Queen Mathilde leads trade mission to Turkey with 400-strong delegation
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is leading a trade mission to Turkey on Sunday, accompanied by over 400 business leaders, politicians and academics. She is standing in for princess Astrid, who has stepped down from leading Belgium's economic missions for health reasons, and will continue in the role pending a handover to crown princess Elisabeth.
The mission takes place from 10 to 14 May 2026 in Istanbul and Ankara. The agenda includes a meeting with president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as company visits and political meetings focused on energy transition, logistics, healthcare, defence and digitalisation. Queen Mathilde will attend only the first part of the mission due to prior commitments.
The five-day mission is intended to deepen economic and political ties with a country that has long-standing links with Belgium, dating back to the 1830s. Turkey is also one of Belgium's most important trading partners outside the EU: Belgian exports of goods and services to Turkey totalled 6.5 billion euros last year, while imports from Turkey amounted to 5.6 billion euros.
The 400-strong delegation includes Foreign Affairs minister Maxime Prévot, Defence and Foreign Trade minister Theo Francken, Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele, Brussels minister-president Boris Dilliès and Walloon Economy minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet.
Opportunities and risks
Koen De Leus, chief economist at BNP Paribas Fortis, acknowledges Turkey's appeal for Belgian entrepreneurs. A major positive is the country's strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
However, sky-high inflation and a weakened currency have eroded much of the country's competitive edge in recent years. Turkey is also grappling with a rapidly falling birth rate, brain drain and significant earthquake vulnerability. Its relatively poor performance on the rule of law and anti-corruption adds further uncertainty for investors, De Leus notes.
Turkey is not the only destination on Belgium's economic mission calendar this year. A separate trip to Saudi Arabia is planned for late November, also to be led by Queen Mathilde. As heir apparent, her daughter princess Elisabeth is expected to take over the role once she has completed her studies.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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