Ulaanbaatar, July 3, 2024 /MONTSAME/. President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa has  addressed the 2024 Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In this speech, President Khurelsukh underscored that Mongolia implements a peaceful, open, multi-pillar, and independent foreign policy and has established diplomatic relations with all member countries of the United Nations.

President Khurelsukh said that with this multi-pillar foreign policy, Mongolia, as an Observer State of the SCO, has continuously held talks and high-level visits with Member States, Observer States, and Dialogue Partners of the SCO within bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

The President underlined Mongolia’s commitment to expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with the Countries of the SCO in trade, investment, food, agriculture, mining, energy, industry, transportation, logistics, port infrastructure, environment, green development, tourism, information technology, and humanitarian sectors. 

Noting that climate change, global warming, the natural disasters such as droughts and floods are posing serious threats to the environment and human society, President of Mongolia emphasized the importance of broadening cooperation in reducing the risks of natural disasters. 

Therefore, Mongolia is successfully implementing the “One Billion Trees” and “Food Supply and Security” National Campaigns to reduce climate change, slow global warming, desertification, and soil erosion, and increase the absorption of greenhouse gases and water supply, Mr. Khurelsukh noted, mentioning that as part of the efforts Mongolia is preparing to host the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 2026.

President Khurelsukh highlighted the great significance of mutual understanding, cooperation, and common position of the SCO Member States in overcoming the common obstacles that landlocked countries face and invited countries to cooperate with the International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries based in Ulaanbaatar.

The President also underscored that based on its unique location that connects Asia to Europe, Mongolia is working towards the goal of becoming “Transit Mongolia”, the hub for trade, tourism, transport, logistics network, the flow of cargo transport, and services. 

Mongolia is placing special attention on deepening its comprehensive, mutually beneficial, and friendly neighborly cooperation with the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, noted President Khurelsukh and underscored that actively cooperating to implement the major projects in road, railroad, energy, and tourism which reflected in the Program of Mongolia, Russia, China Economic Corridor, and the natural gas pipeline project, which will run through Mongolian territory to supply natural gas to China from Russia.

At the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, Heads of State of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkmenistan, and the Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres, as well as representatives from the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, Islamic Organization for Food Safety, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Commonwealth of Independent States, Collective Security Treaty Organization, and Eurasian Economic Commission are participating.