Queen Mathilde departs today with over 400 entrepreneurs, politicians, and academics on a trade mission to Turkey, taking over from Princess Astrid, who can no longer lead such missions due to health reasons.
The visit will include a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Queen Mathilde is temporarily assuming the role of leading trade missions until Crown Princess Elisabeth takes over. She has experience in this area, having accompanied King Philippe on similar missions when he was Crown Prince. Notably, she participated in Belgium’s last trade mission to Turkey in 2012.
Belgium organises two economic missions annually. The delegation departs for Turkey today, and later this year, a visit to Saudi Arabia is planned for November. In Turkey, Queen Mathilde will attend only the Istanbul segment of the trip, skipping Ankara due to prior commitments.
The five-day mission, organised by the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, aims to deepen economic and political ties with Turkey. Belgium’s relationship with Turkey dates back to the 1830s when the two nations signed a friendship treaty with the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey remains a strategically important partner for Belgium. It is one of Belgium’s key trading allies outside the European Union, a NATO member, and occupies a pivotal location bridging Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The country also boasts a young population and modern infrastructure.
Accompanying Queen Mathilde on the trip are Belgian officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prévot, Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken, Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès, and Walloon Economy Minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet.
The mission will focus on strategic sectors, including energy transition, logistics, healthcare, defence, and digitalisation. Several company visits and political meetings are scheduled to advance cooperation in these fields.
Belgium and Turkey already maintain strong economic ties. Last year, Belgium exported goods and services worth €6.5 billion to Turkey, while imports from Turkey totalled €5.6 billion.
According to Koen De Leus, Chief Economist at BNP Paribas Fortis, Turkey offers significant advantages for Belgian businesses, particularly due to its strategic location. However, he also highlighted several challenges.
The country has experienced a decline in competitiveness in recent years due to soaring inflation and a weakened currency. Turkey faces critical decisions on its economic direction: whether to continue producing low-added-value goods or pivot towards higher-added-value products, which would require improving productivity.
De Leus also pointed out concerns around Turkey’s legal and anti-corruption frameworks, which impact stability. Other challenges include a declining birth rate, a brain drain, and the vulnerability of many regions to earthquakes.
