ASTRID Emphasizes Long-Term Public Role and Digital Sovereignty in Mission-Critical Communications in Belgium

Under CEO Salvator Vella, ASTRID emphasizes sovereign control and long-term resilience in critical communications.

Insights from a recent interview with Salvator Vella, Director General of ASTRID (Operator of the nationwide public safety communications network in Belgium), underline the organization’s long-term commitment to safeguarding mission-critical communications as a core public responsibility.

In the interview, Vella reaffirmed that ASTRID’s fundamental mission will remain the development, management, and maintenance of secure networks for critical communications and control rooms.

Drawing on the extensive expertise built up over many years, he indicated that ASTRID could also evolve into a governmental center of expertise for robust telecommunications technologies. According to Vella, mission-critical communications are essential state functions and too important to be left to private market players.

The interview also addressed the growing importance of digital sovereignty, a topic that Vella described as central to current European policy debates. He noted that ASTRID initiated this discussion at an early stage, together with France, where the concept of sovereignty is deeply embedded in public governance. Digital sovereignty, he explained, concerns the State’s control and authority over critical digital infrastructure, data, and technologies.

Vella emphasized that mission-critical communications stand alongside sovereign responsibilities such as defense, justice, and internal security. He highlighted that digital sovereignty encompasses technological autonomy, infrastructure management, secure data storage, and strict control over access to sensitive information, including metadata. Ensuring oversight of these elements, he argued, must remain with the government or with organizations operating under its direct supervision.

While digital sovereignty is now widely recognized as a strategic priority across Europe, Vella noted that it has been a foundational principle for ASTRID for more than 25 years. In a rapidly changing digital and commercial landscape, ASTRID continues to place autonomy and security at the forefront of its mission.

Image: Courtesy of ASTRID