NATO defence education experts visit Tunisia

Ongoing cooperation between NATO and Tunisia is extensive and comprises various aspects including education and training. Stability and security in the Mediterranean region are particularly important for the Alliance. The security context is complex and very challenging. Terrorism, proliferation of various arms and instability due to failed states are security challenges that deeply affect everyone. This underlines the need for a global approach that embraces all security aspects including international cooperation.

While in Tunisia, the DEEP team – led by Frédérique Jacquemin, DEEP Senior Programme Manager at NATO, together with Colonel Giordano Ciccarelli from Italy – met with NATO country representatives and with the Commandant of the Staff College, Lellehom Ben Jemaa. The Commandant emphasised the programme’s success and reaffirmed Tunisia’s continued engagement with NATO.

The DEEP programme aims to develop close cooperation with the War College and the Staff College under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defence. Through DEEP, the Alliance advises Tunisia on how to build, develop and reform educational institutions in the defence and military domain in the form of a peer-to-peer conversation.

Aside from helping Tunisia to develop its educational institutions, NATO is also supporting the development of both curricula (”what to teach”) and faculty (“how to teach”). NATO helps maintain an international professional network which brings together defence and military educators from Allied and partner countries to exchange experience in teaching methodologies and to help those interested in advice and assistance. Tunisia is taking steps to build upon the results of this programme in the defence education system.

DEEPs are tailored programmes through which the Alliance advises partners on how to build, develop and reform educational institutions in the security, defence and military domain. Projects are currently running in 12 countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritania, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia¹, Tunisia and Ukraine.