Diplomacy: Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde begin a state visit to Kazakhstan on Oct. 11, with talks expected on trade, critical minerals, transport and AI. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet is due in Astana on Oct. 17 after attending the CICA summit in Baku. Trade and Transport: Kazakhstan moved 241.7 million tonnes of freight by rail in the first nine months of 2026, up 3.4% year on year. Grain exports rose 17.6% to 8.3 million tonnes, with shipments growing to Central Asia, Afghanistan and China. Caspian Environment: At a regional summit, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for coordinated action to tackle falling water levels and protect the sea’s ecosystems. He pointed to the Northern Aral’s 36% expansion as an example of recovery efforts. Sport: Astana will host the 2027 World Judo Championships after receiving the event flag in Baku. The city also hosts the Swimming World Cup finale on Oct. 15–17. Industry: China’s Li Auto plans to start vehicle production at the Allur plant in Kostanay in November, with initial capacity of up to 10,000 cars a year.