Ulaanbaatar, May 26, 2025 /MONTSAME/. At the invitation of President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen is paying a State Visit to Mongolia on May 25-28, 2025. The two Heads of State held a press briefing on the outcomes of their official talks.

President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa:

"Your Excellency, Mr. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen,

Representatives of the Press,

I extend my warm greetings to you all.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen for accepting my invitation and paying a State Visit to our beautiful country of Mongolia, the land of the eternal blue skies. Mongolia and the Republic of Austria have enjoyed decades-long friendly relations.

Your Excellency, Mr. President, this is the first State Visit by the Head of State of Austria to Mongolia. This State Visit is of pivotal historical importance, opening a new chapter in the history of friendly relations and cooperation between our two peoples.

Austria was one of the first Western countries to recognize Mongolia’s independence and sovereignty and establish diplomatic relations more than 60 years ago. I am delighted to note that our friendly relations and cooperation have been actively expanding across numerous social and economic sectors based on shared democratic values of human rights, freedom, and the rule of law.

Austria is Mongolia's “Third Neighbor” and a trusted partner in Europe, and Mongolia is committed to consistently expanding and developing our bilateral relations and cooperation in all areas. During your State Visit to Mongolia, we thoroughly discussed ways to consolidate the achievements of Mongolia-Austria relations over the past six decades, further expand our bilateral relations, and increase economic benefits and investments.

The Mongolian side proposed to invest in and cooperate on projects related to the development and construction of the cities of Kharkhorum and Khunnu, including building works, water supply and purification facilities, energy, and infrastructure. As an outcome of our official talks, we issued a “Mongolia-Austria Joint Declaration.” I am fully confident that this Joint Declaration, which sets future directions and defines the roadmap of our cooperation, will provide a crucial impetus to expanding bilateral relations between the two countries in all areas.

During the State Visit, we also signed legal documents aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation. Notably, the signing of the “Agreement on Social Protection” establishes an important legal framework to ensure social security for citizens of the two countries, create favorable conditions for living and working, and enable individuals to receive pensions based on the periods during which they have paid social insurance contributions in either Mongolia or Austria. Furthermore, we concluded intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in innovation, technology, energy, mineral resources, economy, science, musical arts, and mutual exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports. In addition, we agreed to conclude, in the near future, an Intergovernmental Agreement on International Road Transport, which will be of great importance for facilitating transport and increasing bilateral trade and economic relations.

We agreed to cooperate under Mongolia’s “Billions of Trees” National Movement and the European Union’s “Forest Partnership,” emphasizing that overcoming and addressing global challenges, including climate change, desertification, land degradation, and food security, is our common goal. Also, we exchanged views on implementing joint projects and programs to develop domestic production, support intensive livestock and farming, and introduce advanced technologies, under the “Food Supply and Security” and “White Gold” National Movements of Mongolia.

Your Excellency, Mr. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen,

I would like to underscore that the health cooperation between Mongolia and Austria has expanded effectively and that the valuable contribution made by the Government of the Republic of Austria to the notable improvements in the quality of medical services provided to our citizens through the phased modernization of medical equipment at several healthcare institutions in Mongolia, such as the National Center for Maternal and Child Health, the National Cancer Treatment Center, the Central Military Hospital, and the Hospital of Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences.

We, the Mongols, consider the Republic of Austria the birthplace of classical music, the homeland of world-renowned composers, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, and the Strauss Family. I am pleased that during the State Visit, we agreed to deepen cooperation in culture, arts, and music and to facilitate academic and professional exchanges among educators, students, and researchers.

We pledged to deepen our relations and cooperation in tourism, education, science, and media and accelerate inter-university partnerships between our two countries, increase the number of Mongol students studying in Austria, and collaborate under the “President’s Scholarship-2100” Scholarship Program of Mongolia.

Mongolia and Austria have many similarities, such as geographical characteristics, climate, natural features, and foreign policy positions. Notably, our two countries maintain closely similar positions on key regional and international issues, including environmental protection, the promotion of sustainable development, the encouragement of eco-friendly lifestyles, and the development challenges faced by landlocked countries. We reaffirmed our mutual commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation within the United Nations and other international organizations.

