For many years, Belgium's two French-speaking regions maintained diplomatic and trade relations outside of the country through a series of attachés represented by bodies such as AWEX, the Walloon Export and the Foreign Investment Agency.
There are 20 organisations that represent French speakers in Brussels and Wallonia through what is known as the Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI), which is represented abroad by a delegate, traditionally appointed through nepotism and political ties.
As a result, several high-profile incidents have highlighted the non-professional nature of these officials, such as on WBI representative to Quebec who was expelled from Canada several years ago for drink-driving and assaulting a police officer.
Since then, the WBI has moved to hire people with a more professional background and based on merit, and according to La Libre Belgique, the WBI will soon make a push to find new talented individuals to represent Belgium’s French-speaking regions in the future.
Nicolas Dervaux, support director at the WBI, stated that the organisation has launched a recruitment campaign to “constitute a recruitment reserve” for the region’s diplomatic service.
“We have to take into account the age pyramid and we don’t want to find ourselves in the coming years with vacancies because we wouldn't have anyone to apply,” Dervaux said. “We hope to launch this procedure at the end of the year.”
Looking for Belgium's brightest
Becoming a representative for Belgium's French-speaking regions is no simple task. Applicants must jump through a series of hoops to be in for a shot at the position.
To apply, candidates must demonstrate a broad range of skills, and most notably should have a degree in human sciences and speak at least three languages: French, Dutch, and English. "Knowing the language of a country for which one could apply is obviously an asset,” the WBI director said.
“Then come the B2B interviews where we more precisely measure the profile of the candidates,” the director explains. The best candidates from these stages can begin an internship at the WBI to assess their capacities. Those who do not make the grade will be let go.
During this internship, they must visit the centres of power in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, meet cultural and economic professionals, and are expected to familiarise themselves with the WBI’s institutions and work alongside delegations at the WBI headquarters in Brussels.
Related News
- Belgian-Iran treaty leaves Swedish-Iranian researcher in death cell
- Belgian diplomacy: Still a man's game
After completing this process, the candidates will ultimately go on to apply for a fixed position, from which they will be moved on to a new location after four years. If no one applies for their position, they can apply again to stay in the same place.
“In all, a general delegate can stay abroad for 12 years before having to return for four years to headquarters to avoid cutting themselves off from their country of origin,” the WBI said.
