The Minister of National Defense, Khaled Sehili, expressed, during his interview held on Wednesday at the ministry’s headquarters with the commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, Tunisia’s willingness to develop the partnership between the two parties and to explore new perspectives in the field of defense technology transfer.
He also called for expanding cooperation in strategic and intelligence sectors, taking into account the evolution of the geopolitical context in a regional and international environment that is complex, marked by instability and the multiplication of security challenges.
During the meeting, the minister expressed satisfaction with the level of military cooperation between the two friendly countries, highlighting its depth, diversity and constant evolution, which attest to a long-term strategic partnership.
This cooperation is not limited to the logistical and technical support provided to the armed forces, but also covers training, professional development, and joint military exercises, as evidenced by the success of the “African Lion 26” exercise, which has once again demonstrated the level of interoperability and the operational readiness of the armed forces.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, Khaled Sehili also highlighted Tunisia’s role, not only as a strategic site but also as a factor of stability and security in the Mediterranean, as well as a regional training hub offering a platform for organizing multilateral military exercises.
He also expressed the Tunisian side’s confidence in the importance of the upcoming session of the Tunisian-American Joint Military Commission, which will be held in the United States next September. This meeting will, according to him, be a valuable opportunity to evaluate the progress of bilateral military cooperation and to define its priorities for the next phase, in order to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two sides and elevate it to a higher qualitative level.
For his part, the AFRICOM commander praised the military cooperation and the strategic partnership between Tunisia and the United States, as well as the capabilities and training capacities of the Tunisian army, notably demonstrated during the organization in Tunisia of the “African Lion” military exercise.
He also reaffirmed the American administration’s commitment to continuing the strengthening of military cooperation between the two parties, to broaden and develop it in service of their common interests.
The United States ambassador to Tunisia attended the meeting.