We agreed to work together in preparation for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026 and the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which will be held in Ulaanbaatar. Moreover, the Mongolia-Austria Business Forum to be held during the State Visit will serve as a platform to foster closer ties between entrepreneurs and producers of our two countries and contribute to fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

I am confident that the decisions we made during this State Visit will be implemented successfully, contributing to the development and prosperity of our two countries and the well-being of our two peoples, and that our relations and cooperation will continue to strengthen and expand further. I am convinced that Mongolia’s peace-loving, open, independent, and multi-pillar foreign policy, along with the shared values of Mongolia and Austria, such as democracy, human rights, freedom, and the rule of law, will contribute jointly to the noble cause of global peace, security, sustainable development, and the well-being of humanity. Your Excellency, Mr. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, esteemed guests, and delegates, I warmly welcome you to our beautiful country of Mongolia, the land of ancient history and eternal blue skies.

Thank you for your attention."

Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen:

"Your Excellency, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Your Excellency, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, for the invitation to pay a State Visit to Mongolia. I am truly delighted to be undertaking this State Visit to your country.

This State Visit marks the first Visit by the Head of State of the Republic of Austria to Mongolia, and it reflects the particular importance we attach to our relations with Mongolia. The Visit also stands as a testament to our recognition and appreciation of Mongolia's path in embracing democracy and the rule of law over the past 30 years.

Although the beautiful country of Mongolia is geographically distant from us and situated in a geopolitically distinct and challenging environment, Austria and Mongolia share common values and ideals in political, social, and international community frameworks.

Today, the international community is facing notable challenges. In many parts of the world, tensions are escalating, and armed conflicts are unfolding, causing damage and suffering to innocent civilians. As we are in Europe, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine concerns us the most. This not only threatens security but also our system of values that upholds freedom, democracy, and human rights.

We know well from our nation's history that the existence of systems founded on the principles of democracy and respect for fundamental values is not guaranteed and that such systems are immensely precious and must be protected. That is why, in the current global context, it is more crucial than ever that we do not stand alone, but rather join forces with friends and like-minded partners to accelerate our cooperation. Only together, through close trade partnerships, strong diplomatic relations, and unyielding fundamental values, can we truly be stronger.

The pressing issues our world is facing today can only be resolved through collective efforts. This applies to all areas, from protecting our shared values and strengthening our security to stabilizing international trade flows and combating climate change. In this regard, I would like to underscore Mongolia’s policies and actions within the framework of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, headquartered in Vienna. In particular, Mongolia’s active participation in UN peacekeeping missions stands out as a remarkable example and source of inspiration.

Our two countries have enjoyed close collaboration over many years under multilateral cooperation. At the same time, we have actively developed our bilateral cooperation. Numerous important agreements and a Mongolia-Austria Joint Declaration signed during this State Visit clearly reflect this progress, and I am truly pleased with it.

I would also like to highlight the scientific and cultural relations between Mongolia and the Republic of Austria. I am confident that our active and robust relations in these areas will be further consolidated during this State Visit. The presence of high-level representatives from these areas here in Mongolia presents an exceptional opportunity to boost our future collaboration even more.

In today’s rapidly advancing world, we must not overlook the importance of meeting and engaging in dialogue with one another. Cultural and scientific cooperation brings countries closer together and helps us embrace its benefits. Therefore, I encourage everyone to propose fruitful ideas and initiatives and engage in meaningful dialogue in this area.

Mongolia has achieved a great deal and has been full of accomplishments over the past 30 years. Your Excellency, Mr. President, I am convinced that your country has abundant resources and potential to achieve even greater success.

As a partner country, Austria is committed to walking alongside Mongolia on its path to success. We aspire to cooperate in all areas as a trade partner, a collaborator in international relations, and a supporter of research and science.

I feel assured that our bilateral cooperation will continue to expand and strengthen in the coming years. I hope this Visit to Mongolia will provide a weighty contribution to that end. Your Excellency, Mr. President, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome, deep respect, and generous hospitality extended to us.

Thank you very much."