A new chapter in Kazakhstan-Belgium relations. An official welcoming ceremony for King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians was held at the Akorda Presidential Palace. This marks the first state visit by the Belgian monarchs to Kazakhstan. To honor the distinguished guests, a formation of helicopters from Kazakhstan’s Air Defence Forces performed a ceremonial flypast in front of Akorda, carrying the national flags of both countries. During the ceremony, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and King Philippe introduced the members of their official delegations. The commander of the honor guard company delivered a ceremonial report, while the Presidential Orchestra performed the national anthems of both countries.
Over nearly 35 years of diplomatic relations, Astana and Brussels have built strong ties based on friendship and mutual respect. President Tokayev noted that sustained political dialogue has been at the heart of bilateral cooperation. The Head of State warmly recalled the talks held during his visit to Belgium five years ago. His visit to Brussels this June and meeting with Prime Minister Bart De Wever reaffirmed the commitment to further expanding the partnership.
«Your Majesty, it’s a great honor and pleasure to welcome you in Astana. This is a historic visit, and your visit attracted so much attention of the public opinion of our society. I am very much grateful to you for having brought the big delegation of businessmen, of the press, as well as those people who are representing your society. You know that, in your previous capacity as a Royal Prince, you visited Kazakhstan three times and we are very much grateful for your commitment to Kazakhstan and we feel your great support all the time,» Tokayev said.
For their part, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde highlighted Kazakhstan’s socio-economic achievements and its growing international standing.
«Indeed, your country is very important and doing very well. And also the region, your region is very important one, and we, Belgians, are very curious. We came here with a large delegation. Of course, we know each other well. We have excellent relations since 35 years, and we will celebrate this. But we can still bring it to a higher level,» said King Philippe of the Belgians.
During the expanded-format talks, President Tokayev emphasised that Kazakhstan regards Belgium as a longstanding and reliable partner in Europe. Belgium also ranks among the top ten largest investors in Kazakhstan’s economy, reflecting strong confidence in the country’s future, the Head of State noted. Both sides see considerable potential for expanding cooperation in transport and logistics, critical minerals, renewable energy, agriculture and artificial intelligence.
«I warmly welcome the distinguished delegation officials, regional and the business leaders, prominent academics, press members accompanying Your Majesties. I look forward to tomorrow’s fourth meeting of the Kazakh-Belgian Business Council. It is encouraging to see this initiative developed into a valuable platform for turning promising opportunities into lasting results. We also value our cooperation with Belgium within the framework of the European Union and in multilateral fora,» Tokayev added.
The visit of the King and Queen of the Belgians will also include a Rectors’ Forum and a roundtable on critical minerals, where dozens of agreements are expected to be signed. The programme also includes events in both Astana and Almaty.
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