Türkiye-Belgium economic ties deepen during Queen Mathilde’s visit

Queen Mathilde of Belgium and her delegation concluded an intensive five-day economic mission to Türkiye, resulting in around 40 new commercial agreements across key sectors ranging from energy to defense.

The Belgian Economic Mission, organized at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, marked the first high-level Belgian diplomatic and trade visit to Türkiye in 14 years.

The queen was accompanied by a private-sector delegation of 428 representatives and senior government officials, including Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot and Defense Minister Theo Francken.

Brussels Region Prime Minister Boris Dillies, Flemish Region Prime Minister Matthias Diependaele and Walloon Region Deputy Prime Minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet also took part in the visit.

Erdogan and Queen Mathilde emphasized the geopolitical importance of Türkiye-EU relations amid ongoing regional instability, while the Turkish president underlined that updating the Customs Union remains an urgent priority on the path toward full EU membership.

During the program, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat met the queen and her delegation to discuss expanding the strategic dimensions of economic cooperation and trade relations between the two countries. Bolat and Prevot also signed a joint statement on developing bilateral trade ties.

An investment luncheon held in Istanbul as part of the mission focused on ways to more effectively leverage the $9.2 billion trade volume between Türkiye and Belgium, as well as broader investment potential.

Participants also discussed potential cooperation projects in Belgium and third countries within the framework of Türkiye’s investment reform process and the global experience of the Turkish construction sector.

At a session on industrial opportunities, Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir said Türkiye is a reliable, capable and complementary partner for Europe. The session concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MEXT and Belgian firms Flanders Make and A6K.

The delegation also attended a panel on critical infrastructure with the participation of Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu and Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas.

Belgian officials further joined networking sessions hosted by the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and the Istanbul Chamber of Industry.

Queen Mathilde’s delegation also visited the Istanbul Financial Center campus of Türkiye’s Central Bank, accompanied by Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Central Bank Governor Fatih Karahan.

The delegation later toured defense firm Baykar’s Ozdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center, where Baykar Chairman and Chief Technology Officer Selcuk Bayraktar delivered a keynote presentation on the company’s unmanned aerial vehicles and kamikaze drone platforms.

Prevot said after the visit that Belgian companies showcased their capabilities in ports and logistics, biopharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy transition, digitalization, Industry 5.0, defense and aviation, adding that around 40 new commercial deals and business partnerships were signed during the mission.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim