The President of Mongolia U.Khurelsukh payed a State Visit to the French Republic at the invitation of the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron on October 10-14, 2023. During the talks Heads of State, the parties emphasized that the first mutual visits at the level of the Head of State this year aim at achieving the common goals of strengthening the Privileged Partnership between the two countries, expanding cooperation in all sectors, and bringing it to a strategic level.
The Heads of State affirmed their commitment to realizing the objectivesreflected in the joint declaration of Mongolia and France issued during the State Visit of the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron to Mongolia this May, especially the implementation of major strategic projects and programs that are a symbol of the relationship between the two countries, increasing investment and deepening cooperation in the sectors of economy, energy, communications, disaster management, agriculture, culture and education.
The Heads of State emphasized the significance of not only the international community but also each country’s contribution to overcoming the challenges facing the world such as climate change, desertification, and food shortages, and reaffirmed their cooperation in achieving results by coordinating the initiatives and goals of the two countries in these areas.
In framework of the visit, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Battsetseg Batmunkh and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic Catherine Colonna held official talks in Paris and agreed to advance the relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership. The Foreign Ministers signed the Action Plan on Cooperation between Mongolia and the French Republic, aimed at expanding the Privileged Partnership between Mongolia and France into a Strategic Partnership.
To deepening strategic partnership, France and Mongolia have signed a 1.6-billion-euro ($1.7 billion) deal that paves the way for the mining of uranium. Under the framework agreement, Orano will operate the Zuuvch-Ovoo mine in southwestern Mongolia, with the aim of laying a foundation stone next year and beginning production around 2028. Both countries will also cooperate in searching for lithium using satellite imagery.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between France’s Bureau of Geological and Mining Research and Mongolia’s National Geological Service for scientific and technical cooperation, extending a 2018 agreement. This new deal allows French players to position themselves to capitalize on Mongolia’s mining potential, for example in lithium, and to further cooperate in both countries’ transition to renewable energies.
Parties signed a landmark agreement to construct a Mongolian national satellite telecommunications system has been reached which will strengthen the strategic partnership between Mongolia and France and boost connectivity for all Mongolians. The partnership agreement between Thales Alenia Space, a major European satellite specialist, and the Mongolia Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, has been signed.
Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for construction of a high-performance Ku Band satellite, to be named “Chinggis Sat” after Mongolia’s national hero Chinggis Khan. Once launched, the satellite will make high-speed internet available throughout Mongolia, including to those in rural areas and underserved nomadic communities, enabling easier and wider access to services such as telemedicine, e-learning, e-government services and supporting the growth of high value add sectors of the economy.
