2007 (PDF, 2.81 MB) - Belgium

B-FAST
Belgians in crisis situations are not the only people to
benefit from Belgian solidarity. In the event of disasters
and emergency situations affecting primarily the local
population, the local authorities often ask for emergency
aid from Belgium and the international community.
In 2000 the Belgian Council of Ministers decided to set
up a cross-departmental rapid reaction unit known as
the Belgian First Aid and Support Team (B-FAST), which
can be deployed in such situations.
The Royal Decree of 28 February 2003 governing
the establishment of B-FAST defines ‘emergency aid
abroad’ as “any deployment of personnel and/or
equipment abroad, which is to be assessed on a caseby-case
basis depending on the specific nature of the
situation in the country hit by the catastrophe or calamity,
and excluding the emergency aid provided for
aftercare and rehabilitation […]”.
In other words, a B-FAST operation consists in the first
place of short-term direct or indirect emergency aid abroad.
For this aid, B-FAST can call on posted workers provided
by bodies participating in B-FAST, such as the Ministry of
Defence, FPS Home Affairs, FPS Health and FPS Foreign
Affairs. Sometimes B-FAST limits its activities to providing
material aid to a country that has been hit by a disaster,
in which case it operates through one of its partners.
Floods in Mexico, November 2007 © BELGA
Why? What’s the point?
To invest in crisis management and travel
advice:
■■ to make the world a safer place;
■■ to make travel safer and more pleasant;
■■ to facilitate investments;
■■ to better protect investments.
Active in the field
2007 saw B-FAST interventions in Peru in August following
a severe earthquake that hit the country and in
Mexico in November after floods affected over one million
people there. In July and October, B-FAST provided
an expert to the United Nations Disaster Assessment
and Coordination Team (UNDAC) for missions to Pakistan
and Ghana to assess the damage following major floods
in those countries.
■■
Lastly, B-FAST provided material assistance for a training
course and an exercise organised in Lausanne by
UNDAC in late April-early May 2007.
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