Al Aouina’s air base in Tunis hosted the official launch of the multinational military financial year African Lion 25 on Monday April 22, in the presence of more than 1,000 civilian soldiers and personal staff from the United States, Tunisia and partner countries.
This exercise, one of the largest on the African continent, will take place for a week through several Tunisian regions, with the aim of strengthening the interoperability of the Allied armed forces and their ability to operate together in a degraded regional security context.
In a statement published the same day on the site of the United States Embassy in Tunisia, Emily Katkar, assistant mission head of the American Embassy, praised the quality of the Tunisian-American partnership and the constant commitment of Tunis in this context.
“Tunisia once again demonstrates its driving role in promoting regional stability and the management of common security challenges,” she said, recalling that the country welcomes African Lion for the eighth consecutive year.
The exercise illustrates the depth of bilateral defense cooperation, in a context where Washington seeks to consolidate its alliances in North Africa in the face of cross -border threats and geopolitical uncertainties.
Ms. Katkar also stressed that Tunisia, recognized as a major ally outside NATO, is a partner “based on confidence and shared objectives”.
By this declaration, the United States reaffirms its support for Tunis, whose strategic positioning is deemed essential for regional security and the stability of the southern Mediterranean flank.
