In a meeting, on Tuesday, with Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of the Environment, Habib Abid, and Minister of the Industry, Energy, and Mines, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, President Kaïs Saïed said "that the environment in Gabès has been systematically destroyed over the years" due to decisions he described as "criminal, which have led to human casualties."

The President highlighted the spread of diseases, including cancer and osteoporosis, alongside the destruction of oases and the local ecosystem. He recalled recent cases of poisoning and asphyxiation linked to these decisions, noting that some African countries had opposed Tunisia’s choice to establish the Chemical Group in Gabès.

President Saïed also spoke of his multiple visits to Gabès, including the ones he made in 2013, 2014, and 2015, during which many local young people presented detailed studies on the environmental situation and proposed ways to restore the region’s unique natural balance of desert, sea, and oases.

He expressed regret that these proposals were ignored, pointing out that recent cases of intoxication and asphyxiation requiring hospitalization, particularly at the Rabta Hospital, highlight serious shortcomings in running these industrial facilities.

The President stressed the urgent need to dedicate resources as well as enforce measures so as to protect Gabès and Tunisia from this longstanding environmental crisis.

President Saïed reiterated that "the studies and solutions are already available," adding that "the necessary conditions must be provided to ensure that such environmental incidents do not occur again." He called for implementing effective mechanisms in order to safeguard Gabès and Tunisia from these long-standing environmental violations.

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