The Seventh Meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission between Mongolia and Belarus on Trade, Economy, Science, and Technology Cooperation was convened on January 24 in Minsk, Republic of Belarus. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on January 24, 1992. Thus, the meeting took place in celebration of the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Present at the meeting were 32 representatives from Mongolia including officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, the National Emergency Management Agency, Erdenet Mining Corporation, and representatives of the private sector. The meeting was chaired by Kh.Bolorchuluun, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia, and Rogozhnik Alexander Nikolaevich, Minister of Industry from Belarus.
At the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of Mongolia-Belarus cooperation, primarily in the trade and economic sector, and shared views on a wide range of areas of interaction, including industry, agriculture, transportation, logistics, finance, education, culture and science. The commission assessed the current political and economic relations and cooperation between the two countries and discussed prospective areas in leveraging cooperation in the fields of education, science, technology, agriculture, mining, industry, road transport, infrastructure, and emergencies. Belarus plans to expand the assortment of food supplies to Mongolia, said Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Vadim Shagoiko before the meeting of the Mongolia-Belarus intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation. Vadim Shagoiko highlighted that Mongolia is a strategic partner for Belarus and the countries have been cooperating for many years. “We have been actively supplying agricultural products and foodstuffs there, and we aim to expand the range of exports”, said the Minister. At the commission, livestock supplies and cooperation in cattle breeding was discussed in great detail. In addition, the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, Kh.Bolorchuluun met with Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Bartosh Sergei Ivanovich and the minutes of the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group, and the Agreement on Cooperation in the field of purebred livestock between “Agricultural Corporation” of Mongolia and “Belplemzhiv Obedinenie”, the Belarusian state association on livestock breeding, were signed.
The parties also came to an agreement to merge their efforts in implementing the “Billion Trees” national campaign initiated by President of Mongolia U.Khurelsukh, which has an objective to combat environmental degradation, desertification, and yellow dust storms. To be specific, Belarusian forestry experts will be invited to Mongolia to share their experiences, joint research will be taken on trees and bushes that are suitable to the soil and climate of Mongolia, and Mongolian forestry experts will attend training in Belarus for knowledge sharing purposes. The two sides agreed to develop an action plan to intensify the implementation. On the sideline of the intergovernmental commission’s meeting, the program included visits to the flagships of the Belarusian industry, ministries and organizations, and agricultural enterprises.
Mongolia and Belarus share similar positions on key issues on the international agenda, they oppose the creation of a unipolar world and support the interests of medium and small states. Mongolia became one of the first countries to recognize the state sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus in December 1991. The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Mongolia was opened on June 30, 2014. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Mongolia D.Harelik was appointed in June 2021, presented his credentials to the President of Mongolia, U.Khurelsukh on November 8, 2021.
