Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot Visits TÜBİTAK UZAY as Part of the Belgian Economic Mission to Türkiye A high-level delegation has visited the TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute as part of a major Economic Mission led by Queen Mathilde of Belgium to deepen global commercial ties.

The visit on 14 May 2026 represents the culmination of diplomatic groundwork that began in January with an initial visit by the Belgian Ambassador to Ankara, Hendrik Van de Velde. This was followed by a preparatory meeting in April and B2B meetings hosted by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) in May. Concluding this period of intensive engagement, the 50-strong delegation, comprising over 30 companies and more than 10 public officials, was led by Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot, alongside Ambassador Van de Velde. Attended by Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology, Dr. Çetin Ali Dönmez, and the President of TÜBİTAK, Prof. Dr. Orhan Aydın, the meeting focused on the respective roles of both nations in the space ecosystem and the potential for long-term industrial partnerships.

Following the opening remarks, the program continued with a presentation by TÜBİTAK UZAY Institute Director Mehmet Nefes, highlighting the Institute’s experience in space technologies and its end-to-end satellite design, integration, and production capabilities. The delegation was then briefed on the HIT-30 High Technology Investment Program, a Ministry of Industry and Technology initiative aimed at international investors. This was followed by a networking session bringing together the Belgian business representatives, led by Piet Demunter, CEO of the Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) agency, and the Institute’s project managers and researchers.

The visit concluded with a tour of the facilities, giving the Belgian delegation a firsthand look at the Institute’s infrastructure and engineering capabilities. Following an exchange of gifts and expressions of mutual goodwill, both nations noted that they aim to translate the ties established since January 2026 into concrete, industry-oriented projects and formal partnerships during the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026), to be held in Antalya between 5–9 October 2026, linking the Institute with pioneering actors in the Belgian space ecosystem such as Imec, Redwire, and AMOS.