Third Trade Visit to Turkey

10 May 2026 - 12 May 2026

Queen Mathilde is presided a trade mission to Turkey, accompanied by over 400 business leaders, politicians and academics.

Queen Mathilde was accompanied by Minister for foreign affairs Maxime Prévot, Minister of Defense charged with foreign trade, Theo Franken, Minister President of the Flemish government Matthias Diependaele, vice president of the Walloon governement Pierre-Yves Jeholet, and Brussels secretary of state Boris Dilliès.

The agenda focused on energy transition, logistics, healthcare, defense and digitalisation.

Mathilde only accompanied the first part of the mission due to prior commitments.

Sunday 10 May 2026

Arrival in Istanbul.

Mathilde welcomed by Belgian ambassador Hendrik Van de Velde.

Then Mathilde was welcomed by Mahinur Özdemir Goktas, a Belgian-Turkish politician who is now the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services. 

Posing for the press at Ortaköy Square.

With Turkey's first lady, Emine Erdogan.

Visit to the Ozdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center in Istanbul. The company specializes in drone technology.

Network event at Swissôtel The Bosphorus.

Monday 11 May 2026

Breakfast meeting catered by Le pain quotidien. 

Official launch of the mission in presence of Ömer Bolat, Turkish Minister of Trade at Swissôtel The Bosphorus.

Queen Mathilde had an official meeting with President Erdogan & the First Lady followed by a welcoming ceremony at the Vahdettin Köșkü in Istanbul.

Visit to the Naval Museum where the business event "Beyond Logistics: a view from the Bosphorus" was organized.

Mathilde also opened a seminar on entrepreneurship as a driver for women’s empowerment, together with the Turkish Minister for For Social and Family Affairs.

Then there was a high‑level courtesy moment and photo opportunity for Turkey's 12 most important industrial and economic organisations with Her Majesty the Queen and the Belgian ministers.

Signing ceremony.

The day was closed with an official reception.

Tuesday 12 May 2026

On her final day in Istanbul, Queen Mathilde took part in a meeting with Turkish financial institutions at the National Bank, to discuss cooperation opportunities for large-scale projects in Turkey. The Turkish Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank also attended.

The meeting was held at the new landmark building of the Central Bank, designed by Belgian architect Şefik Birkiye.

Afterwards, together with the Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology, the Queen visited the MEXT Technology Centre, a leading innovation hub supporting companies in their digital and industrial transformation.

At Istanbul University there were meetings between Belgian & Turkish biopharma companies, discussing strategic partnerships on drug discovery to improve the lives of Turkish patients affected by rare diseases.

Power lunch for Belgian and Turkish business leaders.

Belgian Insurance Company Ageas & Turkish Sabanci Group celebrated their 15 year partnership.

This was Mathilde's final event on the first international trade mission she presided solo. It were incredibly full days, which she took in her stride without effort it seems, building on her 26 years of experience, representing Belgium at home and abroad.