Belgium is among Kazakhstan's ten largest foreign investors. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the country's economic importance during expanded talks with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at Akorda in Astana on October 12, 2026. The meeting, held during the Belgian royal couple's first state visit to Kazakhstan and Central Asia, focused on investment, technology, energy and opportunities for deeper bilateral cooperation, DKNews.kz reports.
Tokayev welcomes a historic royal visit
Opening the expanded talks, President Tokayev described the visit as a historic milestone in relations between Kazakhstan and Belgium.
He praised King Philippe's commitment to public service, national unity, enterprise and innovation, while recognizing Queen Mathilde's work supporting children, education and human dignity.
«It is a great honor to welcome you on this truly historic occasion and to celebrate the enduring friendship between our two countries. Your Majesty King Philippe, I deeply respect your dedicated service to Belgium. Under your reign, the Kingdom of Belgium continues flourish and strengthen its well-deserved standing on the global stage. Your devotion to your people and your tireless efforts to strengthen understanding among Belgium’s communities embody the unifying role of the Crown. We also attach great importance to unity in diversity and to ensuring that every citizen feels part of our common future. I admire your longstanding dedication to enterprise, knowledge and innovation. The steadfast support that the Royal Family extend to Belgian businesses deserves our deep respect and appreciation. Your Majesty Queen Mathilde, your presence brings particular warmth and distinction to this visit. The compassion and grace with which you champion children, education and human dignity inspire great admiration. These noble causes resonate deeply with our people,» the Head of State said.
Belgium among Kazakhstan's top ten foreign investors
Economic cooperation was a central theme of the discussions. Tokayev described Belgium as a longstanding and reliable European partner and pointed to the approaching 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.
He emphasized Belgium's position as one of Kazakhstan's leading trading partners and one of its ten largest foreign investors.
«Next year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. Your visit gives us fresh impetus to celebrate this milestone with concrete achievements. Belgium is one of Kazakhstan’s leading trading partners. Your country also ranks among Top-10 largest investors in Kazakhstan’s economy. I regard this as a clear vote of confidence in Kazakhstan’s economic future,» the President noted.
The remarks highlighted the importance of maintaining investor confidence while expanding the economic relationship beyond existing areas of cooperation.
Six sectors identified for deeper cooperation
President Tokayev outlined considerable potential for Kazakhstan and Belgium to expand practical cooperation across several strategic industries.
The priority areas discussed included:
- Transport and logistics, including opportunities to strengthen connectivity.
- Critical minerals and cooperation in strategic raw materials.
- Renewable energy and related technologies.
- Agriculture and potential business partnerships.
- Healthcare and cooperation in medical fields.
- Artificial intelligence and innovation.
These areas reflect opportunities for investment, technology exchange and business cooperation. Specific new projects or financial commitments were not detailed in the account of the expanded talks.
Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council to meet
The President also welcomed the Belgian delegation, which included government officials, regional leaders, business representatives, academics and members of the media.
He highlighted the Fourth Meeting of the Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council, scheduled for October 13, as an opportunity to translate bilateral discussions into practical results.
«I warmly welcome the distinguished delegation of officials, regional and business leaders, prominent academics, press members accompanying Your Majesties. I look forward to tomorrow’s Fourth meeting of Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council. It is encouraging to see this initiative develop 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. At a time of growing global uncertainty, partnerships built on trust, respect and mutual understanding are indispensable. I am confident that the best of our relationship still lies ahead. For my part, I will do my utmost to ensure that the agreements reached during your visit are fully implemented,» Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized.
Belgian King highlights AI and nuclear energy
King Philippe thanked Tokayev for the reception and recalled his earlier visits to Kazakhstan when he was Crown Prince.
The Belgian monarch expressed particular interest in artificial intelligence, energy and nuclear energy, noting the participation of university leaders and business representatives in the royal delegation.
«We are all deeply impressed by the country’s development under your leadership. The areas we will be exploring during our visit are very important to both our countries, including artificial intelligence, energy and nuclear energy. We will together witness roundtable discussions with scholars. I am accompanied by a large delegation of university rectors and business representatives,» King Philippe said.
The focus on scientific discussions and university participation highlighted the potential role of research and education in future bilateral cooperation.
Both countries reaffirm commitment to cooperation
Representatives of the two official delegations also addressed the expanded meeting, discussing initiatives aimed at strengthening practical ties.
At the conclusion of the talks, both sides expressed satisfaction with the range of proposals presented and reaffirmed their intention to develop cooperation further.
The next stage of the visit includes the Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council meeting, where representatives of the two countries are expected to continue discussions on economic opportunities.
We previously reported that Belgian direct investment in Kazakhstan exceeded $1.2 billion in 2024, with cumulative investment reaching $13.95 billion between 2005 and 2024. These figures provide economic context for the latest talks and the two countries' plans to expand cooperation in technology, energy and other strategic sectors.
