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August2, 2023

Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed Prime MinisterOyun-ErdeneLuvsannamsraito Washington, D.C.,on August 2ndto celebrate the strategic Third Neighbor partnership between the United States and Mongolia. The two sides acknowledged the advancement ofU.S.-Mongolia relations since the 2019 declaration of the two countries Strategic Partnership, which has provided a firm foundation to promote and strengthen bilateral relations. Ties between our two countries are at their strongest point yet and have developed on the basis of shared principles, respect for good governance, sovereignty, the rule of law, and human rights,as well as Mongolias Third Neighbor policy.

The United States applauded Mongolias efforts to expand relations in the region and around the world, thus contributing to international stability. In this context, our two countries shared respective views on ensuring a prosperous, peaceful,and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Together, the United States and Mongolia are expanding our strategic partnership with a focus on building economic resilience, promoting democratic principles and institutions, and strengthening our security cooperation. As strategic Third Neighbors, we will sustain our close partnership and forge ties between our citizens to ensure their continued prosperity and security.

Deepening Economic Cooperation

The United Statesand Mongoliaare partnering on joint responses to the 21stcenturys most difficult economic challenges, exploring opportunities to increase trade and investment through bilateral cooperation and regional trade mechanisms. Our countries share a desire to deepen the bilateral economic relationship in areas of mutual interest and to pursue opportunities for cooperation in the mineral resources sector, clean energy, food security,and the digital economy through existing and new mechanisms, includingforcapacity building and trade promotion.

Mongolia introduced the priorities of Mongolias New Recovery policy and related project implementation through public-private partnerships and Mongolias Vision-2050 long-term development policy.Both Governments welcomed the signing of an updated Economic Cooperation Roadmap that will serve as the foundation for increased commercial and economic ties between our countries in the coming years. They welcomed the visit of a Mongolian trade mission to the United States and a U.S. Certified Trade Mission to Mongolia in 2023.

The United States expressed continued support for the strengthening of Mongolias democracy through diversifying its economy, bolstering energy security,enhancingfood security,and supporting the transition to renewables. The two sidesare launchingnew partnerships in the areas of minerals and energy.In particular,the United StatesandMongoliarecognize the importance of critical minerals to the global supply chain and are deepening cooperation in this sector. Wewelcome the June 27 signing of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding concerning cooperation on mineral resource sector development and governance, as well as the June trilateral dialoguebetween the United States, Mongolia, and Republic of Korea in Ulaanbaatar to support the development of Mongolias mining sector.

The United States and Mongolia are both committed to combating the climate crisis and to our respective 2030 Nationally DeterminedContributions underthe Paris Agreement. The United States is committed to working with Mongolia to improve capacity to develop and implement ambitious climate change mitigation and adaptation policies in sectors such as agriculture and clean energy by welcoming Mongolias commitment to work on climate and conservation issues, including through Mongolias endorsement of the Global Methane Pledge, hosting of the UN High-Level Forum on Clean Air, and PresidentKhurelsukhUkhnaasOne Billion Trees initiative. Mongolia noted its support for the sustainable use of Mongolian water resources via the jointU.S.-Mongolia Millennium Challenge Water Compact. The United States and Mongolia are also exploring additional areas of collaboration on renewable energy and energy security, including via discussions in the next bilateral Energy Security Dialogue.

Both Governments hailed the new Open Skies Agreement as a clear indicator of the strong Third Neighbor partnership between the United States and Mongolia. The Agreement will facilitate air services between Mongolia and the United States as well as expanding our strong economic and commercial partnership, promoting people-to-people ties, and creating new opportunities for trade and tourism. Both sides expressed their commitment to high standards of aviation safety and security. At the request of the Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration plans to provide technical assistance to the Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia in support of civil aviation safety later this year.

The United States commended Mongolias work to promote good governance, a favorable business environment, and private sector-driven economic growth and supported the development of Mongolias legal and regulatory framework and institutional capacity based on international best practices. The United States and Mongolia highlighted the importance of strengthening Mongolias business climate, including through continued implementation of the U.S.-Mongolia Agreement on Transparency in Matters Related to International Trade and Investment which further recognizes that increasing the transparency and predictability of the business environment will catalyze private sector trade and investment, and they noted that the two sides plan to hold a meeting of the U.S.-Mongolia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council in Mongolia later this year. Theyalsosupport the development of transparent market mechanisms for the trade of export commodities.

The United States and Mongolia support private-sector initiatives to develop the digital economy and information and communication technologies, and we see cooperation in this space as essential for promoting digital trade and cyber security. Both sides highlighted the importance of U.S.-Mongolia collaboration to harness the benefits of the digital transformation, e-trade, and e-commerce. Our combined efforts will facilitate improved payment solutions, skills development, access to financing, and prevention of digital and Internet crime. The two sides reiterated their willingness to explore cooperation in cyber technologyandwelcomedthe announcement ofprivateupskilling programs forinformation and communications technologyteachersin high-demand tech skills ranging from cybersecurity to data analytics.

The United States and Mongolia also discussed ways to increase U.S.-Mongoliaspace and technology cooperation, including through the development of a bilateral space dialogue.Both countries are working towards advancing space situational awareness cooperation and ensuring apeaceful,safe, secure, and sustainable space environment.

