Türkiye, Belgium hold fourth ministerial meeting in Brussels

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftci and Justice Minister Akın Gürlek will join their Belgian counterparts in Brussels on Tuesday for the fourth joint ministerial meeting, with talks set to address counterterrorism, judicial cooperation and migration management, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Security and judicial cooperation

The Turkish delegation will meet with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden and Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt. The agenda includes counterterrorism efforts, police and judicial cooperation, defense industry collaboration, consular matters, visa policies and migration management, the Foreign Ministry said. Ministers will also exchange views on regional and international developments.

Fidan's Brussels programme

Alongside the ministerial talks, Fidan is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, according to the itinerary. He will also deliver a speech at the European Policy Centre think tank and meet with business representatives before departing on Oct. 21.

Economic ties and diaspora

The meeting marks the fourth round of such high-level consultations, the last having taken place in Ankara in 2016. Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $9.2 billion in 2025, with both sides aiming to raise the volume to $15 billion. Approximately 300,000 Turkish citizens residing in Belgium serve as an important bridge between the nations.