 | |
| Formation | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Sam Nunn |
| Type | Military alliance |
| Location | |
| Membership | 21 states:
 Tunisia |
Amajor non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by theUnited States government to countries that have strategic working relationships with theUnited States Armed Forces while not being members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
While MNNA status does not automatically constitute amutual defense pact with theUnited States—as would be the case throughNATO membership—it does confer a variety of military and financial advantages that are otherwise unobtainable by non-NATO countries. The designation also denotes strong diplomatic and economic ties and is considered a symbol of mutual friendship.[1][2]
There are currently 21 major non-NATO allies across four continents: 12 inAsia, four inAfrica, three inSouth America, and two inOceania.
The following countries are listed in chronological order of their designation as MNNAs by theUnited States government. In addition, an act provides thatTaiwan shall be treated as a MNNA, without formal designation as such:[3][4][5][6]
Afghanistan (2012–2022): Designated by theObama administration in 2012 during the rule of theIslamic Republic of Afghanistan,[28][29] and effectively ceased to function as an MNNA after the American-allied Islamic Republic fell to theTaliban during the2021 Taliban offensive. Afghanistan is currently governed by anunrecognized Islamic Emirate led by the Taliban. TheBiden administration formally notified Congress of its revocation of Afghanistan's MNNA status in July 2022.[30][31]MNNA status was first created in 1987,[7] whenCongress added section 2350a — otherwise known as theSam Nunn Amendment — toTitle 10 of the United States Code.[32] It stipulated that cooperative research and development agreements could be enacted with non-NATO allies by thesecretary of defense with the concurrence of thesecretary of state. The initial MNNAs wereAustralia,Egypt,Israel,Japan, andSouth Korea.[7]
In 1996, major non-NATO allies received additional military and financial benefits when section 2321k was added toTitle 22 of the United States Code (also known as section 517 of theForeign Assistance Act of 1961), which added MNNAs to many of the same exemptions from theArms Export Control Act that were enjoyed by NATO members. It also authorized thePresident to designate a country as an MNNA thirty days after notifying Congress.[8] When enacted, the statute designated the initial five countries as major non-NATO allies and addedNew Zealand to the list.
U.S.–New Zealand strategic and military cooperation suffered a setback after the breakdown of theANZUS Treaty in 1984, triggered by disagreements overnuclear ship entry.[33] The designation of New Zealand as an MNNA in 1996 reflected the warming of bilateral relations between the two countries.[34] In June 2012, New Zealand signed a partnership arrangement with theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), further strengthening and consolidating relations with the United States.[35]
In 1998, PresidentBill Clinton namedArgentina as an MNNA for the "Argentine compromise and contribution to international peace and security" that was materialized in its participation in theGulf War (Argentina was the only South American country to join the coalition's fight againstIraq), and for its continuing support forUnited Nations peacekeeping missions.[36][37]
When Congress enacted the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for FY 2003 on September 30, 2002, it required thatTaiwan be "treated as though it were designated a major non-NATO ally".[13] Despite some initial misgivings about Congress's perceived intrusion into the President's foreign affairs authority, theBush administration subsequently submitted a letter to Congress on August 29, 2003, designatingTaiwan as ade facto MNNA.[13]
Around the same time as Taiwan's admission, invitations were sent toThailand and thePhilippines, both of which accepted the offer.
Singapore, a long-term host of aU.S. Air Force training squadron and a majorU.S. Navy non-home port, was reportedly offered a similar arrangement as the Philippines and Thailand, but turned down the offer to allay concerns of its neighbors of strong Singaporean military ties withAustralia,New Zealand, theUnited Kingdom, the United States, andIsrael.[38][39] However, in October 2003, President George W. Bush and his Singaporean counterpartGoh Chok Tong announced their intention to conclude a major bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement for a Closer Cooperation Partnership in Defence and Security (SFA), the details of which remained secret; it was signed on July 12, 2005.[38][40]
The designation of certain countries as MNNAs has not been without controversy, as has been the case withPakistan, which was designated as an MNNA by PresidentGeorge W. Bush in 2004.[17][41] In 2017,Ted Poe (R–TX) andRick Nolan (D–MN) from theHouse of Representatives introduced H.R. 3000; a bill to revoke Pakistan's position as an MNNA, citinginadequate counterterrorism efforts, theharboring of Osama bin Laden, and consistent Pakistani support for theTaliban.[42] The bill never received a vote, but in 2021, U.S. RepresentativeAndy Biggs introduced H.R. 35 — another version of the legislation.
