Australian Ambassador to Mongolia Katie Smith:
Today marks an important milestone in Australia’s bilateral relationship with Mongolia. On 15 September 1972, 50 years ago today, Australia’s Government established diplomatic relations with Mongolia. It is worthwhile reflecting on the history surrounding our relationship as we celebrate this momentous day.
Diplomatic relations were established at the height of the Cold War, demonstrating what a courageous undertaking this was by both governments. Our relationship developed slowly until 1994, when Australia’s head of state, Governor-General Bill Hayden, visited Mongolia. This historic visit was followed by Mongolia’s first democratically elected President P. Ochirbat, who came to Australia in 1997. These reciprocal visits came just a short time after Mongolia emerged as a democratic nation.
We have been strong supporters of each other’s goals and aspirations in the United Nations, as well as in a range of other international forums.
Australia entered into an ‘expanded partnership’ and became a ‘third neighbour’ with Mongolia in 2007 during a visit by our former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Our bilateral relationship was deepened with the opening of the Mongolian Embassy in Canberra in 2008 and our Consulate here in Ulaanbaatar in 2011. In that same year, Prime Minister S. Batbold was the first Mongolian head of government to visit Australia, where he was warmly welcomed by then Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Continued strengthening of bilateral ties and strong business interest and engagement brought about the opening of Australia’s Embassy in Mongolia in 2015.
Our relationship has been built on mutual respect and shared interests. Our people and countries nations share much in common. We are both working hard to promote international rules and norms. We have free market economies that have largely been built on our mineral wealth and increasingly on critical minerals. We have been strong supporters of each other’s goals and aspirations in the United Nations, as well as in a range of other international forums.
Mongolia’s courageous choice to pursue democracy was actively supported by the Australian Government’s introduction of its Australia Awards scholarship scheme in 1993. In 2023, we will celebrate 30 years of the Australia Awards program in Mongolia. We proudly boast having over 700 graduates of the program, affectionately known as Mozzies, who are now playing vital roles in Mongolia’s public and private sectors and its vibrant civil society.
In celebration of this landmark year, Australia is providing Anniversary Grants to 10 Mongolian organisations in order to implement innovative activities aimed at promoting development and reducing poverty.
We continue to cooperate closely on our shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Our defence forces have served together in peacekeeping missions around the world, including in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and South Sudan, along with coalition operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our Chiefs of Armed Forces exchange views and explore areas of interest each year at the Indo-Pacific Chief of Defence Forces conference. We have also recently completed productive bilateral defence policy talks here in Ulaanbaatar.
In celebration of this landmark year, Australia is providing Anniversary Grants to 10 Mongolian organisations in order to implement innovative activities aimed at promoting development and reducing poverty. Australia and Mongolia continue our strong commitment to supporting gender equality and inclusive development through these grants as well as through our Direct Aid Program grant funding.
Australia and Mongolia have supported each other in our times of need. Mongolia contributed to Australia’s 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires recovery and Australia has provided emergency assistance for Mongolia’s dzud in the past. During COVID-19 we cooperated closely to keep our people safe and support our citizens to return home. We have been proud to support Mongolia in its fight against COVID-19 in partnership with WHO and Red Cross. We have both prioritised Disaster Risk Reduction. Australia will welcome a large Mongolian delegation at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction next week.
A priority for both of our countries is addressing climate change. Australia has a new ambitious 2030 target to reduce carbon emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels, putting us on track to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 target, and increasing the proportion of renewables in the National Energy Market to 82 per cent by 2030. We know that Mongolia is also committed to the energy transition and we are starting to work together on this through government exchanges and through Australian business investment in Mongolia.
Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy and we understand the significant economic benefits that can flow from a well-managed extractives sector
A key plank of our bilateral relationship is people-to-people linkages. There are around 6,500 Mongolians living in Australia and around 650 Australians living in Mongolia. Over 60 Australian companies are operating here in Mongolia, sharing skills and expertise as well as employing many Mongolians. Human capacity development has also been promoted through the Australian government’s volunteer program, with hundreds of Australians volunteering to come to Mongolia since 1998. In a further step forward in increasing opportunities for work and travel, Australia and Mongolia announced a new Work and Holiday Maker visa in July this year and the uptake has been strong.
Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy and we understand the significant economic benefits that can flow from a well-managed extractives sector. Australian companies operating in this sector in Mongolia are bringing high quality investments, technology and experience to Mongolia’s mining sector, and most importantly vital foreign direct investment. While a key focus is on the Oyu Tolgoi mine, which is predicted to account for over 30 per cent of Mongolia’s GDP, Australian companies are also increasingly looking to develop other areas such as coal seam gas and green hydrogen exploration.
Both our countries value our rich and distinct cultural heritage. Australia is committed to embedding the perspectives, experiences and practices of First Nations Australians into our foreign policy and will appoint an Ambassador for First Nations People. We look forward to exchanging our experience to preserve and celebrate the contributions of our unique cultures to our countries.
Looking back over the past 50 years, it is clear that the foresight shown by our respective governments to establish diplomatic relations was an excellent decision and one that has been mutually beneficial to both countries. It has well and truly stood the test of time. Based on the depth and strength of diplomatic and bilateral relations between Australia and Mongolia, it looks certain that our strategic, political, economic and development ties will only deepen and mature over the next 50 years.
