Tunisian defense minister Khaled al-Souhaili held a phone call with US deputy secretary of defense Daniel Zimmerman. The officials discussed ways to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries and reviewed the working program for the Tunisia-US Joint Military Committee meeting to be held in the US during the first week of September.
Souhaili stressed the historic friendship ties binding the two countries and the distinguished level of existing cooperation during the call. He expressed his satisfaction with the positive outcomes of the strategic partnership based on trust, mutual respect, and common interests.
The Tunisian minister said the upcoming joint military committee meeting would be a valuable opportunity to review the course of bilateral military cooperation and determine priorities for the coming period. Souhaili noted that the meeting would elevate the strategic partnership to a more qualified level.
Expressing Tunisia’s desire to develop this partnership and explore new horizons, Souhaili listed the areas where cooperation should be expanded. He underscored the importance they attach to strengthening the operational capacities of the armed forces, expanding military training programs, enhancing cooperation in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, maritime security, and border control, as well as technology and knowledge transfer.
Souhaili added that Tunisia not only possesses a strategic location but is also a factor of stability and security in the Mediterranean, a regional training hub, and a platform for spreading peace in a complex geopolitical environment.
US deputy secretary of defense Daniel Zimmerman, for his part, commended the deep-rooted and distinguished historical ties between the two friendly nations and the strength of the strategic partnership. He reiterated the US administration’s determination to continue strengthening and broadening military cooperation. Zimmerman voiced his hope for a successful joint military committee meeting in the US in September.
Within the framework of defense cooperation between the two countries, significant steps have been taken previously. In January 2026, Tunisia took delivery of a C-130 military transport aircraft. Last June, the US also donated 48 Humvee vehicles to boost Tunisia’s capacity in border protection, counterterrorism, smuggling, and the fight against organized crime, along with an advanced radiation detection system for use at the country’s largest port, Rades.
