Tunisia's trade deficit widened by 24% in the first nine months of 2025, official data showed on Monday, underscoring the persistent economic pressures on the country.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, the deficit rose to 16.728 billion dinars ($5.73 billion) from 13.497 billion dinars in the same period last year.
On Saturday, Tunisian police fired tear gas to disperse protesters near the Tunisian Chemical Group’s (CGT) phosphate headquarters in the southern city of Gabes, after residents stormed the facility demanding its closure to stop environmental pollution and rising respiratory illnesses.
The protest highlights the pressure on President Kais Saied's government, already strained by a deep economic and financial crisis, to balance public health demands with the production of phosphate, Tunisia's most valuable natural resource.
After the protest reached the chemical complex headquarters, it turned violent after police fired tear gas and forced the protesters to move away from the site, chasing them through the city streets.
In an effort to quell the rising anger and escalating protests, Saied met late on Saturday with the Ministers of Environment and Energy, urging them to send delegations to carry out necessary repairs at the phosphate acid unit of the complex.
The government aims to revive the phosphate industry by increasing production fivefold to 14 million tons by 2030 to capitalize on rising global demand.
