The Tunis Court of Appeal Specializing in Financial Corruption Cases has issued arrest warrants against former Tunisian MP Lotfi Ali and Romdhane Souid, the former CEO of the Gafsa Phosphate Company (CPG), according to [TAP](https://www.tap.info.tn/en/Portal-Politics/17677721-arrest-warrants) in a report released on Saturday.
Confirming the decision, Deputy Attorney General Sonia Moussaoui stated that the arrest warrants pertain to alleged corruption crimes linked to a phosphate extraction and transport contract involving Ali, Souid, and three additional defendants. The other defendants identified include Slim Feriani, a former Minister of Industry under the Chahed government (2016-2020), as well as Mouldi Ali, Lotfi Ali’s brother, and Abdelwaheb Hfaïedh.
Phosphate, a vital component in fertilizers, has long been a cornerstone of Tunisia’s mining industry but has also faced persistent allegations of corruption and social tension. In August 2021, a Tunisian judge [banned](https://resourcegovernance.org/articles/tunisias-political-upheaval-signals-opportunities-improved-mining-governance) 12 government officials from traveling due to their involvement in corrupt phosphate-related activities. These individuals were eventually arrested and charged.
President Kais Saied has pledged to intensify efforts to combat corruption in this economically significant sector. Phosphate mining currently represents around 4% of Tunisia’s GDP and accounts for 15% of the country’s exports. More recently, anti-corruption measures have been extended to other sectors, including the establishment of the Agency to Combat Fraud and Scams (ALFA) in the insurance industry, as announced by the Tunisian Federation of Insurance Companies (TFIC), aimed at addressing the rising levels of fraud, scams, and corruption within the industry (as reported by [JURIST](https://www.jurist.org/news/2024/07/tunisia-insurance-company-federation-announces-agency-to-combat-insurance-fraud/)).