Belgium joins NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga

Belgium is officially joining the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence (NATO StratCom COE), a strategic communications hub based in Riga, Latvia. “It is crucial that Belgium can count on the best expertise, resources, and partners to distinguish fact from manipulation and to communicate strategically,” Belgian defence minister Theo Francken (N-VA) said on Monday during an official visit to Riga.

The move comes amid a rise in hybrid threats, ranging from cyberattacks to coordinated disinformation campaigns. By joining the centre, Belgium aims to strengthen its role within NATO and contribute to the development of modern tools for strategic communication, the ministry stated.

Francken underlined the growing importance of the information domain. “The battle for security today is not only being fought on the ground, but also in the information domain,” he said. “Joining the NATO StratCom COE is a logical step towards increasing our resilience.”

Belgium joins expanding StratCom network

The StratCom COE, recognised by NATO but operating outside its command structure, has been active since 2014. It was founded by Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom, and has since expanded to include nine additional members, with four more countries currently in the process of joining. Belgium now becomes part of that group.

The centre provides research, analysis, training and advice on strategic communication, perception management and the broader information environment. Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role, both in detecting disinformation and in shaping effective communication strategies.

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Francken noted that recent incidents highlight the sophistication of modern hybrid threats. After drone sightings over Belgium, he said, misleading foreign media reports emerged almost immediately. “These events demonstrate that we must further develop our expertise in strategic communication, including AI-driven analysis, to proactively protect our society.”

^{Belgian defence minister Theo Francken and the director of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Strategic Communications, Jānis Sārts © BELGA IMAGE}