Tunisia seeks to build domestic defense industry sovereignty

Tunisian Defense Minister Khaled Sehili has called for the mobilization of human, material, and technological resources to strengthen the nation's domestic military industry. Speaking at the first conference organized by the Military Research Center on technological development and defense industry, Sehili emphasized the need for a national strategy to reduce dependence on imported military equipment.

The minister highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships to support scientific research and technological development. He noted that Tunisian companies have already demonstrated advanced capabilities in the design, development, and integration of specialized products.

The goal of this initiative is to move beyond individual projects toward establishing a sustainable “industrial defense sovereignty” by fostering strategic cooperation between the military, universities, research centers, and the national industrial sector.