In 2017,Joseph Dunford, erstwhile chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, accused Pakistan'sInter-Services Intelligence of having ties to terrorist groups.[43]Reuters reported that "possibleTrump administration responses being discussed include expandingU.S. drone strikes and perhaps eventually downgrading Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally."[44] In January 2023, Biggs introduced a bill to remove Pakistan's MNNA status.[45]
In May 2015, PresidentBarack Obama declared his intention to designateTunisia as an MNNA while hosting his Tunisian counterpartBeji Caid Essebsi at theWhite House.[46][47]
In 2019, PresidentDonald Trump designatedBrazil as an MNNA[48] for "Brazil's recent commitments to increase defense cooperation with the United States" after receiving a working visit from his Brazilian counterpartJair Bolsonaro.[49]
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On January 31, 2022, President Joe Biden announced thatQatar would be designated as an MNNA, citing its assistance during theUnited States' withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.[50] "This past year, our partnership with Qatar has been central to many of our most vital interests", Biden commented. "I'm notifying Congress that I will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally to reflect the importance of our relationship; I think it's long overdue". This relationship serves as a major upgrade for the relations between the U.S. and Qatar. It is the third country in the Gulf region to become a major non-NATO ally after Bahrain and Kuwait.[51][52]
On September 29, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing U.S. support for the defense of Qatar if it receives an "armed attack," promising a U.S. military response to such aggression.[53] The order represents a commitment by Trump and his administration and is not a legally-binding treaty, which would have to be approved by at least two-thirds of the Senate in order for the president to ratify it.[54]
In March 2022, PresidentJoe Biden designatedColombia as an MNNA, stating: "I've said for a long time Colombia is a keystone to our shared efforts to build a hemisphere as prosperous, secure and democratic ... Today I'm proud to announce that I intend to designate Colombia a major non-NATO ally because that's exactly what you are. A major, Major non-NATO ally."[21]
On May 23, 2024, President Joe Biden announced thatKenya would be the 20th nation granted MNNA status, in recognition of its willingness to lead an intervention in Haiti,[55] which went into effect a month later on June 24.[26]
Following his meeting with Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman, President Donald Trump announced on November 18, 2025 thatSaudi Arabia would be designated as an MNNA. Trump also stated he and Mohammed signed an "historic strategic defense agreement".[27]
The designation, aimed at expanding bilateral military cooperation, accompaniedRiyadh's pledge to increase its planned U.S. investments from USD$600 billion to $1 trillion and Trump's confirmation that the U.S. will sellF-35 fighter jets to the kingdom, making it the firstMiddle Eastern state outside Israel to obtain the aircraft. Trump, noting the U.S. already counts 19 major non-NATO allies, said the strengthened partnership would advance shared security interests, while also remarking controversially on the 2018 killing of journalistJamal Khashoggi. The White House added that Saudi Arabia intends to purchase nearly 300 U.S. tanks.[27]
Some countries might be close to a designation:[56]
ThoughArmenia is currently a member of theCollective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which is headed byRussia, there have been calls for the country to withdraw from the alliance and realign its security needs with NATO.[57][58] Several politicians and political parties have called on theArmenian government to either seek full membership in NATO or become an MNNA.[59] TheEuropean Party of Armenia, theFor The Republic Party, and theChristian-Democratic Rebirth Party have campaigned in favor of Armenia's membership in NATO, while theArmenian National Movement Party and theNational Democratic Pole call for developing deeper relations with NATO.[60][61][62][63] TheHelsinki Citizens' Assembly presented a document of recommendations to American politicianNancy Pelosi during her visit toYerevan in September 2022; one of the recommendations was to provide MNNA status to Armenia.[64] Some American politicians, such asSam Brownback, have also campaigned for Armenia to be granted MNNA status. On 21 June 2023, Brownback stated: "Armenia is a natural long-term ally of the United States. Armenia must be given major non-NATO ally status of the U.S."[65][66]
