SMEs financing.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of establishing an integrated SMEs financing system that would help streamline stakeholders, achieve integration with the private sector and meet the emerging needs of SMEs. She considered that this approach will contribute to the realisation of the state's economic and social policies in the SMEs creation sector in order to create jobs and support regional development.

Since its creation until 2022, the BFPME has granted financing of around 440 million dinars to some 2000 companies, said Labid Zaafrane, BFPME Director General.

Speaking in a statement dated February 14, 2022, the official called for the restructuring of the BFPME by providing it with the necessary financial resources. This orientation should allow the bank to contribute to promoting development through the increase in the number of projects it finances so that it is able to meet the demand for the creation of SMEs, he explained.

The official also said that SMEs represent 80% of the national economic fabric, which has led the BFPME to demand, on several occasions, the increase of its capital to 100 million dinars.