TUNIS, Tunisia 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged on Tuesday to provide 700 million euros ($748 million) to support priority sectors in Tunisia.

This came in a speech she delivered after a meeting with Tunisian President Kais Saied at the Presidential Palace in Carthage.

Meloni said the pledged amount targets sectors such as health and basic services "in full respect for the sovereignty of the Tunisian state."

She said her country is pushing for Tunisia and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reach an agreement that takes into account Tunisia’s economic and social reality.

Tunisia is suffering from a severe economic crisis exacerbated by the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic and then the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war since February 2022.