Tunisia: In Gabès, anti-pollution activists caught between weariness and the will not to abandon their city

The ongoing environmental crisis in Gabès, Tunisia, highlights a persistent struggle between industrial development and public health, a common dilemma across many developing nations. The city's residents, particularly those in areas like Chott Salem, face severe consequences from the operations of the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT), which processes phosphate into fertilizers. This industrial activity has led to widespread pollution of air, sea, and land, devastating local agriculture and fishing, and leaving residents feeling "condemned to just suffer from the pollution," as activist Islem Zrelli articulates. The situation underscores the complex challenges governments face in balancing economic benefits from key industries with the environmental and social costs borne by local communities.

Gabès

The city of Gabès has become a focal point for environmental activism in Tunisia, driven by the visible and tangible impacts of industrial pollution. Residents have witnessed the destruction of their traditional livelihoods, including farming and fishing, due to the GCT's emissions and waste. This environmental degradation has fueled a strong anti-pollution movement, "Stop Pollution," which has organized significant protests, such as the "massive mobilization" in October 2025. Despite these efforts, a court decision in February 2026, which absolved the GCT of responsibility, dealt a "severe blow" to activists, intensifying their sense of injustice and frustration. The ongoing struggle in Gabès reflects a broader societal demand for accountability and sustainable development that prioritizes citizen well-being over unchecked industrial expansion.

The environmental challenges in Gabès are multifaceted, encompassing air, sea, and land contamination. Engineer Khemaies Bahri details how the pumping of water used in chemical fertilizer manufacturing processes contributes significantly to land pollution. While six depollution projects are underway, progress is slow and uneven. Only one project, the washing of NOx gases, was completed in January 2026 and is reportedly yielding "very satisfactory results." However, another crucial project, ammonia gas washing, has been stalled since 2018, and a third, N2O gas washing, is expected to be completed this year. This piecemeal and delayed approach to environmental remediation exacerbates the community's suffering and fuels skepticism about the government's commitment to resolving the crisis.

Groupe chimique tunisien

The Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT) is at the heart of the controversy, representing a significant economic asset for Tunisia while simultaneously being the primary source of pollution in Gabès. The mining and phosphate sector, to which GCT belongs, contributes 3% to Tunisia's GDP, making its operations economically vital for the state. However, this economic contribution comes at a steep environmental price for Gabès. The industry's processes, particularly the transformation of phosphate into fertilizers, release toxic gases and waste that contaminate the surrounding environment. Activists like Islem Zrelli question why an industry that "supposedly brings billions to the state" offers no tangible benefits to the local population, who instead bear the brunt of its negative externalities.

The technical challenges associated with the GCT's operations are considerable, particularly concerning its older units. Khemaies Bahri, a phosphate specialist, explains that some units producing highly toxic gases are so "old" that they cannot be effectively depolluted and must be dismantled entirely. This highlights a legacy issue of outdated infrastructure contributing to the current environmental crisis. While some units are undergoing renovation, the overall process of modernizing or dismantling polluting facilities is protracted. The slow pace of these projects, coupled with the economic importance of the GCT, creates a complex dilemma for policymakers, who must navigate between economic imperatives and urgent environmental and public health demands.

Kaïs Saïed

President Kaïs Saïed's involvement in the Gabès pollution issue underscores the national significance of the crisis and the political pressure for a resolution. During a visit to Gabès on August 10, the president "promised the dismantling of certain polluting units." This presidential intervention, while offering a glimmer of hope, lacked specific details regarding the "timeline of this strategy," leaving residents and activists uncertain about the concrete implementation of these pledges. The lack of a clear roadmap for dismantling or renovating the GCT's polluting infrastructure contributes to the "weariness" felt by activists, who have seen previous promises go unfulfilled.

The president's promise comes amidst broader socio-economic discontent in Tunisia, as highlighted by a demonstration in Tunis on August 20. Law student Jasser Riahi links the government's inability to address Gabès's environmental issues to its broader capacity to manage national crises. This perspective suggests that the Gabès situation is not merely a local environmental problem but a litmus test for governmental effectiveness and responsiveness to citizen demands. The challenge for President Saïed and his administration is to translate promises into tangible actions, demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental protection and social justice, thereby restoring public trust and addressing the deep-seated grievances of Gabès residents.