Kazakhstan is seeking closer cooperation with Belgium on the Middle Corridor, including a potential partnership between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk, as King Philippe and Queen Mathilde make their first state visit to the country.
asserted
Philippe → seek → country
Kazakhstan is seeking a partnership between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and its Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk as the country looks to expand trade along the Middle Corridor, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
asserted
Tokayev → seek → Corridor
Speaking at the Belgium-Kazakhstan Business Council in Astana, attended by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Tokayev said Kazakhstan was investing heavily in railways, roads, seaports and terminals along the route.
asserted
Kazakhstan → speak → route
We anticipate a concrete partnership linking the ports of Antwerp-Bruges, with the ports of Aktau and Kuryk.
asserted
We → anticipate → Aktau
This could open wider markets for our metals, petrochemicals and agricultural products,” he said.
uncertain
he → open → metals
King Philippe also expressed Belgium’s support for the Middle Corridor, calling for closer links between the route and European ports, railways and logistics hubs.
asserted
Philippe → express → route
The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, connects China with Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus, providing an alternative to traditional east-west routes.
asserted
Corridor → know → routes
A day earlier, Nurlan Zhakupov, CEO of Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund which manages some of the country’s largest transport, energy and industrial companies, told reporters on the sidelines of the official welcoming ceremony for King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at Akorda that talks with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges were underway.
asserted
talks → manage → Bruges
He said Kazakhstan was interested in drawing on the Belgian port’s expertise and eventually reaching concrete agreements and logistics contracts.
asserted
Kazakhstan → say → agreements
Speaking later to Euronews, Zhakupov said the route's viability would ultimately depend on its economic case.
“For the Middle Corridor, it has to make economic sense and deliver an economic benefit.
asserted
it → speak → benefit
That is why negotiations are ongoing — it is a large and complex process,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
“I think concrete results are not far off.”
asserted
results → think → ?
Challenges along the road
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges was not represented at the business council, but the discussion focused on the practical challenges facing the Middle Corridor.
asserted
discussion → represent → Corridor
Speaking to Euronews after a session on new trade routes between Europe and Central Asia, Ahlers Logistics CEO Dave van den Bos said that while investment in physical infrastructure was already under way, one of the biggest challenges was coordinating handovers between the numerous companies and authorities involved along the route.
asserted
one → speak → route
As many as 15 different companies or authorities can be involved in a single shipment from Europe to Kazakhstan, van den Bos said.
asserted
Bos → involve → Kazakhstan
“Digitisation is the most important,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
“Even if the capacity is there, if you’re standing at the border with your document and waiting for someone to give a green light or a stamp, that’s still going to delay quite a bit.
asserted
that → stand → bit
Infrastructure is easier to fix than the whole digitisation of it.”
asserted
Infrastructure → fix → it
Van den Bos said transit times from Europe to Kazakhstan had fallen from around 80 days to roughly 40–60 days, although port congestion and weather on the Caspian Sea still cause delays.
asserted
congestion → say → delays
According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s national railway company, the Middle Corridor transported around 44,000 TEUs in the first eight months of 2026, up 58% from the same period last year.
uncertain
Corridor → accord → period
Kazakhstan is seeking to increase overall freight volumes along the route to 10 million tonnes, a target Tokayev previously announced.
asserted
Tokayev → seek → tonnes
Investment and critical raw materials
Belgium is among Kazakhstan’s ten largest investors, with more than $15 billion invested in the country over the past two decades, according to Tokayev.
uncertain
Belgium → invest → Tokayev
The forum's sidelines saw 17 agreements covering logistics, agriculture and food processing, artificial intelligence, energy, healthcare and manufacturing.
asserted
sidelines → see → logistics
Tokayev also highlighted critical raw materials, stating Kazakhstan already produced 21 of the 34 raw materials considered critical for European industry and supplies Belgium with titanium and molybdenum products.
asserted
Kazakhstan → highlight → products
“By combining our resource potential with Belgian investment, technology and expertise, we can build a strategic partnership in this critically important area,” Tokayev said.
asserted
Tokayev → combine → area
Belgium and Kazakhstan deepen ties
asserted
Belgium → deepen → ties
President Tokayev welcomed the royal couple with an official ceremony at the Akorda presidential palace in Astana, followed by talks between the two sides.
asserted
Tokayev → welcome → sides
The visit comes ahead of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Belgium next year.
asserted
visit → come → Kazakhstan
“Your visit gives new impetus to preparations for this important anniversary and opens up opportunities to fill our cooperation with concrete results,” Tokayev said, describing Belgium as a long-standing and reliable partner for Kazakhstan in Europe.
“We are convinced that we can take our cooperation to a new level,” King Philippe said.
asserted
Philippe → give → level
“The delegation accompanying me includes representatives from a wide range of promising, forward-looking sectors.”
asserted
delegation → accompany → sectors
As part of the state visit, Tokayev and the royal couple visited Kazakhstan’s National Museum, the National Children’s Rehabilitation Centre and the Alem.ai International Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Astana.
asserted
Tokayev → visit → Astana
The programme also included a rectors’ forum and a roundtable on critical minerals.
asserted
programme → include → minerals
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are due to continue their visit in Almaty.
asserted
Philippe → continue → Almaty
The Aporia
