Ulaanbaatar, July 15, 2024 /MONTSAME/. During the State Visit of King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to Mongolia at the invitation of President of Mongolia H.E. Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, the two Heads of State issued a Joint Statement between Mongolia and the Kingdom of Bhutan on July 15, 2024.

Joint Statement between Mongolia and the Kingdom of Bhutan

1. At the invitation of the President of Mongolia His Excellency Mr. Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, made a first-ever State Visit from Bhutan to Mongolia from 8 to 15 July, 2024. His Majesty The King was accompanied by Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, Queen of Bhutan, His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, and Her Royal Highness Gyalsem Sonam Yangden Wangchuck. Ministers and senior officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan were also part of the Royal Entourage.

2. During this historic visit, the President of Mongolia H.E. Mr. U.Khurelsukh held an official meeting with His Majesty King Jigme. His Majesty King Jigme along with the Royal Family attended the opening ceremony of the Mongolian National Naadam Festival and the State Banquet as a Guest of Honour.     

3. The Heads of State exchanged views and identified areas for deepening and developing bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy, education, culture, health, science, agriculture and livestock, environment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges as well as multilateral collaboration in the regional and international arena.

4. President U.Khurelsukh and His Majesty King Jigmeagreed to develop and enrich with economic content the friendly relations between Mongolia and Bhutan based on the “Principles of Friendly Cooperation” aligning with the two countries advantages and resources, intensify political dialogue, increase the frequency of high-level exchanges at all levels including the Parliament and Government.  

5. Both sides expressed satisfaction that Mongolian and Bhutanese peacekeepers are serving side-by-side in UN Peacekeeping missions in an effort to maintain international peace and security. In this context, Bhutan agreed to continue its participation in the “Khan Quest” international peacekeeping exercise and exchange experiences. 

6. The Heads of State recommended that the Foreign Ministries of Mongolia and Bhutan maintain regular consultation to further strengthen engagements both bilaterally and multilaterally, discuss issues of mutual interest, work together to promote shared priorities and to build capacity of young diplomats.

7. The Heads of State underscored that ensuring food security is the foremost priority of the two countries and expressed their commitment to exploring opportunities to exchange expertise in sustainable agriculture and agricultural management as well as to intensify the exchange of specialists in the field.

8. Both sides acknowledged the agricultural sector as a key area of cooperation and discussed the possibility of creating favorable conditions for the reciprocal introduction of agricultural products and services, leveraging the advantages of both nations, into each other’s markets as well as sharing best practices and increasing exchanges of experts in the agriculture field.

9. Both sides agreed to share best practices and conduct joint research in highland animal husbandry for animals such as yak, mastiffs, sheep etc. including pasture management, breeding, and improving the gene pool of these animals. They also committed to cooperating closely in processing highland animal products such as meat, milk and wool.  

10. Considering that both Mongolia and Bhutan are landlocked and face significant vulnerabilities to global climate change due to extreme weather, the two Heads of State agreed to enhance cooperation in the localization of climate change-adapted green development solutions across relevant sectors. 

11. Bhutan commended Mongolia for its “One Billion Trees” national movement, initiated by the President of Mongolia, and Mongolia appreciated Bhutan’s “Million Fruit Tree Plantation Project”, an economic initiative of His Majesty King Jigme for farmers across Bhutan. They agreed to share best practices and explore possibilities to implement joint projects and programs in planting trees and developing sustainable forestry.

12. Both sides noted the vast opportunities for expanding cooperation in the fields of education and culture between the two countries. The Mongolian side announced its decision to grant scholarships, offered by the President and Government of Mongolia, to Bhutanese students and the Bhutanese side announced its decision to grant scholarships, offered by His Majesty King Jigme and the Royal Government of Bhutan, to Mongolian students.

13. The Heads of State agreed to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector by mutually promoting the historical and natural tourism advantages and resources of both countries, providing policy support to increase the exchange of citizens, and seeking opportunities for collaboration within the framework of the “Go Mongolia” campaign of the Government of Mongolia and “Bhutan Believe” of the Royal Government of Bhutan.

14. Mongolia and Bhutan agreed to collaborate on adapting to climate change, overcoming natural disasters, and mitigating associated risks. In this context, Mongolia expressed hope that high-level representatives from Bhutan will participate in the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification to be held in Ulaanbaatar in 2026.

15. Both sides reaffirmed their ongoing close cooperation and mutual support within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations. Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts among nations and a unified stance on the global platform to address trade facilitation, cargo transport, and transit transportation challenges encountered by landlocked countries. They commended the works of the International Think Tank of Landlocked Developing Countries, headquartered in Ulaanbaatar, and reiterated their commitment to continue active cooperation in this field.

16. During the visit, the following bilateral documents were signed.

– Memorandum of Understanding for facilitating cooperation in the field of Traditional Medicine between the Ministry of Health of Mongolia and the Ministry of Health of the Royal Government of Bhutan;

– Memorandum of Understanding on technical collaboration in the field of Highland animal husbandry and rangeland development between the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of the Royal Government of Bhutan;

– Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of education between the Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia and the Ministry of Education and Skills Development of the Royal Government of Bhutan;

– Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field culture between the Ministry of Culture of Mongolia and the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Royal Government of Bhutan;

– Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in Television and Radio Broadcasting between the Mongolian National Public Radio and Television and the Bhutan Broadcasting Services Corporation. 

17. His Majesty King Jigme expressed his gratitude to His Excellency President U.Khurelsukh and the people of Mongolia for their warm hospitality and cordial reception accorded to the Bhutanese delegation. His Majesty King Jigme extended an invitation to President U.Khurelsukh to make a State visit to the Kingdom of Bhutan at his convenience.

Ulaanbaatar

15 July, 2024