Belgian Minister of Defence Steven Vandeput highlights the importance of technology in national security. He was briefed about cyber defence at the Tallinn-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence that Belgium is set to join.
“Fast modernization of the Belgian military means we are becoming increasingly technological. Therefore investing in cyber security is essential,” emphasizes Steven Vandeput, Belgian Minister of Defence. “The expertise at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence offers the opportunity to address these new challenges more efficiently. I recently approved the detachment of a Belgian officer to work at the Centre. This will significantly enhance the further development and expansion of our national capabilities,” Vandeput adds.
“The Centre is looking forward to Belgium joining us and welcomes Belgian colleagues,” says LTC Jens van Laak, Deputy Director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. “International cooperation is in the heart of cyber security for all nations. Belgium has spearheaded important international information sharing initiatives and the Centre fosters it through trainings, exercises, and research.”
In late 2015, the Kingdom of Belgium decided to join the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence as a Sponsoring Nation.
The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (NATO CCD COE) is a NATO-accredited knowledge hub, think-tank and training facility. The international military organisation focuses on interdisciplinary applied research and development, as well as consultations, trainings and exercises in the field of cyber security. The heart of the Centre is a diverse group of international experts, including legal scholars, policy and strategy experts as well as technology researchers with military, government and industry backgrounds.
Membership of the Centre is open to all Allies. Currently, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States have signed on as Sponsoring Nations of the Centre. Austria and Finland have become Contributing Participants – the status available for non-NATO nations.