Military Cooperation Yields Results in Tunisia

The One NATO,  Partner Country Team met in Tunisia January 14 and 15. This cross-functional,  pan-headquarters team dealt with counter IED tactics,  building integrity,  cyber warfare,  and force preparation. Headquarters units present included international staff,  international military staff,  SHAPE J9,  JFC Naples J9 and LANDCOM G9. Photo courtesy Military Partnership Branch.

TUNIS, Tunisia - A full vertical spectrum of NATO Headquarters sat down with host nation Tunisia in a NATO-wide partner country team approach to developing a Defence Capacity Building (DCB) work plan in Tunis January 14 and 15.

"As we know there can be a long way from a plan to execution,” said Colonel Franck Faubladier, Military Partnership Branch Head. "That’s why last week’s DCB meeting in Tunisia was so satisfying.”

This procedure is part of the "One NATO” approach and applies to partnership military cooperation.

"It is now Standard Operating Procedure and ensures that all the key stakeholders can be at the table from the political to the tactical level, reducing the need for time-consuming feedback and ensuring round-the-table solutions where feasible,” said Faubladier.

The country team approach keeps overall leadership with the international staff but it can hand the administrative lead over to the international military staff or the NATO command structure. This helps put the practical lead in the most appropriate place but also helps to de-conflict and coordinate. On this occasion, the Military Partnership Branch (J9) was given the administrative leadership on assisting in developing Force Preparation for some specific units.

Story by JFC Naples Public Affairs Office