Ankara talks put Türkiye–Belgium ties on fast track

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks in Ankara with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, focusing on bilateral cooperation, diplomatic sources told TRT Haber.

The meeting took place within the framework of a Belgian Economic Mission’s visit to Türkiye.

According to a joint statement, the economic mission led by Queen Mathilde of Belgium, representing King Philippe, is taking place in Istanbul and Ankara from May 10 to 14. In Istanbul, the Queen was received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan.

The visit is primarily aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment in strategic sectors, including energy, aviation and space, defence industry, logistics, digital transformation, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

The Belgian delegation includes more than 400 representatives from government institutions, business communities, chambers of commerce, industry associations, and academic circles.

Within the framework of the mission, bilateral meetings and thematic seminars were held, along with the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding in areas such as mobility, defence, social security, and agricultural food safety.

The joint statement emphasised that Türkiye and Belgium, as NATO allies, aim to strengthen cooperation amid regional and global challenges and reaffirm their commitment to international peace and stability.

Ankara and Brussels also highlighted the importance of Türkiye–EU relations, including modernisation of the Customs Union and facilitation of business and humanitarian mobility within the EU framework.

By Jeyhun Aghazada