During the morning of Thursday 22 April, Belgium had the opportunity to elucidate its national position to the members of Senior Course 116, who were welcomed by Lieutenant General Guido Andries, Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Affairs, Belgian Defence Staff.
Ambassador Francois de Kerckhove, Director of Security Policy in the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave an overview of Belgian Foreign Policy. This presentation was followed by a briefing on Belgian Defence Policy by Colonel Johan Breyne, responsible for planning integration and coherence in the Strategy Department. A third briefing addressed Belgian Defence Transformation and was presented by Colonel Roger Housen, Chief of the Task Force Transformation and responsible for defining the Armed Forces’ new structure and level of ambition.
The Senior Course then moved to the Justus Lipsius building to receive briefings on the EU.
Lieutenant General David Leakey, Director of the European Union Military Staff (EUMS), started the afternoon briefings with a presentation on the EUMS and the military direction of the Common Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). He was followed by Mrs Alda Silveira Reis, Head of Partnerships and Military Capabilities Unit, at the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD), who explained the EU-NATO strategic partnership, relations with third nations and the impact of the Lisbon Treaty.
Mrs Maureen Brown, Advisor to the Civilian Operations Commander and Director of Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), closed the afternoon session with an overview of the work of the CPCC and Civilian Crisis Management Operations.
More about SC116 Spring Field Study:
First stop – Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, VA
Second step – Washington DC.
Third leg of the FS – The United Nations, New York City.
Forth stop – The NATO HQ, Brussels.
NDC Public Affairs Office
NATO Defense College 
