Hundreds of protesters gathered on November 13 in Gabès in front of the local court. Their action aimed to support the examination of an emergency injunction requesting the immediate shutdown of the Tunisian Chemical Group's (GCT) units deemed polluting, which are held responsible for dozens of cases of poisoning recorded since the beginning of September.

Outside the courthouse, the hope for a solution was palpable. Mohamed Amairi, a protester, expressed his expectation of "justice" that would "put an end to an environmental crime that has lasted for more than fifty years."

A "Crime Against the City" in Court

Filed last month by Mounir Adouni, head of the local bar association, the summary proceedings complaint was supported by "evidence of what constitutes a crime against the city," according to the lawyer. The court hearings were adjourned until November 20 .

Mr. Adouni stressed the urgency of the situation: "There must be no further delays, as the danger is imminent for the lives of our children and the hospitals here are not able to provide adequate treatment."

Fed up with the health consequences

The anger of the residents is fueled by the health consequences. Ridha Moussa, another protester, testified: "We are tired of the cancers, the bone fragility, the respiratory problems ."

The GCT complex, which produces phosphate fertilizers and has been located on the seafront since 1972, is a source of continuous nuisance: fumes, acrid smells, stinging eyes and noses are the daily reality for local residents and the NGO Stop Pollution.

In October, cases of students fainting and suffocating, relayed by videos of ambulance evacuations, had already mobilized tens of thousands of people in the city, and this on three separate occasions.

Toxic discharges and "Major Non-Conformities"

The complex discharges its phosphogypsum (solid residue containing heavy metals) directly into the sea. Furthermore, its production emits sulfur dioxide, nitrogen, and fluorine.

An audit carried out in July 2025 for the African Development Bank had also highlighted "major non-conformities" concerning air pollution and marine pollution.

In parallel with the summary proceedings, the lawyers have filed another appeal, scheduled for review in December, this time aiming for the complete dismantling of the complex.

The economic dilemma and the government strategy

Despite a promise to close the mines made in 2017, the authorities find themselves in a delicate situation. President Kaïs Saïed has designated the phosphate mines, Tunisia's main natural resource, as a "fundamental pillar" of the economy .

Moreover, the government has ambitious plans: it intends to quintuple fertilizer production to reach 14 million tons per year by 2030, making the closure of the Gabès complex unlikely in the short term according to the official line.