BRUSSELS -- President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will embark on the first state visit by a Singapore leader to Belgium and Luxembourg, in a trip that will include meetings with top political and business leaders in both European states.

President Tharman will be in the Kingdom of Belgium from March 23 to 26 and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on March 27 and 28 March. This state visit to Luxembourg will also mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

President Tharman will attend a state banquet in Brussels hosted by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and another in Luxembourg, hosted by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.

In Belgium, meetings with Belgian senators and members of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Bart De Wever, and mayor of the city of Brussels are also on the agenda.

The King and President Tharman will also hold joint meetings with Belgian organisations on youth empowerment, and Belgian business leaders from various sectors including nanoelectronics, biosciences, renewable energy and finance, according to a statement from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Tharman will also visit PSA Antwerp’s Europa terminal at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the Universite Catholique de Louvain and the particle accelerator facilities of Ion Beam Applications in the Louvain-la-Neuve Science Park.

While in Belgium, President Tharman will meet Singaporeans based in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands at a reception.

In Luxembourg, President Tharman will also meet the president of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies Claude Wiseler, Prime Minister Luc Frieden, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Xavier Bettel. A meeting with representatives from the country’s financial sector is also on the agenda.

President Tharman’s Luxembourg schedule includes visits to the Societe Europeenne des Satellites, a satellite communication service provider, and the National Fire and Rescue Centre, and the Mudam Contemporary Art Museum.

President Tharman will be accompanied by his spouse, Ms Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, Minister of State for Home Affairs, and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, Members of Parliament Vikram Nair and Sharael Taha.

Officials from the President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Economic Developm...