Minister of Security and Home Affairs in Belgium Underlines Key Role in the Development of Critical Communications

The projects that ASTRID is currently developing, such as NextGen PSAP and NextGenCom, are fully in line with the policy priorities around digitalisation.

Since taking office as Minister of Security and Home Affairs in Belgium, Bernard Quintin has emphasized the importance of cooperation, preparedness and technological innovation as foundations of Belgian security policy. In an interview published on the website of ASTRID, he looks ahead to the role of ASTRID in a rapidly changing landscape of emergency services and crisis management.

“Security does not stop at a border,” says Minister Quintin. “And the same applies to communication. Reliable connections are vital. Also when Belgian services operate across the border or when we call on our neighbouring countries.”

The pan-European initiative EUCCS plays a key role in this. It brings the communication infrastructures in Europe closer together, with a focus on interoperability and security. It is therefore a major step forward that more and more countries are investing in critical broadband communication via 4G and 5G.

In addition to technological progress, this offers the opportunity to improve communication between national networks.

“Belgium plays an important role in this, and must therefore not lose its leading position,” he says. “We do this by offering and developing robust solutions, also in a European context.” In this way, we continue to strengthen our impact. It is no coincidence that Belgium is the host country for Critical Communications World 2025 this year. It is a recognition of our pioneering role. We welcome suppliers, users and policymakers from all over the world to share experiences and insights. My message to them is clear: collaboration, innovation and reliability are the key to safety. Only together can we continue to build a safe, resilient and connected society.”

In the interview, Quintin also stated that ASTRID is much more than an operator. According to Quintin, ASTRID is a key player in the Belgian safety and emergency response model. He said:

"What makes ASTRID extra essential in these challenging times is that the government takes on the management and carries out the control. Thanks to the management contract and the public ownership structure, the sovereignty of critical communication is guaranteed. Moreover, ASTRID is more than a network; it is a structural partner in the field, who actively contributes to training, coordination and technological innovation in practice.”

The projects that ASTRID is currently developing, such as NextGen PSAP and NextGenCom, are fully in line with the policy priorities around digitalisation. With NextGen PSAP, ASTRID is building the emergency centres of the future: faster processing, new reporting channels, better data exchange. NextGenCom will provide broadband applications via a secure 5G network – even when the commercial network is overloaded. These developments offer faster, smarter and more integrated emergency services.

Public-private partnership is an important pillar in my policy. For these projects too, this partnership is essential to make full use of technology and achieve tangible results in the field. Quintin concluded.

 

Picture: Courtesy of ASTRID