King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will visit Kazakhstan from 11 to 14 October on the first Belgian state visit to Central Asia, aimed at strengthening economic, academic, and cultural ties.
The royal couple will travel to the capital, Astana, where they are due to meet President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, before continuing to Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city in the south-east.
They will be accompanied by Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke, Flemish Minister for Brussels and Media Cieltje Van Achter, Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès and Walloon Minister-President Adrien Dolimont.
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The 110-strong delegation will also include around 25 chief executives and 11 representatives from academia, including seven university rectors.
Philippe has visited Kazakhstan three times before as crown prince. In 2002 and 2009, he travelled to Baikonur for the launch of Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne’s two missions to the International Space Station. In 2010, he also led an economic mission to the country.
The programme in Astana and Almaty will include the fourth edition of the Kazakh-Belgian Business Council, with talks focusing in part on logistics and agriculture.
Discussions are also expected on the Trans-Caspian corridor, a key trade and transport route linking Europe and Asia while bypassing Russia.
The corridor has grown in importance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kazakhstan is formally a presidential republic, but the former Soviet state has been governed in a largely authoritarian manner since independence in 1991.
According to independent observers, President Tokayev has consolidated further power under a new constitution approved this year.
