US, Tunisia Sign 10-Year Military Cooperation Agreement - Pentagon
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has concluded an agreement to boost bilateral military cooperation for the next 10 years with his Tunisian counterpart, Ibrahim Bartagi, praising strategic ties between the two countries, US the Defense Department said in a press release
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2020) US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has concluded an agreement to boost bilateral military cooperation for the next 10 years with his Tunisian counterpart, Ibrahim Bartagi, praising strategic ties between the two countries, US the Defense Department said in a press release.
"The Secretary joined Minister Bartagi in signing a 10-year 'Roadmap for Defense Cooperation,' which builds on the strong, longstanding, and strategic partnership between the two countries and codifies how the United States and Tunisia will work together closely over the next decade to contribute to stability and security in Africa and beyond," the release said late on Wednesday.
Esper congratulated Bartagi on his recent appointment as the Tunisian defense minister, which took place in early September, and highlighted the importance of relations between the US and its "major non-NATO ally.
" The senior US official also hailed the professional skills and capabilities of Tunisia's military in defending the state against violent extremist organizations and groups.
The meeting between the two top officials took place at the Tunisian Defense Ministry.
According to the US department, Esper also held talks with Tunisian President Kais Saied at the Carthage presidential palace, discussing terrorist threat, regional stability, security and the sovereignty of African countries amid the long-standing armed conflict in Libya.
On September 8, four US and Tunisian military aircraft conducted an interoperability training mission in North Africa in a bid to improve responsiveness to a common threat.
Since 2011, the US has invested more than $1 billion in the Tunisian military to enhance border security, military intelligence, and air-ground operations, according to the Africa Command.