King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium arrived in Astana on October 11 for a state visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to Akorda. President Tokayev personally welcomed the royal couple at the airport, where an honor guard was assembled for their arrival. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde arrived aboard an aircraft operated by Kazakhstan's Air Astana airline.
The royal couple is accompanied by a 110-member delegation consisting of ministers, business leaders, university rectors and journalists. The state visit will take place from October 11 to 14 and marks the royal couple's first state visit to a Central Asian country.
Following their arrival, President Tokayev held a brief conversation with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in the airport's arrival hall. During the conversation, Tokayev emphasized the significance of the visit for strengthening relations between Kazakhstan and Belgium.
"Kazakhstan is very happy to host your visit. You are coming at a very crucial time of our development. Overall, we are progressing successfully, and our economy is growing. Without any overstatement, your visit will give a strong impetus to our bilateral relations," Tokayev said.
King Philippe thanked the Kazakh president for the reception and expressed confidence in the outcome of the upcoming talks, noting their importance for developing cooperation between the two countries.
"Thank you to receive us so well already from the start at the plane as we just landed. We are really excited to be here for a full three days and see as much as possible of your country," the King said.
The official program of the state visit will begin on October 12 with a welcoming ceremony at Akorda, followed by extended-format talks and a lunch. The royal couple will then visit the National Center for Children's Rehabilitation in Astana, which provides services in speech therapy, Montessori education and robotics. The visit is related to Queen Mathilde's background in speech therapy, which she previously studied. The day will conclude with a state dinner.
On October 13, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will visit the National Museum of Kazakhstan, where they will tour exhibitions dedicated to Kazakh history and traditions. The program also includes the opening of an exhibition featuring works by Belgian painter James Ensor. The delegation will then attend a roundtable discussion on critical minerals at Nazarbayev University, which maintains cooperation with Belgian universities.
The royal couple will also participate in the opening of the Kazakh-Belgian Business Council. Officials will attend the opening session, while the council's activities will continue throughout the afternoon.
The delegation will subsequently visit the Alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence, where the royal couple will tour TUMO Astana and meet students. Ghent University will donate a telescope to the center for use in student research. The center will also host a forum of university rectors focusing on artificial intelligence in research and education.
The event is being held in connection with Kazakhstan's designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence. The program in Astana will conclude with a Belgian reception in the evening.
On October 14, King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and the accompanying delegation will travel to Almaty. The delegation will visit the Institute of Nuclear Physics, which cooperates with two Belgian companies and a Belgian university. Following a cultural activity, the visit will conclude at the Almaty Museum of Arts with a dance performance by a choreographer who trained in Belgium.
The royal couple and the accompanying delegation will then depart for Belgium.