Day one of state visit

Grand Duke Henri highlights Luxembourg-Belgium ties at Brussels banquet

Cédric Ferry – adapted for RTL Today|Update: 17.04.2024 09:34

The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question.

Grand Duke Henri emphasised the enduring and beneficial relationship between Luxembourg and Belgium during a state banquet in Brussels on Tuesday, highlighting significant economic and cultural ties while also discussing avenues of future cooperation.

The state visit to Brussels on Tuesday evening kicked off with a banquet during which Grand Duke Henri addressed the royal hosts to underline the historic importance of the longstanding relationship between the people of Luxembourg and Belgium.

The third largest community of Luxembourgers abroad lives in Belgium and the Grand Duchy benefits both economically and culturally from the more than 50,000 cross-border workers from our neighbouring country, the Grand Duke further highlighted.

The head of state expressed his belief that both countries will continue to prosper thanks to this relationship, with new avenues of cooperation in space exploration, finance, healthcare technology, and defence being discussed during the trip. Grand Duke Henri illustrated the need for military alliances by referring to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The joint commitment to the European Union is a shared strength that will help the EU secure lasting peace, social justice, and prosperity, the Grand Duke concluded.

The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question.

King Philippe concurred in highlighting the relationship between Belgium and Luxembourg and the importance of the EU. Crises like the Covid pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have made it clear that European unity is more important than ever, the Belgian royal noted.

Also participating in the state banquet were Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel, both accompanied by their spouses, as well as EU commissioner Nicolas Schmit. Economic delegates from the Grand Duchy included Fernand Ernster, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and Nicolas Mackel, the outgoing CEO of Luxembourg for Finance and future EU Ambassador for Luxembourg.