On this day 75 years ago, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United States, and the United Kingdom signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, marking the birth of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The Alliance has since grown from 12 to 32 Allies, with Finland and Sweden being the most recent additions.
NATO continues to ensure the collective defence of its Allies, a principle enshrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that an attack against one or more of its members is considered an attack against all. NATO’s three fundamental tasks are deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security.
Belgium’s Role in NATO
Belgium is home to the Alliance’s headquarters in Evere and one of its two strategic headquarters – SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) in Casteau near Mons, which coordinates the Alliance’s military operations. As the host country, Belgium is seen as a supportive and credible partner.
Belgium contributes to NATO’s tasks by providing capabilities for deterrence and defence planning and is currently involved in efforts to strengthen the Alliance’s eastern border in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Belgium monitors the airspace of the Baltic States and has integrated troops into the multinational battle groups deployed in Lithuania and Romania.
Belgium is also active in the field of human security, supporting United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security. The themes of “children and armed conflict” and climate change, which is gaining importance at NATO, are also priorities for Belgium in other organisations such as the United Nations, the OSCE, and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
Belgium has traditionally been active in the fields of arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, aligning with its actions in other international fora.
The Alliance’s anniversary will be celebrated at the Foreign Affairs Ministerial on 3 and 4 April. The Royal Mint of Belgium has produced a commemorative coin for the occasion, and the NATO flag will be raised under the Cinquantenaire during these two days. The anniversary ceremony at Alliance Headquarters is scheduled for the morning of 4 April.
