TUNIS, Tunisia –  Three consecutive meetings took place between the Tunisian Armed Forces and a core team of NATO civilian and military personnel, April 10 to 13, 2018.

 

Personnel from the military partnership branch at Allied Joint Force Command Naples said NATO is currently working on a country team approach to partnership where individuals and organizations become increasingly linked. Officials say this approach helps to ensure a unified front and guarantee cohesion in relations with partner countries.

 

Meetings over the four-day event included a JFC Naples-led one dedicated to planning education and training opportunities available to Tunisian forces over the next two years, and an international staff-led Planning and Review Process, or PARP, meeting. The PARP discussion was dedicated to establishing overriding partnership goals which will drive the partnership with Tunisia. Finally, talks were held aimed at selecting special areas where NATO and Allied nations may be able to give specialized support to Tunisia. The final day featured meetings of various leaders, including the Tunisian Minister of Defence, Abdelkrim Zbidi.

 

"This was a packed but productive program which benefitted enormously from having so many NATO headquarters working towards the same goal,” said French Army Colonel Frank Faubladier, JFC Naples military partnership head. "It was a challenge for a small but expert group of Tunisian military specialists but I think – indeed, they said – they really appreciated the synergies…It will take some time to work out all the results of the meeting but when we work this way no one doubts it effect.”