Kazakhstan is pushing for a closer partnership with Belgium's Port of Antwerp-Bruges to boost trade along the Middle Corridor, the trans-Caspian route that connects Europe with China. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made the proposal during a business forum in Astana attended by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who are on their first state visit to the Central Asian country.
Speaking at the Belgium-Kazakhstan Business Council, Tokayev said Kazakhstan was investing heavily in railways, roads, seaports and terminals along the corridor. He stressed that Belgium's expertise as a major European logistics hub would be invaluable, and called for a concrete partnership linking Antwerp-Bruges with the Kazakh ports of Aktau and Kuryk. Such a link, he argued, could open wider markets for Kazakh metals, petrochemicals and agricultural products.
King Philippe echoed support for the Middle Corridor, urging closer ties between the route and European ports, railways and logistics hubs. The visit marks a milestone in bilateral relations, coming ahead of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries next year.
Logistics and digitisation challenges
The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, offers an alternative to traditional east-west shipping lanes, passing through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus. However, its viability hinges on overcoming significant logistical hurdles.
Nurlan Zhakupov, CEO of Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund, told reporters that talks with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges were underway. He said Kazakhstan was keen to draw on the Belgian port's expertise and hoped to reach concrete agreements and logistics contracts. Speaking to Euronews, Zhakupov acknowledged that the route's success would ultimately depend on its economic case. "For the Middle Corridor, it has to make economic sense and deliver an economic benefit," he said. "That is why negotiations are ongoing — it is a large and complex process. I think concrete results are not far off."
Dave van den Bos, CEO of Ahlers Logistics, highlighted the practical challenges facing the corridor. He noted that a single shipment from Europe to Kazakhstan can involve as many as 15 different companies or authorities, making coordination difficult. "Digitisation is the most important," he said. "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. Infrastructure is easier to fix than the whole digitisation of it."
Transit times from Europe to Kazakhstan have already fallen from around 80 days to roughly 40–60 days, according to van den Bos, though port congestion and weather on the Caspian Sea still cause delays. Kazakhstan's national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, reported that the Middle Corridor transported around 44,000 TEUs in the first eight months of 2026, up 58% from the same period last year. The country aims to increase overall freight volumes along the route to 10 million tonnes, a target Tokayev previously announced.
Investment and critical raw materials
Belgium is among Kazakhstan's ten largest investors, with more than $15 billion invested over the past two decades, according to Tokayev. The business forum saw the signing of 17 agreements covering logistics, agriculture, food processing, artificial intelligence, energy, healthcare and manufacturing.
Tokayev also highlighted Kazakhstan's role in supplying critical raw materials to Europe. He noted that the country already produces 21 of the 34 materials deemed critical for European industry, and supplies Belgium with titanium and molybdenum products. "By combining our resource potential with Belgian investment, technology and expertise, we can build a strategic partnership in this critically important area," he said.
The state visit by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde is the first by a Belgian monarch to Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region. The royal couple was welcomed with an official ceremony at the Akorda presidential palace in Astana, followed by talks between the two sides. The visit underscores the growing importance of the Middle Corridor as a strategic link between Europe and Asia, and the potential for deeper cooperation between the two countries.