The United States and Mongolia recognize that people-to-people ties between our two countries are an indispensable pillar of our partnership, manifested in their immense economic and commercial contributions to both the United States and Mongolia. These ties have been nourished byEnglish officially becoming the primary foreign language insecondary schools ofMongolia, and by English education and community development training programs provided by the United States. To this end, the United States and Mongolia are pleased to announce an intention to open a new American Space in Erdenet with programming that will expand access to English language education and increase knowledge of study and exchange opportunities in the United States. The United States is also working to expand its English Teaching Assistants program in Mongolia by adding fifty percent more positions. The United States and Mongolia reaffirmed their shared commitment to expand education cooperation, building on the more than $2 million annually the United States already dedicates to education and exchange in Mongolia, especially increased opportunities for Mongolians to pursue higher level education in the United States by offering more government-funded scholarships, growing our longstanding Fulbright binational partnership, and helping train even more English language teachers. The leaders welcomed 32 years of efforts by the U.S. Peace Corps, as well as the efforts of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Defense Language Institute, and other institutions to expand English language training programs and deepen Mongolias Third Neighbor connections with the United States.

Promoting Democratic Principles

The United States and Mongolia underscore the importance of strong democratic institutions, rule of law, media freedom, and respect for human rights, includingthepromotion of gender equality and womens empowerment.The United States and Mongolia are committed to fortifying our societies by empowering civil society organizationsparticularly those focused on youth and gender equalityto ensure the continued effectiveness of our democratic institutions. The United States and Mongolia also promoted increased social accountability to reinforce government responsiveness and noted the vital importance of increasing public participation in the democratic process and announced the signing of a new USAIDMinistry of Finance Development Objective GrantAgreement, valued at up to $25 million, to strengthen democratic governance, promote clean energy, and advance a resilient, diversified, and inclusive economy. Working with Congress, USAID plans to invest an initial $12 million into the agreement this year to support core lines of effort in partnership with Mongolia. USAID is also providing $600,000 in additional support for disaster preparedness programs to build communities resilience todzudsand other hazards.

The United States commended Mongolia for its rigorous agenda to combat corruption through its five key measures. Mongoliaexpressed appreciation for U.S. assistance that has contributed to Mongolias development of effective judicial and law enforcement practices. Both sides noted that since 2018, the United States and Mongolia have effectively cooperated through substantive technical assistances, such as equipment, training, and exchanges for Mongolian criminal justice agencies to improve transparency and combat corruption. The United States and Mongolia are alsoworking to increase cooperation and information sharing between our respective law enforcement agencies to improve border security and address transnational crime, including the trafficking of drugs, humans, cultural property, and wildlife, as well as financial crimes such as money laundering.

The United States and Mongolia noted the importance of fair, equitable, and transparent policies that are representative of our respect for individual freedoms, and reaffirmed their commitment to the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly,and religion or belief. In line with these commitments,the United States and Mongolia are both members of the Freedom Online Coalition and are working together to globally advance a vision of a free and openInternet.

Maintaining free and open access to information is key to ensuring that democratic principles and institutions endure. As such,both sides welcomed the launch of USAIDs Media and Civil Society Strengthening program, which will build on Mongolias leadership as a democracy in the Indo-Pacific region.The United States and Mongolia are committed to enhancing social accountability mechanisms and improvements in public access to information. The United States emphasized that Mongolias principles supporting the free flow of information promote the countrys independence, sovereignty, and security.

Both sidesalsoreviewed the success of the first-ever Strategic Dialogue betweenthe United States andMongolia in 2022, the continuation ofU.S.-Mongolia-Japan trilateral talks in 2022, and the first-everU.S.-Mongolia-Republic of Korea(ROK)trilateral talks in 2023.These diplomatic engagements are an expression of shared values and our commitment to further strengthen our democratic institutions.

Strengthening Security Cooperation

The United States andMongolia had an open exchange of views on the regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest,and bothcommittedto engage further in strategic security cooperation.The United States and Mongolia are strengthening their Third Neighbor defense cooperation, based on a shared desire for a stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific region, including by working to address non-traditional defense and security challenges.The United States is committed to working with Mongolia to develop and strengthen regional security partnerships and to enhance Mongolias international interoperability, including through the annual, multinational Khaan Quest exercise hosted by theMongolian Armed Forces (MAF).

The United States supports Mongolias long-standing commitment to international Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) and safeguarding human rights and democracy around the world. The United States noted that the MAF has international recognition as a highly qualified, reliable security provider and thankedMongoliafor the MAFs contributions to coalition security efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan that directly benefited the Afghan people, the United States,and U.S. partners and allies.Mongoliahighlighted that the MAF managesaUN-certified, professionally runregionaltraining center capable of conducting pre-deployment training, supporting key UN PKO courses, and executing a multinational peacekeeping exercise.Both sides welcomed enhanced MAF participation in U.S. military education and training opportunities to facilitate MAF development and establish long-term rapport between ourmilitariesleaders.The United States also noted the20 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles that Mongolia will be receiving from the United States in support of Mongolias UN peacekeeping missions.

Both sides recognized the importance of engaging constructively on regional and global security issues of concern. They noted with deep concern the humanitarian consequences of thewarinUkraineandsupport any effort to foster a restoration of a sustainable peace based on international law.Both sides also reiterated their commitment to diplomacy with the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the only viable means of achieving lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and call on the DPRK to refrain from further violations of UN Security Council Resolutions and return to negotiations.

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Vice President Harris and Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene share the highest level of confidence that the increasing ties between our two nations will grow even stronger as our people forge ever closer friendships. Together, we will show the world that our strategic Third Neighbor partnership will lead to our nations continued prosperity, peace, and security.

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Joint Statement on the Strategic Third Neighbor Partnership ... - The White House