On 3 September 2023, during an interview, Armenian Prime MinisterNikol Pashinyan stated that it was a strategic mistake for Armenia to solely rely on Russia to guarantee its security. Pashinyan stated, "Moscow has been unable to deliver and is in the process of winding down its role in the widerSouth Caucasus region" and "the Russian Federation cannot meet Armenia's security needs. This example should demonstrate to us that dependence on just one partner in security matters is a strategic mistake." Pashinyan accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to uphold theceasefire deal of failing to do their job. Pashinyan confirmed that Armenia is trying to diversify its security arrangements, most notably with theEuropean Union and the United States.[67] On 23 February 2024, Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, confirmed that Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO. Pashinyan stated, "We have now in practical terms frozen our participation in this treaty" and "membership of the CSTO was under review" during a live broadcast interview.[68] On 28 February 2024, during a speech made in theNational Assembly, Pashinyan further stated that the CSTO is "a threat to the national security of Armenia".[69]
In 2014, afterRussia's annexation of Crimea formally triggered theRusso-Ukrainian War, Ukraine's government requested MNNA status.[70] A bill was introduced to Congress to grant MNNA status toGeorgia,Moldova, andUkraine.[71] Russia has been occupying parts of Georgia since theRusso-Georgian War in 2008, and Russian troops have also stationed in Moldova's breakaway state ofTransnistria since the 1990s. In May 2019, a bill to designate Ukraine as an MNNA was introduced into the House of Representatives.[72] As of 2023[update], these changes have not been made, despite support from theU.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe following theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[73]
During a 2015 summit atCamp David with members of theGulf Cooperation Council, theObama administration considered designating Saudi Arabia, theUnited Arab Emirates,Oman, and Qatar as MNNAs.[74] Qatar was later designated a MNNA by theBiden administration in 2022, while thesecond Trump administration did the same for Saudi Arabia in 2025.
Since 2008,Iraq and the United States have a strategic partnership that was formalized in theirStrategic Framework Agreement. It covers a range of areas, including security, economics, and culture. The United States has provided military and economic aid to Iraq since the overthrow ofSaddam Hussein during the2003 invasion of Iraq. Following the rise of theIslamic State in the mid-2010s, American troops were again deployed to Iraq in order to support the Iraqi military in their fight against the militant group. Althoughmost American troops withdrew from Iraq in 2021, the United States has continued to provide military and economic assistance to the Iraqi government.[75]
Countries designated as MNNAs are eligible for the following benefits:[76]
TheHouse of Representatives passed theUnited States–Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 in December of that year.[77] This new category would have placedIsrael one notch above the MNNA classification and would have added additional support for defense and energy infrastructure, in addition to strengthened cooperation through business and academics.[78] The bill additionally called for the increasing of Americanwar reserve stock in Israel to US$1.8 billion.[78] The bill did not reach a vote, and thus did not pass or become law.
In 2016, the United States recognizedIndia as a "major defense partner"; this occurred less than a month after the House of Representatives passed the India Defense Technology and Partnership Act.[79] This allowed India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies on par with those of the United States' closest allies and partners.[80] The United States has four"foundational agreements" signed with India: the 2016 logistics agreement, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) in 2020, and the pre-existing General Security of Military Information Agreement signed in 2002 that was further augmented by the Industrial Security Annex, signed in 2019.[81]
In June 2019, American lawmakers provided for enhancements to the strategic status ofIndia, though this fell short of designating the country as an MNNA.[82][83]
In 2024, the United States recognized theUnited Arab Emirates as a major defense partner.[84]
The US Government designates 16 countries as Major Non-NATO Allies (MNNA) with which it has strategic working relationships in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation. The countries are: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Tunisia. While MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments. Information on MNNA status has been added to the "Military – note" for each of these countries.
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