Belgian royal couple to continue their state visit in Almaty

The state visit of the Belgian royal couple to Kazakhstan transitioned from the capital to Almaty, following intensive diplomatic, economic, and cultural engagements in Astana according to Qazinform. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev saw off King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at the capital's airport, as the high-level delegation prepared to advance the next stage of their official program reported by Qazinform. The four-day itinerary marks the first state visit by a Belgian monarch to Central Asia noted by The Astana Times.

The journey brings together a substantial delegation of ministers, business leaders, and academic figures detailed by The Europe Today. King Philippe previously visited the country three times as crown prince — traveling to the Baikonur cosmodrome for space missions and leading an economic mission — but the current trip is his first as head of state according to The Astana Times. Relations between the two nations encompass growing commercial ties, with bilateral trade figures showing strong expansion as reported by The Astana Times.

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Discussions in Astana featured extensive talks on economic diversification, supply chain resilience, and critical raw materials reported by The Astana Times. Alisher Abdreshev, a lead expert at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, noted that Kazakhstan offers European businesses an integrated platform for industrial production and logistics cited by The Astana Times. Transport routes including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route also formed a core part of the agenda, engaging engineering firms such as Jan De Nul according to The Astana Times.

Cultural and educational diplomacy accompanied the political meetings. President Tokayev highlighted the shared values and cultural exchanges between the two nations reported by Tengrinews.kz, while Queen Mathilde wore a striking red ensemble with coordinating taupe accessories during the official welcoming ceremony at the Akorda Presidential Palace . King Philippe delivered remarks touching upon the country's development in technology and artificial intelligence noted by Tengrinews.kz. The itinerary in the capital also included visits to the National Museum of Kazakhstan and stops at the Alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence according to the Belgian federal public service.

As the royal entourage moves into Almaty, events include a scheduled visit to the Institute of Nuclear Physics, which maintains active partnerships with Belgian counterparts, followed by a contemporary dance performance at the Almaty Museum of Arts reported by The Europe Today. Following the conclusion of the Almaty program, the royal couple and their delegation are scheduled to depart for Belgium according to The Europe Today, leaving behind a newly signed 2026-2029 roadmap intended to guide bilateral cooperation up to the thirty-fifth anniversary of diplomatic relations noted by The Astana Times.