Ladies and gentlemen, of the media,

Thank you very much for your presence. 

This visit is a visit to pay tribute to Mongolia as a symbol of peace in a troubled world and to express to Mongolia the full solidarity of the United Nations, knowing how a landlocked country is facing enormous challenges because of climate change, because of war, because of all the difficulties in the present global economy - challenges that the government, and the people and Mongolia are courageously addressing to promote sustainable and inclusive development of the country. 

I have just had a very productive meeting with Her Excellency, Mrs. Battsetseg Batmunkh, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia. 

I conveyed my gratitude to her and to President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, and the people of Mongolia for their warm welcome and generous hospitality. 

Last year, as the honourable minister just said, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of Mongolia’s membership to the United Nations.  

Over the past six decades, Mongolia has become an increasingly important contributor to the work of the Organization.  

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Mongolia’s participation in UN peacekeeping.  

We are grateful to all Mongolian peacekeepers for their service in UN peace operations, often in the most challenging settings and with courage in the way they protect civilians where unfortunately, there’s sometimes no peace to keep.  

We deeply appreciate their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to promoting peace and stability to war-torn countries.  

I am especially grateful for Mongolia’s championship of the Women Peace and Security Agenda.  

In addition to its own efforts to increase the number of women peacekeepers, Mongolia hosted, in June this year, an international conference on women in peacekeeping that was a remarkable success. 

It is another demonstration of Mongolia’s leadership, solidarity and commitment to achieving our joint gender equality goals. 

Mongolia’s support to multilateralism goes far beyond its generous contribution to UN peacekeeping. With the NPT Review Conference on the way in New York, and the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki this month, it is particularly timely to recognize that Mongolia has shown its commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament by declaring itself a nuclear weapons-free zone.  

We live in a world with dramatic geopolitical divides. We live in a world where for the first time in decades people are thinking that a nuclear war might be possible again. 

We live in a world where conflicts proliferate everywhere. Mongolia, as an area free of nuclear weapons is an example of extraordinary importance and I want to pay tribute to that courageous decision, and I hope that many other countries will follow Mongolia’s example so we can realize a world free of nuclear weapons.  

There is only one way to be absolutely sure that a nuclear war is impossible, and that way is if there are no nuclear weapons. 

Mongolia is also a constructive player in promoting peace and security in the region, exemplified by the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue Initiative on Northeast Asia Security.   

I am particularly encouraged by the inclusion of young voices in the Dialogue, which is in line one of the priorities I outlined in my report on Our Common Agenda as the honourable minister just referred. 

Mongolia’s contribution to dialogue aiming at the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is very much welcome. 

Mongolia’s multilateral contributions also extend to the field of development: and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The country’s leadership in representing landlocked developing countries dating back to 1994, when Mongolia established the Group of LLDCs. 

More recently, the International Think Tank for landlocked developing countries was founded in Ulaanbaatar 13 years ago.  

As a landlocked developing country, Mongolia is faced with development challenges in trade, transport, connectivity and desertification. 

These challenges are now compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, increasingly, climate change.  

Chronic drought threatens food security, and some 77 per cent of Mongolia’s land is affected by desertification.  

In the face of these challenges, the Government of Mongolia is working hard to address climate change and desertification, including through the One Billion Trees campaign in which I will be very proud to participate. 

Mongolia’s example in addressing climate adaptation through the sustainable management of natural resources is laudable. 

I see Mongolia’s potential to be a renewables leader – delivering energy security as well as creating economic opportunities.  

Mongolia has vast potential renewable energy resources to fuel the country – and others. 

Mongolia also has the potential to emerge as a major player in the renewable energy supply chain with its copper resources.  

Mongolia may be landlocked, but its constructive foreign policy of dialogue and cooperation is central to building bridges and promoting sustainable development in the region and further afield. 

The country has undergone a remarkable transition in recent years.   

I count on its leaders to continue to consolidate democracy and promote human rights for the lasting progress of all of Mongolia’s people. 

I myself lived in a country that went through a democratic transition in which I actively participated. The fact that Mongolia has opted in a determined way for democracy and human rights is something that deserves the full support of the international community and the full support of the UN. The United Nations is grateful for Mongolia's contribution and the country can continue to count on our support across the full space of peace, human rights and sustainable development agendas. 

Thank you very much.