Tunis - Failure to bring to completion six projects worth over 200 TND million in the governorate of Gabes to control greenhouse gas emissions and improve the environmental situation helped worsen the state of affairs, said Minister of Housing and Public Works Slah Zaouari.

Zouari announced the immediate continuation of works which costs are already made available; relevant studies had been finalised, he added.

Complementary projects are also scheduled along with talks with the African Development Bank for TND 180 million in funding, the minister Monday told a plenary of the Assembly of People's Representatives dedicated to the state of affairs in Gabes.

In a second phase, other interventions will be made to upgrade the environment situation and ensure a healthy environment for all, the minister highlighted.

A TND 6.2 million project to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions of nitric acid production units is one of the pending projects. The furtherance rate of works reached 98%, the minister said. Insulative material not exceeding TND 15,000 remains to be provided and this will undertaken in the next few weeks. The project is expected to come to completion by year end.

Less emissions of sulphur dioxide from sulphuric acid units are at the heart of a second project at a cost of TND 8 million. The furtherance rate is estimated at 70 %, the minister added.

The third project provides for the improvement of ammonia gas scrubbing of the production unit of DAP fertilisers at an overall cost of TND 18.4 million. The project's furtherance rate stands at 84 % and is not yet operational. It is likely to come to completion within the coming six months, which will contribute significantly to cutting emissions, the minister highlighted.

The fourth project is designed to permanently reduce sulphur dioxide emissions of sulphuric acid production units ( a total cost of TND 30 million).

An entrepreneur will be selected and works will start in Q1 of 2026 with a six-month period for the the entry into service, Zouari further said.

The fifth project is centered around less residual gas emissions of the production facility of sulphuric acid of the ammonium nitrate plant (TND 6.2 million).

The first phase consists of the purchase and installation of a monitoring system. The second phase, not yet started, will be immediately launched and compeleted within six months.

These projects call for exceptional and urgent measures to ensure their implementation. The government had recourse to companies in addition to competent authorities to discuss with the Chinese side ways to complete these works.

The Chinese technical team will visit Tuesday the headquarters of the Tunisian Chemical Group plants in Gabes.

The minister instructed to put a halt to the disposal of the phosphogypsum in the sea and build a controlled storage site while ensuring its circular use.

The challenge lies in the way projects are managed and implemented within time limits, Zouari highlighted. If planned projects are carried out, the government can embark on others to further improve the environment situation and upgrade these production plants.

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