Tunisia and Algeria have formalised a new defence cooperation agreement during a high-profile meeting in Algiers, signalling a deepening of their military ties in a region beset by shared security challenges. The accord was signed amid a working visit by Tunisian Defence Minister Khaled Shili, who was in Algeria from October 6-8, during which he met with Algerian Chief of Staff General Saïd Chengriha and other senior military authorities.
The agreement—seen as a significant update to an earlier pact from 2001—covers multiple domains of defence cooperation including military training, the exchange of information and expertise, enhanced bilateral coordination, joint operations, and particularly field cooperation on border security. It aims to address “threats and risks facing the region” such as terrorism, human trafficking, irregular migration, smuggling, and transnational organised crime.
During the ceremonies, Tunisia underscored its commitment to increasing the frequency of exchange visits, activating joint military forums, and intensifying cooperation through their joint military commission. Algeria, for its part, welcomed the agreement as a way to strengthen the operational capabilities of both the Tunisian and Algerian armed forces, and to give concrete effect to the longstanding ties between the two nations based on mutual trust and respect.
The new accord comes at a time when both countries are seeking more robust collaboration to stabilise their shared border regions, where armed groups have operated in mountainous areas. The Tunisian Minister also laid a wreath at Algiers’ Martyr’s Memorial, underlining the symbolic nature of the visit and the political weight being given to this renewed defence partnership.
Observers view the agreement as not merely symbolic but operational: Tunisia and Algeria are positioning themselves to respond in a coordinated manner to evolving security threats in the Maghreb. While details on timelines or resources committed (troops, funding, etc.) were not publicly delineated in full, the agreement establishes a framework for sustained cooperation and suggests more frequent joint planning, training, and operational collaboration ahead.
