The agreement was the most important of several signed on Monday, the last day of the fourth Portugal-Tunisia summit, which took place over three hours in Tunis.
At a ceremony presided over by the two heads of government, António Costa of Portugal and Youssef Chabed of Tunisia, Portugal’s minister of internal administration, Eduardo Cabrita, and his Tunisian counterpart, committed themselves to making a “a qualitative leap” in bilateral relations in the fields of civil defence, border control, and the prevention and combatting of terrorism.
Portugal and Tunisia signed agreements for the “protection and safeguarding of people, goods and environment threatened by catastrophes”, but also on “training in civil defence with an interchange of specialists and experts”.
They also committed themselves to providing mutual assistance in case of natural catastrophes and serious technological disasters.
In comments to journalists, Cabrita said there would now be a sharing of information of experience in the field of civil defence, involving Portugal’s ANPC and its Tunisian counterpart.
In the fight against terrorism, officials added, there is to be collaboration on border control, training in public security and terrorism prevention.
At the summmit, the two countries’ foreign ministers also signed three cooperation agreements in areas such as professional training and employment, higher education and scientific research, and transport, including maritime.