Belgian army to help out with security at Paris Olympics

The Belgian army will participate in the protection and security of the Paris Olympic Games this summer, according to the country’s defence minister Ludivine Dedonder.

The number of troops that will be sent to France has not yet been confirmed, but Dedonder said the defence department has “studied participation and concluded that a contribution can be envisaged as part of the 2024 Operations Plan”.

The Belgian soldiers would be called upon to carry out missions “in the field of searching for and neutralising explosive devices”.

“It’s recognised that Belgian Defence has expertise in this field, and is regularly called upon for international interventions,” said Dedonder.

While the duration of the mission has not yet been specified, the Paris Olympic Games will run from 26 July to 11 August, followed by the Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September.