US confirms Tunisia’s ‘non-NATO ally’ status

WASHINGTON: Tunisia’s status as a “non-NATO ally” of the United States has been approved, the US State Department said, paving the way for enhanced military cooperation between the countries.
Washington hailed the partnership between the United States and Tunisia after the Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status was confirmed Friday.
“MNNA status sends a strong signal of our support for Tunisia’s decision to join the world’s democracies,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
He added the “status is a symbol of our close relationship.”
In May, US President Barack Obama declared Tunisia a non-NATO ally while hosting his Tunisian counterpart Beji Caid Essebsi at the White House. The United States is hoping to strengthen Essebsi, who in December became the first democratically elected leader in Tunisia’s 60-year history.
Kirby said the status offers Tunisia a host of “tangible privileges, including eligibility for training, loans of equipment for cooperative research and development, and foreign military financing for commercial leasing of certain defense articles.”
Tunisia is the 16th country to become a Major Non-NATO Ally of the US.