Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev personally welcomed King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium at Astana International Airport on Sunday as the royal couple arrived for a state visit scheduled to run through Oct. 14.
Kazakh Air Force fighter jets escorted the royal aircraft from the moment it entered the country’s airspace until it reached the capital’s airport.
A guard of honor and the presidential orchestra were on the tarmac for the ceremonial welcome.
The visit program includes a meeting of the Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council and a forum bringing together university rectors from the two countries, along with other official events.
King Philippe’s previous visits to Kazakhstan
The current trip is Philippe’s first state visit to Kazakhstan as king. Philippe has visited Kazakhstan three times before, when he was crown prince, in 2002, 2009 and 2010.
In 2002 and 2009, he visited the Baikonur Cosmodrome in connection with Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne’s space missions. In 2010, he led a Belgian economic and trade delegation to Astana.
Read also: The fashion icon of Brussels: Why Manneken Pis is wearing a traditional Kazakh coat.
The visit is expected to conclude with the adoption of a joint statement and the signing of bilateral agreements.