Australian Ambassador to Mongolia Katie Smith:
Today marks an important milestone in Australia’s bilateral relationship with Mongolia. On 15 September 1972, 50 years ago today, Australia’s Government established diplomatic relations with Mongolia. It is worthwhile reflecting on the history surrounding our relationship as we celebrate this momentous day.
Diplomatic relations were established at the height of the Cold War, demonstrating what a courageous undertaking this was by both governments. Our relationship developed slowly until 1994, when Australia’s head of state, Governor-General Bill Hayden, visited Mongolia. This historic visit was followed by Mongolia’s first democratically elected President P. Ochirbat, who came to Australia in 1997. These reciprocal visits came just a short time after Mongolia emerged as a democratic nation.
We have been strong supporters of each other’s goals and aspirations in the United Nations, as well as in a range of other international forums.
Australia entered into an ‘expanded partnership’ and became a ‘third neighbour’ with Mongolia in 2007 during a visit by our former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Our bilateral relationship was deepened with the opening of the Mongolian Embassy in Canberra in 2008 and our Consulate here in Ulaanbaatar in 2011. In that same year, Prime Minister S. Batbold was the first Mongolian head of government to visit Australia, where he was warmly welcomed by then Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Continued strengthening of bilateral ties and strong business interest and engagement brought about the opening of Australia’s Embassy in Mongolia in 2015.
Our relationship has been built on mutual respect and shared interests. Our people and countries nations share much in common. We are both working hard to promote international rules and norms. We have free market economies that have largely been built on our mineral wealth and increasingly on critical minerals. We have been strong supporters of each other’s goals and aspirations in the United Nations, as well as in a range of other international forums.
Mongolia’s courageous choice to pursue democracy was actively supported by the Australian Government’s introduction of its Australia Awards scholarship scheme in 1993. In 2023, we will celebrate 30 years of the Australia Awards program in Mongolia. We proudly boast having over 700 graduates of the program, affectionately known as Mozzies, who are now playing vital roles in Mongolia’s public and private sectors and its vibrant civil society.
In celebration of this landmark year, Australia is providing Anniversary Grants to 10 Mongolian organisations in order to implement innovative activities aimed at promoting development and reducing poverty.
We continue to cooperate closely on our shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Our defence forces have served together in peacekeeping missions around the world, including in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and South Sudan, along with coalition operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our Chiefs of Armed Forces exchange views and explore areas of interest each year at the Indo-Pacific Chief of Defence Forces conference. We have also recently completed productive bilateral defence policy talks here in Ulaanbaatar.
In celebration of this landmark year, Australia is providing Anniversary Grants to 10 Mongolian organisations in order to implement innovative activities aimed at promoting development and reducing poverty. Australia and Mongolia continue our strong commitment to supporting gender equality and inclusive development through these grants as well as through our Direct Aid Program grant funding.
Australia and Mongolia have supported each other in our times of need. Mongolia contributed to Australia’s 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires recovery and Australia has provided emergency assistance for Mongolia’s dzud in the past. During COVID-19 we cooperated closely to keep our people safe and support our citizens to return home. We have been proud to support Mongolia in its fight against COVID-19 in partnership with WHO and Red Cross. We have both prioritised Disaster Risk Reduction. Australia will welcome a large Mongolian delegation at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction next week.
A priority for both of our countries is addressing climate change. Australia has a new ambitious 2030 target to reduce carbon emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels, putting us on track to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 target, and increasing the proportion of renewables in the National Energy Market to 82 per cent by 2030. We know that Mongolia is also committed to the energy transition and we are starting to work together on this through government exchanges and through Australian business investment in Mongolia.
Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy and we understand the significant economic benefits that can flow from a well-managed extractives sector
A key plank of our bilateral relationship is people-to-people linkages. There are around 6,500 Mongolians living in Australia and around 650 Australians living in Mongolia. Over 60 Australian companies are operating here in Mongolia, sharing skills and expertise as well as employing many Mongolians. Human capacity development has also been promoted through the Australian government’s volunteer program, with hundreds of Australians volunteering to come to Mongolia since 1998. In a further step forward in increasing opportunities for work and travel, Australia and Mongolia announced a new Work and Holiday Maker visa in July this year and the uptake has been strong.
Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy and we understand the significant economic benefits that can flow from a well-managed extractives sector. Australian companies operating in this sector in Mongolia are bringing high quality investments, technology and experience to Mongolia’s mining sector, and most importantly vital foreign direct investment. While a key focus is on the Oyu Tolgoi mine, which is predicted to account for over 30 per cent of Mongolia’s GDP, Australian companies are also increasingly looking to develop other areas such as coal seam gas and green hydrogen exploration.
Both our countries value our rich and distinct cultural heritage. Australia is committed to embedding the perspectives, experiences and practices of First Nations Australians into our foreign policy and will appoint an Ambassador for First Nations People. We look forward to exchanging our experience to preserve and celebrate the contributions of our unique cultures to our countries.
Looking back over the past 50 years, it is clear that the foresight shown by our respective governments to establish diplomatic relations was an excellent decision and one that has been mutually beneficial to both countries. It has well and truly stood the test of time. Based on the depth and strength of diplomatic and bilateral relations between Australia and Mongolia, it looks certain that our strategic, political, economic and development ties will only deepen and mature over the next 50 years.