Seventh Belgian UCPM Experts Day
A platform for Belgium to foster collaboration, exchange, and preparedness within the UCPM.
On 8 December 2023, Belgium hosted its seventh annual Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) Experts Day. The event serves as an essential platform for bringing together a diverse group of experts from various sectors such as civil protection and disaster management, marine pollution, health, foreign affairs, and defence across Belgium. The objective was clear: to reinforce ties, exchange experiences, and showcase the robustness of the UCPM network, both national and internationally.
The day kicked off with an opening session, led by Anne Baetens, Head of International Relations, and National Training Coordinator at the Belgian Directorate-General for Civil Protection. The importance of this annual gathering was highlighted right at the beginning of the event: it fosters connections between Belgian experts who might otherwise have limited contact with the UCPM in their day-to-day roles.
I heard many colleagues say they were so happy that there is at least one opportunity where they can see each other once a year. It is also always fascinating to be reminded of the rich experience in the room, and it is increasing. After burns assessment experts joining two years ago, and cultural heritage colleagues attending last year, this time we had the pleasure to welcome a new partner from the Ministry of Economy. The Belgian UCPM family is growing every year!
The agenda continued with comprehensive updates on the 2023 UCPM-related activities of Belgium, specifically focusing on B-FAST operations, training, and exercises. The discussions provided relevant insights into the country's recent undertakings in the field of disaster management.
A session dedicated to the latest developments within the UCPM was presented by the European Commission, focusing on the number of activations in the current year and since the establishment of the Mechanism. In addition, the new UCPM Training Programme was presented to Belgian experts, who were also given a live demonstration of the Knowledge Network platform.
In the spirit of knowledge exchange, recent experiences from Belgian international missions were shared. Astrid de Laminne de Bex, Head of the B-FAST Secretariat, offered some insight into Türkiye’s earthquake mission, while Bastiaan Ruys from the Brasschaat CP Unit recounted the experiences from the mission in Italy after the floods that affected the northern region of Emilia Romagna. The event also delved into discussions about the new B-FAST capacity within the Defence sector. This session was led by Bert Torfs, who provided an outlook for enhanced preparedness and response strategies in the future.
As the day ended, participants engaged in a forward-looking dialogue, discussing the outlook for 2024 and beyond, emphasising the importance of continued collaboration and shared expertise.
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