About Wallonia-Brussels International

Who are we?

Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI) is the body responsible for Wallonia and Brussels international relations. It acts as an international policy instrument for Wallonia, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and the French Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region (COCOF).

Under agreements with 70 countries and regions but also in its position within multilateral fora, WBI's mission is to increase the impact, influence and reputation of the Wallonia-Brussels area and of its representatives (creators, artists, entrepreneurs, students, higher education institutions, researchers, etc.).

WBI promotes the constituent parts of Wallonia and Brussels as entities empowered to act on the international stage and defends the values and interests of each of the parties in a spirit of cooperation and mutual support.

WBI channels its activities within a framework of partnership with its users, public stakeholders and policy makers and with a focus on “users” supported by continuous consultation and information.

As stated in Article 2 of the cooperation agreement between the French Community, the Walloon Region and the French Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region, creating a joint entity for Wallonia-Brussels international relations, ratified by a decree of 9 May 2008: “WBI shall be responsible for the preparation and coordination of international relations, and the performance of the tasks that this involves, in matters within the remit of the French Community, of the Walloon Region, including matters the responsibility for which has been transferred to it by the French Community, and of the French Community Commission, in the context of matters the responsibility for which has been transferred to it by the French Community. It shall implement the policy defined by the Government of the French Community, the Government of the Walloon Region and the College of the French Community Commission.”

Our activities

In practice, WBI’s mission takes the form of five activities:

• Diplomatic representation
• Support for project development
• Promotion
• Networking
• Advice and strategic monitoring

These activities take the form of actions carried out in the context of:

• development cooperation,
• human rights,
• culture,
• health and social affairs,
• the environment,
• exchanges for young people,
• education and training,
• higher education,
• research and innovation.

Our diplomatic and sectoral networks abroad

Through its representations abroad, Wallonia-Brussels International provides operators in Wallonia-Brussels support, advice and activities tailored to their needs, and to the specific features of the countries in their jurisdiction.

WBI acts through a network of General Delegations with diplomatic status in Berlin, Bucharest, Dakar, Geneva, Hanoi, Kinshasa, the Hague, Paris, Beijing, Québec, Rabat, Santiago de Chile, Tunis, Warsaw and Brussels (Representation to the European Union).

The network abroad also includes sectoral networks:

• Scientific Liaison Officers in Sweden, Brazil, the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Canada
• Academic and Cultural Liaison Officers in South Africa, Brazil, Chile, China, Croatia, Hungary, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, the United Kingdom and Serbia.

WBI local project managers also support several economic and commercial posts in London, New York and Tokyo.

WBI's network also includes two cultural centres: the Wallonia-Brussels Centre in Paris and the Wallonia-Brussels Centre in Kinshasa, as well as the Théâtre des Doms in Avignon.

Wallonia-Brussels International's representation and liaison networks are complementary to the economic and commercial network of the Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency (AWEX) in order to provide our operators with comprehensive international coverage and intermediaries throughout the world.

Our sectoral agencies

Wallonia-Brussels International also has sectoral and cross-functional approaches whose frame of reference is broader than that of a defined geographical area. Its spheres of action are broad and include culture, education and training, and young people.

Culture

The specialised agencies have a vital role to play in promoting the distribution and marketing of cultural operators abroad, in particular through:

• the organisation of focus groups or specific events abroad, intended to provide visibility for our designers and open up prospects for future partnerships;
• the creation of promotional and informational tools, for both professional networks abroad and stakeholders from Wallonia and Brussels;
• a coaching service for operators abroad.

Wallonia-Brussels Architectures
Wallonia-Brussels Design Mode
Wallonia-Brussels Images
Wallonia-Brussels Music
Wallonia-Brussels Theatre Dance

Higher education

Wallonia-Brussels Campus

Wallonia-Brussels Campus is a WBI agency whose role is to promote the higher education of French-speaking Belgium on the international scene and help international students wanting to study here. Discover more about Wallonia-Brussels Campus and its services by visiting the website >> www.studyinbelgium.be/en

Young people

Bureau International Jeunesse (BIJ)

The Bureau International Jeunesse is a Wallonia-Brussels International service co-managed by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and set up to manage international programmes aimed at young people in Wallonia and Brussels outside the educational environment. More than 5,000 young adults receive this funding every year. Discover more about the Bureau International Jeunesse and its services by visiting the website >> www.lebij.be