Summary:

On 5 June 2024, hundreds of protestors gathered in Gabes calling for the closure of the phosphate plant that operates in the region and is known as having a highly destructive impact on the local environment and public health. 

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The protests follow a mid-May 2024 incident attributed to a gas leak in the industrial zone of Gabes during which multiple students at a local school fainted after inhaling gas.  

The protest movement known as “I want to live, stop pollution” has been consistently making calls for change in the industrial activity around Gabes for several years. The notably higher rates of cancer, infertility, and other health issues in Gabes has been documented for years. 

Outlook: 

Concerns over the health risks created by the industrial activity in Gabes continue, but remain in tensions with the economic goals of the government which has long viewed phosphate production as a pillar of the economy.  

However, as organized calls for change grow in frequency and visibility, pressure will continue to grow on the government to make tangible adjustments to operations that are having an observable public health impact. In the meantime, the risk of increasing protests and outcry over the issues in Gabes continues to grow as time passes without clear solutions. 

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