Flemish minister-president goes to UK to promote defence cooperation
Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) is visiting London and Cambridge to promote Flanders’ strategic priorities in defence and innovation. At the DSEI international defence fair, he will highlight the Flemish government’s €1 billion defence fund, support collaborations such as the partnership between Flemish firm Euramec and UK company JD2E on ISR technologies, and join Wallonia’s minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet at the Belgian pavilion. In Cambridge, Diependaele will advocate for the Meuse-Rhine region as the site for the underground Einsteintelescope, meeting University of Cambridge leaders, UK Science Minister Patrick Vallance, and researchers to strengthen ties in life sciences and physics. He emphasised that the mission aims to deepen trade and research collaboration with the UK while creating new opportunities for Flemish companies and institutions.