With Prime Minister’s Visit, Mongolia Boosts Third Neighbor Ties With the Middle East

From December 1 to 9, Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai paid a working visit to the Middle East, expanding Ulaanbaatar’s third neighbor ties with Gulf States in particular. Through the historic visit and meetings with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, Mongolia hopes to expand economic partnerships and cooperation with individual states. 

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while attending the One Water Summit, the Mongolian delegation headed by Oyun-Erdene met with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. The two heads of government reviewed bilateral relations and discussed the importance of improving Mongolia-Saudi Arabia ties, in keeping with the efforts made in recent years.

In 2023, Prince Turki bin Mohammed – Saudi Arabia’s minister of state – became the first Saudi leader to make an official visit to Mongolia since the two sides established diplomatic ties in 2007. During Turki’s meeting with Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, Khurelsukh expressed his support for advancing Mongolia-Saudi Arabia relations. In addition, Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh visited Saudi Arabia in 2023, and during her trip the two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for political consultations on expanding Mongolia-Saudia Arabia ties.

During the bilateral talks last week between Oyun-Erdene and Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s willingness to contribute to the development of Mongolia and its commitment to enhancing relations and cooperation with Mongolia across all sectors. Saudi Arabia also agreed to collaborate on Mongolia’s hosting of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2026. 

Mongolia’s approach to combating desertification and other climate issues is becoming an increasingly important point in augmenting bilateral ties with various countries and activating government-to-government initiatives. On the sidelines of the One Water Summit, Oyun-Erdene also held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on expanding France-Mongolia cooperation in environmentally-friendly and sustainable mining practices as a major uranium deal with Orano continues. 

As part of Mongolia’s approach to the Middle East, the Mongolian delegation held highly anticipated meetings with the leaders of Bahrain and the UAE, with an aim to expand Ulaanbaatar’s economic relations, creating new trade relations while attracting investment in specific sectors. 

Oyun-Erdene’s meeting with Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was an important step fostering relations between the two countries. Bahrain and Mongolia’s first bilateral consultation took place in 2020 and has been ongoing as the two countries continue to seek avenues of cooperation. Oyun-Erdene’s trip marked the first official visit to the country by a Mongolian prime minister.

During the Bahrain-Mongolia bilateral talks, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in environmental protection, climate change, trade, and investment, which are crucial to the Oyun-Erdene government’s 2024-2028 agenda. Additionally, the crown prince emphasized the importance of strengthening Bahrain-Mongolia relations and agreed to enhance cooperation across various sectors such as “business collaboration, support private sector engagement, and promote partnerships in education and commerce.” 

Moreover, during the Mongolian delegation’s visit to the Bahrain Economic Development Board, Bahrain’s Minister of Sustainable Development Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif highlighted, “Bahrain’s commitment to fostering international partnerships,” highlighting the country’s “competitive advantages and its strategic location at the heart of the Arabian Gulf,” which Mongolia can utilize. 

Following successful bilateral talks with Saudi Arabia’s and Bahrain’s leadership, the Mongolian delegation paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates. On December 5, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received the Mongolian delegation in Abu Dhabi. The UAE president expressed his full support and confidence to elevate Mongolia-UAE relations and cooperation to a new level.

Khurelsukh, Mongolia’s president, had also visited the UAE in November 2023. According to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the high-level talks between the two presidents, Mongolia and the UAE signed multiple MoUs aiming to expand ties, including agreements on visa exemptions for diplomatic, special, official, service, and ordinary passports; exchanging governmental expertise; establishing academic and educational cooperation in digital learning, and media networks. 

Khurelsukh’s official visit to Abu Dhabi in 2023 was a clear sign of Ulaanbaatar’s aim to strengthen commercial ties with the UAE. Following Khurelsukh’s visit, in September 2024, the UAE delegated Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Mongolia Mohammed Sultan Al Qurtasi Al Nuaimi. 

Mongolia’s push to strengthen ties with the Gulf states stems from the need to diversify its investment profile and increase exports. Oyun-Erdene’s working visit to the Middle East shed a light on the continuing implementation of Ulaanbaatar’s third neighbor policy. Considering the current administration’s push to diversify economic partnerships, having established a firm foundation with the Gulf states can help Mongolia’s landlocked economy.