The Federal Government's €300 million military project 'Future Districts' in Charleroi is one step closer to reality following the approval of a convention with a construction company.
'Future Districts' aims to beef up Belgium's military capacity across the country and at its borders as well as increase "synergy" between the military and the public.
On Friday, the Council of Ministers approved a convention between the Defence Forces and the Charleroi Industrial Site Conversion Society (SORESIC) which paves the way for public tender calls.
The binding agreement outlines SORESIC's commitment to provide a ready-to-build plot of land and the Defence Force's obligation to purchase the plot.
"The Belgian Government has agreed to acquire land, making the 'Future Districts' project a reality, as well as the creation of numerous jobs and collaboration with the civil sector," Defence Minister Ludovine Dedonder (PS) said on social media.
Vers l'installation d’un nouveau quartier militaire à Charleroi! #begov a marqué son accord en vue de l’acquisition du terrain et permet ainsi de concrétiser le projet Quartier du futur. Avec lui : création de nombreux emplois et collaboration avec le secteur civil ! pic.twitter.com/WGae81zPOW
— Ludivine Dedonder (@DedonderLudivin) April 26, 2024
Military presence, in what form?
Two separate barracks will be constructed as part of the project: one in Hainaut (Charleroi) and another in Grammont (east Flanders). Both will contribute to a more dispersed military presence within Belgium and the chosen sites target areas with high recruitment potential.
The concept also envisages major "synergies" between the military and the civilian world through several types of cooperation. Defence could, for example, set up shop in buildings used by third parties to encourage the sharing of experience and knowledge with civil society.
"Defence will relocate some of its activities outside the barracks and share civilian infrastructure on a partnership basis."
This is already evident in the past two weeks in Charleroi. A 'Cyber Defence Factory' has opened on the premises of A6K-E6K, a tech education centre in Charleroi that brings together start-ups, industry, academia, research and training centres. Defence Forces are keen to tap into the skill profiles at A6K-E6K for its 'Cyber Demand' initiative, which aims to bolster Belgian cybersecurity infrastructure.
The Charleroi barracks will be located on Mons Road and Rue de la Providence and are expected to be in operation from 2035. The total construction cost taking both sites into account is €300 million.
