The N-VA is calling for accelerated vaccinations for military personnel in foreign operations

In Niger, the Belgian participation in Operation New Nero was suspended because an outbreak of the coronavirus among the soldiers resulted in 50 soldiers having to be evacuated prematurely. The N-VA is calling for accelerated vaccinations for military personnel who are sent on foreign operations. “We are asking for an exception for this limited group that we send to countries with very limited medical facilities. A war zone like the Sahel is already an extremely dangerous environment; they can do without this additional risk.”

Choices have been made in determining the sequence of vaccinations. Many groups within the population deserve to be given their turn as soon as possible because of their risk profile, contribution to the fight against the virus or the essential function they hold. But the N-VA is nevertheless asking for special consideration for soldiers on a mission. “We send our troops to countries such as Mali, Afghanistan, Niger and Jordan to fight for us there against IS and other jihadist groups. The Ministry of Defence is taking the necessary precautions, but can of course never completely prevent an outbreak. In the confined environment of a military base, the virus thus spreads quickly and mercilessly.”

2,000 vaccines should suffice

The environment in which they are deployed is already extremely dangerous: roadside bombs, mortar attacks, suicide bombings, etc. Our troops receive medical support for their mission, but we must not forget that they are still thousands of kilometres away from expert care in our hospitals. It also concerns a small group; 2,000 vaccines should be sufficient to protect our soldiers in operations abroad. The Defence Department should be able to give them priority with the vaccines it allocates.

Allies count on our military

The N-VA also notes that Defence does not operate in isolation abroad; we are always part of complex multinational coalitions that work together to safeguard security. “An outbreak can suddenly cripple our participation in an operation. We must avoid a situation where suddenly our F-16s have to remain on the ground, and ground troops in Syria and Iraq can no longer count on our air support. IS and Al-Qaeda will not wait for our troops to recover. Not only are they counting on us, but the coalition allies are also concerned about the welfare of their own troops. They won’t appreciate it if an unvaccinated Belgian detachment jeopardises the joint mission,” the N-VA said.