Two American patrol boats transfered from the U.S. Navy to Tunisia sit side by side during a ceremony in Tunis on April 17, 2025. (U.S. 6th Fleet)
NAPLES, Italy — The transfer of two American patrol boats to Tunisia and a Navy command ship’s visit embody a centuries-old U.S. commitment to maritime partnership with the North African country, a top service official said this week.
The commissioning of the boats during a ceremony Thursday in the capital city Tunis is the most recent U.S. equipment contribution to Tunisia, 6th Fleet said in a statement the same day.
The event, featuring a port visit by 6th Fleet flagship USS Mount Whitney, was an opportunity “to engage with our Tunisian counterparts and reaffirm our commitment to working together,” Vice Adm. Jeffrey Anderson, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, said in the statement.
Tunisia, which overthrew its authoritarian dictator during the Arab Spring anti-government protests in 2011, is considered a major non-NATO U.S. partner, in part due to its location on the Mediterranean Sea, which serves as a gateway to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The Navy has partnered with African countries for decades to help them gain equipment and training needed to protect their territorial waters against illegal fishing, piracy and trafficking.
That work is part of overall U.S. efforts to promote regional stability and fight terrorism in Africa.
Despite Tunisian President Kais Saied’s adoption of a new constitution in 2021 that centralized power around the presidency, the U.S. has continued its military, economic and other assistance to the country.
For example, it gave the Tunisian air force four Textron C-208EX aircraft in September to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The U.S. also has delivered at least six C-130 military aircraft to the country, U.S. Africa Command said in August.
Since 2011, the United States has invested more than $1 billion in security cooperation with Tunisia, including more than $160 million in 2023, according to the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia.
That support has enabled Tunisia to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations, engage in humanitarian missions and become a regional security hub.
Mount Whitney’s visit also is near the 220th anniversary of the 1805 Battle of Derna, U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood noted in the statement. The battle against piracy occurred in modern-day Libya during the First Barbary War.
“Through the support and cooperation of Tunisia, the U.S. military defeated maritime terrorism to make a more stable and secure region for commerce and economic development,” Hood said.
