Flemish mission to UK focuses on cooperation in defence and innovation
Flemish minister president Matthias Diependaele is visiting the UK this week to strengthen ties with British companies and institutions in defence and innovation.
On Monday, Diependaele will visit the DSEI defence exhibition in London, where Belgium has a pavilion, and will oversee the signing of several cooperation agreements.
Among them are an agreement between Euramec from East Flanders and the British company JD2E. They will collaborate on ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), with Euramec developing flight simulators and sensors and JD2E providing software and operator training.
The delegation will then travel to Cambridge to visit the Cavendish Laboratory, the physics faculty of the University of Cambridge.
"We want to create new opportunities for Flemish companies, knowledge institutions and research centres"
Diependaele will meet the university’s vice-chancellor, Deborah Prentice, to discuss the candidacy of the underground Einstein telescope at the tri-border area between Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
As part of the scientific component of the mission, Diependaele will meet Belgian professor Bart Vanhaesebroeck of University College London, and Patrick Vallance, the UK secretary of state for Science, Research and Innovation.
“The United Kingdom is and remains an important trading partner for Flanders,” said Diependaele.
“With this mission, we want to further deepen our cooperation in the field of defence and innovation and create new opportunities for Flemish companies, knowledge institutions and research centres.”
In April, the Flemish government announced a fund as part of its defence plan that will raise 1 billion euros in capital. The fund will not be used for military equipment such as tanks or aircraft – a federal competence – but will invest in supporting and developing the defence industry.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO KURT DESPLENTER
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