Theo Francken unveils SHIELD, Belgium’s National Defence Plan: “Security starts with preparedness”

“National defence is no longer solely the responsibility of the armed forces. With the SHIELD Plan, we are ensuring that every level of government works together to better protect our citizens, our infrastructure and our institutions.” With those words, Minister of Defence Theo Francken presented Belgium’s first national defence plan since the end of the Cold War. SHIELD is designed to ensure the country is better prepared for hybrid threats and military crises.

A historic step forward

Approved by the Interministerial Conference on Resilience, the SHIELD Plan sets out, for the first time, how the federal government, the regions and the communities will work together to strengthen Belgium’s resilience.

The underlying principle is straightforward: national security depends on far more than the armed forces alone. Ports, energy supplies, healthcare, cybersecurity, transport networks and other critical infrastructure must continue to operate if Belgium is ever confronted with a hybrid or military crisis.

“The creation of the Interministerial Conference on Resilience marks a major milestone for this government,” said Minister of Defence Theo Francken. “It shows that a whole-of-society approach is more than just a slogan. Governments at every level are working together and taking the necessary steps to strengthen both our resilience and our defence.”

Security goes beyond defence

The SHIELD Plan is not a response to any specific threat. Rather, it is a precautionary measure. By putting clear arrangements in place now, public authorities will be able to respond more quickly and effectively should Belgium’s security ever come under serious pressure.

The plan outlines how Belgium can gradually scale up its response, improve coordination between public authorities and rapidly deploy the resources needed to protect the population, critical infrastructure and democratic institutions.

For security reasons, the detailed contents of the plan remain confidential. Over the coming years, the various authorities will put it to the test through national and NATO exercises and refine it where necessary.

Flanders takes responsibility

For the Flemish Government, the SHIELD Plan also provides a framework for strengthening the preparedness of its public services and critical infrastructure for exceptional circumstances.

“Flanders has deliberately chosen not to stand on the sidelines,” said Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele. “By working proactively with the Ministry of Defence, the federal government and the other federated entities, we are making Flanders stronger, more vigilant and better prepared for the threats of tomorrow.”