Kazakhstan and Belgium deepen ties during historic state visit

From October 11 to 14 2026, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium made their first state visit to Kazakhstan with a 110-member delegation. They attended a ceremony at the Akorda palace, visited the National Children’s Rehabilitation Centre, the National Museum, the Alem.ai International Center for AI, and opened the fourth Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council. The joint statement highlighted cooperation in 19 priority areas, especially the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (“Middle Corridor”), critical raw materials, AI and logistics.

Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Belgian royal visit puts Kazakhstan in the global spotlight

Belgium recognized Kazakhstan’s independence on 31 December 1991 and established diplomatic relations on 25 August 1992. King Philippe previously visited Kazakhstan three times as Crown Prince (Baikonur launches in 2002 and 2009, and an economic mission in 2010). Bilateral trade rose from €220 million in 2016 to €765 million in 2025, and Belgian direct investment exceeds $15 billion since 2005. The Middle Corridor links China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus.

Belgium’s first state visit to Central Asia opens a new chapter with Kazakhstan Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Belgian royal visit puts Kazakhstan in the global spotlight King Philippe hails historic ties and EU partnership as Belgium and Kazakhstan deepen cooperation Belgian king highlights close ties with Kazakhstan during state visit/economic mission

• Kazakhstan Temir Zholy reported transport of roughly 44,000 TEUs in the first eight months of 2026, a 58 % increase over the same period in 2025.

Euronews

• President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev targets 10 million tonnes of freight along the corridor.

Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Belgian royal visit puts Kazakhstan in the global spotlight

• Kazakhstan produces 21 of the 34 critical raw materials listed by the EU, supplying Belgium with titanium and molybdenum.

Kazakhstan Proposes Local Rare Earth Processing Partnership with Belgium

• Over 100 Belgian companies operate in Kazakhstan; the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is identified as a hub for Kazakh metals, petrochemicals and agricultural goods.

Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Belgian royal visit puts Kazakhstan in the global spotlight

• A laboratory complex for rare-earth research is slated to begin construction in 2027, with operations expected in 2028.

Kazakhstan Proposes Local Rare Earth Processing Partnership with Belgium

King Philippe highlighted investments in railways, roads, seaports and digital infrastructure, calling for partnerships linking Antwerp-Bruges with Aktau and Kuryk. He described Kazakhstan as “a bridge-builder” in the Middle Corridor and stressed mutual benefits in logistics, critical minerals and AI. Belgian embassy officials underscored the port’s potential to “shorten supply chains” and pledged continued engagement.

Euronews

• “Kazakhstan is now at the core of the Middle Corridor, literally in the heart of the region. As a bridge builder, Kazakhstan is more than ever the promoter of dialogue, the rules-based international order and the firm belief in multilateralism as a way to solve disputes. This is what fundamentally binds Kazakhstan with Belgium and the European Union,” — King Philippe

Kazakhstan, Belgium Seek to Expand Partnership Across Key Sectors

• “By combining our resource potential with Belgian investment, technology and expertise, we can build a strategic partnership in this critically important area,” — Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Euronews

• “We are ready to discuss phased models under which processing is gradually transferred to Kazakhstan along with the necessary technologies and expertise,” — Olzhas Saparbekov, Vice Minister of Industry and Construction

Kazakhstan Proposes Local Rare Earth Processing Partnership with Belgium

The partnership aims to diversify Europe’s supply chains for critical minerals and streamline the flow of metals, petrochemicals and agricultural products between Antwerp-Bruges and Kazakh Caspian ports. Joint AI initiatives support Kazakhstan’s “Year of Artificial Intelligence” goals, while the rare-earth laboratory signals a commitment to higher-value processing.

Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Belgian royal visit puts Kazakhstan in the global spotlight

No specific monetary commitments or project timelines were disclosed. The scale of forthcoming logistics contracts and critical-minerals processing facilities remains undefined.

Kazakhstan Proposes Local Rare Earth Processing Partnership with Belgium

• The fourth Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council meeting will explore concrete investment projects.

Belgium’s first state visit to Central Asia opens a new chapter with Kazakhstan

• A protocol amending the visa-exemption agreement for service-passport holders entered into force on 7 November 2024.

Tokayev and King Philippe chart the future of bilateral partnership

• The rare-earth laboratory complex is scheduled to begin construction in 2027, with operations targeted for 2028.

Kazakhstan Proposes Local Rare Earth Processing Partnership with Belgium

• The 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations will be marked in 2027, providing a milestone for evaluating the 2026 agreements.

Tokayev and King Philippe chart the future of bilateral partnership