Jo Coelmont

Biography

With the Honorary Fellowship, Egmont recognises scholars and practitioners of international relations whose contribution was defining for our work.

Brigadier General Jo Coelmont’s close relationship with Egmont started when he was the Belgian Permanent Military Representative to the Military Committee of the European Union. From the creation of the Europe in the World Programme, in 2002, Jo contributed his insights and his network. After retiring from active duty on 1 April 2008 (he also left the reserve forces on 31 December 2012), Jo became a Senior Associate Fellow, contributing numerous publications, all widely read on European defence. He also joined the Royal Higher Institute for Defence as a Senior Fellow. If Egmont established itself as a leading voice in that area, it is in no small part due to Jo’s sterling achievements.

Previously, Jo was the Belgian Permanent Representative to the Military Committee of the European Union and the Western European Union and Military Advisor to the Belgian Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee of the European Union, from January 2002 to October 2007. In April 2006 he was elected as Dean of the EUMC.

In 2000 he was assigned to the Private Office of the Minister of Defence as Military Advisor for European Security and Defence Policy in view of the Belgian Presidency of the EU during the second half of 2001.

In 1997 he was appointed to the Royal Defence Institute, first as military professor in the Department of Security and Defence Policy, later as head of the Air Force Department. Upon graduation from NATO Defence College (Senior Course) in 1996, he became Deputy Military Adviser to the WEU Ambassador during the Belgian Presidency. In 1993 he graduated from the Belgian Royal Defence College and subsequently was assigned to the Joint Staff – International Relations and Defence Policy Branch.

Jo began his career in the Air Force in 1974 where he held several functions at the level of an operational unit, the tactical headquarters and the Air staff. He graduated in 1973 from the Royal Military Academy (Master in Military and Aeronautical Sciences) and in 1985 from EHSAL (Economische Hogeschool Sint-Aloysius – Brussels, Master in Economic Sciences, orientation International Economics and Diplomatic Relations).

Publications

• Mali: another European intervention without the EU? Security Policy Briefs (28-01-2013)
• Military capabilities: from pooling & sharing to a permanent and structured approach Security Policy Briefs (2-09-2012)
• Actualiteit Syrië: “Do something General!” External publications (28-08-2012)
• An EU security strategy: an attractive narrative Security Policy Briefs (7-03-2012)
• Europe, strategy and armed forces – The making of a distinctive power Books (12-08-2011)
• Europe deploys towards a civil-military strategy for CSDP Egmont papers (28-06-2011)
• Pooling & sharing: from slow march to quick march? Security Policy Briefs (5-05-2011)
• Improvisatie enkel goed voor sensatie: eerst lessen na een week Libië Commentaries (26-03-2011)
• First lessons from the Libya operations Security Policy Briefs (26-02-2011)
• A strategy for CSDP. Europe’s ambitions as a global security provider Egmont papers (25-10-2010)
• Permanent structured cooperation in defence: building effective European armed forces External publications (23-09-2010)
• Permanent structured cooperation. In defence of the obvious Commentaries (29-06-2010)
• Permanent structured cooperation in defense of the obvious Security Policy Briefs (6-06-2010)
• Permanent structured cooperation for effective European armed forces Security Policy Briefs (22-03-2010)
• An EDA as ambitious as the Lisbon Treaty External publications (20-02-2010)
• A Grand Strategy: does it matter in the real world? Security Policy Briefs (14-02-2010)
• End-state Afghanistan: a European perspective Security Policy Briefs (8-11-2009)
• End-State Afghanistan External publications (8-10-2009)
• End-State Afghanistan Egmont papers (26-03-2009)