Tunisia is Committed to Pay Debts to Algeria, STEG says

Tunisia’s STEG company always fulfils its commitments within the framework of energy exchange agreements with its Algerian partners, the Director of Cooperation and Communication at the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG), Mounir Gharbi, said in a statement to the Tunisian News Agency (TAP).

He stated that “there is nothing new in the partnership relations with the two Algerian institutions, Sonatrach and Sonelgaz,” in response to news circulated by some electronic media that the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company informed the government that the Algerian authorities officially demanded the payment of the gas bill for Tunisia in favour of Sonatrach,” and that the company “appealed the government to intervene to find quick solutions to pay the bill with the Algerian company.”

The official at the Tunisian Electricity Company continued, “All the bills of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company at Sonatrach are paid within the deadlines according to the agreement concluded between the two parties”, he highlighted that the relations with Algerian institutions are very solid and go back to several years ago and that the Algerian partners are essential for Tunisia.

According to him, the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company is determined to honour its obligations with the Algerian company “Sonelgaz” and has paid the first bill of 15 million euros (equivalent to 50 million dinars) and intends to pay the rest of the consumption bills within the framework of the agreement concluded between the two parties.

Algeria is a key partner for Tunisia in the field of energy, and Tunisian imports of Algerian natural gas currently represent more than 50% of Tunisia’s natural gas needs.