NATO and Tunisia ready to strengthen their cooperation on tackling common security challenges
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia Taieb Baccouche met in Brussels on Wednesday (9 September) for talks on regional security and ways to further enhance NATO-Tunisia cooperation. After meeting the Secretary General, the Minister met with Allied Ambassadors, at a session of the North Atlantic Council. With them he exchanged views on Tunisia’s partnership with NATO, in the framework of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue, and on common regional security challenges.
The Secretary General expressed his sympathy to the people of Tunisia for the recent terrorist attacks in Tunis and Sousse and underlined that the terrible acts of extremists demonstrated the need for NATO and partners to work even closer together.
Mr. Stoltenberg confirmed NATO’s continued commitment to help Tunisia address its new security challenges, including terrorism, through NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue partnership. The Secretary General and the Minister agreed on the importance to have regular political dialogue between NATO and Tunisia and to strengthen the scope of practical cooperation.
Political consultations, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, cyber defence, defence planning and management, public diplomacy, and scientific cooperation are among the priority areas identified by Tunisia for its cooperation with NATO, as part of the ambitious Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme. A long-standing NATO partner, Tunisia joined the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue in 1994.
Wednesday’s meeting at NATO headquarters follows the visit of Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid to NATO in May this year.