Belgian Royal Visit Signals Central Asia’s Growing Importance to Europe, Expert Says

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ASTANA – The first state visit of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Kazakhstan reflects growing European interest in Central Asia, where expanding transport links, critical minerals and new economic opportunities are drawing greater diplomatic attention.

Fabienne Bossuyt, an associate professor at Ghent University specializing in EU relations with Central Asia, said the visit carries significance beyond bilateral diplomacy.

“This visit should be seen as an endorsement of Central Asia’s growing importance for European countries. As the region’s most advanced economy, Kazakhstan stands out as the country with the most opportunities for Belgium,” she told The Astana Times in a written comment.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are visiting Kazakhstan from Oct. 11 to Oct. 14, accompanied by a 110-member delegation of government officials, business leaders and academics. The visit is the first by a Belgian monarch to Kazakhstan, although King Philippe previously traveled to the country as crown prince.

During talks in Astana on Oct. 12, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and King Philippe discussed expanding cooperation in transport and logistics, critical minerals, energy and digital technologies, among other sectors. The two leaders also adopted a joint statement emphasizing the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known as the Middle Corridor, which connects Asia and Europe.

Tokayev described Belgium as a reliable and time-tested partner for Kazakhstan in Europe. He also said this visit ushers in a “golden chapter in the history” of the two nations. 

“It truly honors the friendship between our peoples. Belgium is a brilliant and time-tested partner of Kazakhstan in Europe. We deeply admire your beautiful country, its distinguished history and its enduring traditions,” Tokayev said.

Economic ties have provided a foundation for broader engagement. 

Belgium has invested more than $15 billion in Kazakhstan since 2005, making it one of the country’s leading investment partners. More than 100 Belgian companies currently operate in Kazakhstan. 

Bilateral trade reached $582.4 million in 2025, up nearly 28% from the previous year, according to the Kazakh government. Kazakhstan exported $311.5 million in goods to Belgium and imported $270.9 million.

Beyond bilateral relations

While the visit primarily serves Belgium’s national interests, Bossuyt said it also reflects the EU’s broader effort to deepen its engagement with Central Asia.

“This is first and foremost a bilateral initiative, but Belgium highly values its membership of the EU and it always tries to align its diplomatic activities and initiatives with the broader EU agenda,” she explained.

“The EU has been upscaling its strategic agenda for Central Asia in recent years by prioritizing its Global Gateway initiative for the region, which focuses heavily on critical raw materials and increased connectivity,” said Bossuyt.

The broader European push gained momentum at the first EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand in April 2025, where the two regions elevated their relations to a strategic partnership. At the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a 12 billion euro (US$13.4 billion) Global Gateway investment package targeting transport connectivity, critical raw materials, digital infrastructure, and water, energy and climate initiatives across Central Asia.

Those priorities were also reflected in the discussions between President Tokayev and King Philippe, who identified critical minerals, renewable energy, industrial cooperation and transport connectivity as areas for closer partnership.

The two countries also expressed interest in expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, data centers and supercomputing infrastructure.

Belgium also has solid industrial expertise, including in the processing and recycling of critical raw materials, while Kazakhstan is seeking foreign investment and technology to develop more of its mineral resources domestically.

Kazakhstan has the capacity to supply 21 of the 34 critical raw materials identified by the EU, Deputy Industry and Construction Minister Olzhas Saparbekov said at a Kazakhstan-Belgium seminar in Astana on Oct. 12.

Saparbekov said Kazakhstan was seeking to expand domestic processing and develop higher-value products, including battery materials, specialty alloys and semiconductor materials.

“We are ready to discuss phased models under which processing gradually moves to Kazakhstan, along with technology and expertise,” Saparbekov said.

Contributing to the Middle Corridor

Transport connectivity is another area where Belgium could play an important role, particularly through the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, one of Europe’s major maritime and logistics hubs.

Bossuyt said Belgium’s infrastructure and strategic position could support Kazakhstan’s efforts to develop alternative trade routes connecting Central Asia with European markets.

“In terms of the Middle Corridor, Belgium can offer added value by capitalizing on the strategic location and multi-modal infrastructure capacities of the Antwerp-Bruges logistical hubs,” she said.

Kazakhstan and Belgium have earlier explored closer cooperation between Antwerp-Bruges and Kazakhstan’s Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk, including potential collaboration on port management, digitalization and multimodal logistics. In September, Kazakh and Belgian representatives discussed the possibility of a framework cooperation agreement between the ports, as well as training opportunities for Kazakh logistics specialists.

Such initiatives could help connect infrastructure development along the Middle Corridor with established European logistics networks.

Bossuyt also pointed to the diplomatic presence of Central Asian countries in Brussels, where their embassies engage with both Belgian authorities and EU institutions, as an advantage for strengthening ties.

Beyond trade and infrastructure, the royal visit includes academic, scientific and cultural exchanges, reflecting another dimension of the bilateral relationship. 

“Belgian royal visits typically have an economic agenda, although they also serve to stimulate further cultural and people-to-people cooperation, including concerning higher education and science,” Bossuyt said. 

The combination of economic diplomacy, infrastructure cooperation and academic exchanges illustrates how Belgium’s bilateral engagement with Kazakhstan increasingly intersects with the EU’s broader strategic priorities in Central Asia.

What the visit has delivered so far

The visit has also produced a roadmap between the foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Belgium for 2027-2029, signed on Oct. 12.

The document provides for regular political consultations, closer contacts between the two ministries and joint initiatives in priority areas of bilateral cooperation, according to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

Tokayev and King Philippe also adopted a joint statement outlining cooperation priorities, including transport connectivity, critical minerals, digital technologies, education and health care.

Further agreements are expected during the fourth meeting of the Kazakh-Belgian Business Council and the Rectors’ Forum on Oct. 13. Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek said 12 agreements were planned in higher education, covering joint master’s and doctoral programs, academic exchanges and research internships.

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