This Wednesday, Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of Wallonia, and Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Vice-President and Minister of the Economy, met Théo Francken, federal Minister of Defence. The aim of this meeting is to affirm the Ministers' will to strengthen cooperation between the federal government and the federated entities in consolidating and developing a strong industrial base in the defence sector.
Cooperation between the federal Government and the federated entities is crucial to strengthening our resilience. The world is changing, and new challenges require us to plan ahead. That is why we must invest more not only in our defence, but also in our defence industry. The coalition agreement indeed provides for an increase in this budget. The federal Government aims to reach the NATO standard of 2% of GDP by 2029 and has the ambition to raise this figure to 2.5% by 2034.
The federal Government stands alongside the federated entities and works with them to support their development and ambitions. Wallonia has a long tradition in the defence sector, with strong and innovative companies recognised internationally. By working together, we can not only strengthen our national security, but also be a leading player in developing a European defence and ensuring European strategic sovereignty, which will boost our economy and create new quality jobs.
Theo Francken, federal Minister of Defence: “ We must seize this crisis to considerably develop our defence industry. The federated entities play an important role in this. As federal Minister, I will work with the federated entities to strengthen the resilience of our society and further embed our defence industry.”
Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of Wallonia: “In an unstable international geopolitical context, it is a strategic asset for Wallonia, Belgium and Europe to have a leading industrial base in the Defence sector. I am delighted by this affirmed will of the federal Minister of Defence to rely on Wallonia's strengths as part of strengthening the sector in Belgium.”
Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Vice-President of Wallonia and Minister of the Economy and Industry: “As Walloon Minister of the Economy and Industry, my role is to create the right conditions for the solid development of the defence sector, a historic driver of our regional economy and an essential pillar of Belgian industry. Wallonia, a true powerhouse in this field, has internationally recognised expertise and a dynamic industrial ecosystem, combining large companies and innovative SMEs, capable of meeting European defence strategy needs and supplying the armies of NATO member states. I welcome the federal Government's will to rely on our Walloon expertise to jointly tackle current challenges, particularly the crucial issue of European strategic autonomy, which requires sustainable and ambitious partnerships. Investing in defence means strengthening our security, but also supporting our industry, our economy and employment.”