(credit:africom.mil) U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command met with several Tunisian military leaders aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) aircraft carrier, March 25, 2021

By  Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command met with several Tunisian military leaders aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) aircraft carrier, March 25, to discuss joint efforts to enhance Tunisia’s maritime security.    Townsend met with Tunisian Ministry of Defense Chief of Cabinet, Abdelhak Khemiri; Tunisian Navy Chief of Staff, Rear Adm. Adel Jehane; and Tunisian Air Force Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Hajem. Several others from U.S. Africa Command joined Townsend, including Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command’s intelligence director; Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Thresher, U.S. Africa Command’s senior enlisted leader. Also attending the meeting were Vice Adm. Eugene Black, commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet and deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa; Rear Adm. Scott Robertson, commander, Carrier Strike Group 2; and Gregory LoGerfo, deputy chief of mission, U.S. Embassy in Tunisia.

“The United States and Tunisia have a long and strong partnership—particularly in the military sphere. We also share concerns for security in the region,”

-U.S. Army Gen.  Townsend said

credit:africom.mil) U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command met with several Tunisian military leaders aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) aircraft carrier, March 25, 2021

“Today’s meeting led by General Townsend is symbolic of the strong and enduring partnership between the United States and Tunisia which dates back to the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1797,” said LoGerfo. “We remain committed to advancing our shared defense cooperation goals to strengthen regional security by combatting terrorism and safeguarding Tunisian sovereignty through enhanced maritime security.”

Tunisia is a major non-NATO ally, and serves as host or major contributor to U.S. Africa Command exercises such as African Lion and Phoenix Express. Tunisia will serve as a satellite location for African Lion in June 2021.   According to AFRICOM,   African Lion is a joint, all-domain, multi-national exercise designed to counter malign activity and increase interoperability between U.S., African, and international partners to defend the theater from adversary military aggression.