Speaking at the NCI Agency's Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS), Mr Elio Di Rupo publicly presented for the first time the designs for an expanded NATO technical presence in Mons, Belgium.
As part of the NATO reform process and a Functions and Facility study approved by the Agency's Supervisory Board and the North Atlantic Council, the majority of the Agency's technical staff will be concentrated in two locations – Mons, Belgium and The Hague in Netherlands.
Teams responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks, as well as the Alliance's business applications, will be located in Mons. Specialized operational software, including NATO's air command and control and ballistic missile defence programmes, as well cyber innovation will be run from The Hague.
"I am proud to announce that as a result of Belgium's investment, the technical footprint of the Agency here will grow significantly in 2017," said the Prime Minister, "NATO will also invest in a new headquarters for the SHAPE. This will further reinforce Mons' role as a vital NATO hub for advanced communications technology and cyber defence. And it will benefit both the region and the Alliance. I expect it will mean more business opportunities for many of you in Mons," Mr Di Rupo told the conference.