Gombosuren Munkhbayar: Mongolia and Azerbaijan to sign series of bilateral agreements - INTERVIEW

Mongolia's non-resident Ambassador to Azerbaijan, with residence in Türkiye, Gombosuren Munkhbayar, held a number of bilateral meetings in Baku, including with officials of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of the expiration of his term of office. In his interview with Report, the ambassador spoke about Mongolia-Azerbaijan relations, cooperation between our countries, and other issues:

- Your mission as Mongolia's non-resident Ambassador to Azerbaijan is coming to an end. Looking back, it is clear that a number of achievements have been made in the development of relations between the two countries over the past four years. Did you, as an ambassador, play a role in these achievements?

- Over the past four years, mutual understanding and trust between Mongolia and Azerbaijan have been strengthened, and real practical results have been achieved through our joint efforts. In particular, in the transport sector, the parties began exchanging permits for international road transportation, which opened up additional opportunities for the development of logistics and trade.

In the agricultural sector, the supply of Mongolian livestock products to Azerbaijan has begun, which is a vivid example of the expansion of economic cooperation.

A significant event was the participation of the President of Mongolia in the COP29 Climate Action Summit held in Baku in November 2024. During the summit, a bilateral meeting was held between our presidents, which gave further impetus to the development of our relations.

In addition, in February of last year, the second session of Political Consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries was successfully held in Ulaanbaatar. This session was the first face-to-face meeting in this format and was of great importance.

Overall, I believe that over the past four years, we have managed to lay a solid foundation for further deepening of Mongolia-Azerbaijan cooperation.

By the way, this year, Mongolia also plans to actively participate in international events hosted by Azerbaijan, particularly in the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) to be held in Baku, and will continue to strengthen bilateral ties by worthily representing the country.

I would also like to note that our countries have always supported each other and actively cooperated within the framework of the UN and other international organizations. I am confident that this mutual engagement will only grow stronger and deeper, both at the regional and international levels.

- What issues did you discuss during your last visit to Baku?

- My working trip to Baku was aimed at developing and deepening Mongolia-Azerbaijan relations and cooperation. During the visit, I held meetings with representatives of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other relevant institutions. We exchanged views on current issues of bilateral cooperation, summarized and assessed the results of cooperation for 2025 accordingly, and discussed promising areas of joint work for 2026. Special attention was paid to expanding ties in political, trade, and economic spheres. All meetings were held in a traditionally friendly and constructive atmosphere.

- In which areas is cooperation between our countries more relevant?

- Mongolia, as part of its peaceful, open, multi-vector and independent foreign policy, attaches great importance to the development of relations with Azerbaijan and consistently strives to expand cooperation in all areas. Today, political relations between our countries are at a high level: they are relations of friendship and are based on the principles of mutual respect and trust. However, in our opinion, trade, economic and business cooperation does not yet fully correspond to the level of political dialogue that has been achieved. In this regard, Mongolia is interested in giving more practical attention and substance to economic, trade and investment ties, in implementing mutually beneficial projects, and in intensifying direct contacts between the business communities of the two countries.

- Is there any progress in economic and trade relations between Mongolia and Azerbaijan?

- Of course, there is. Today, economic and trade relations between Mongolia and Azerbaijan represent a developing area of bilateral cooperation. It is gratifying to note that trade turnover between Mongolia and Azerbaijan demonstrates a stable positive trend and is gradually increasing every year. In terms of trade structure, the main share of Mongolia's exports to the Azerbaijani market consists of meat and meat products. At the same time, fruits and nuts predominate among products exported from Azerbaijan to Mongolia.

At the same time, the volume of mutual trade remains relatively low and does not fully reflect the potential of our countries' economies. However, both sides are interested in deepening trade and economic cooperation.

Business meetings are held regularly, and direct contacts between entrepreneurs are being established and expanded. During my recent business trip to Baku, I met with the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and we exchanged views on establishing direct contacts and developing cooperation between the chambers of commerce and industry of our two countries.

- During your tenure as ambassador, have any agreements been signed regarding cooperation in culture, education, and sports?

- Currently, several documents intended to be signed at the governmental level between Mongolia and Azerbaijan are at the stage of negotiations and coordination. Once all necessary consultations and agreements are completed, we plan to officially sign these documents within the framework of a high-level visit. This will be an important step toward deepening bilateral cooperation and strengthening the strategic partnership between our countries.

- Azerbaijani citizens living in Mongolia report that visa procedures in your country have become more difficult after the pandemic. Are negotiations being conducted regarding the mutual abolition of visas and the establishment of direct flights between our countries, and can we expect positive progress in this direction?

- Based on the agreement signed in 2018 between the Government of Mongolia and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, holders of diplomatic and service passports of both countries can travel visa-free and move freely between the countries. For holders of ordinary passports, visas are issued according to established procedures.

Currently, there are no problems for Azerbaijani citizens in obtaining a visa to Mongolia. I would like to note that the embassy is always open regarding visa-related issues and is ready to provide necessary support and assistance to citizens. Negotiations regarding direct air routes between our countries are ongoing, and we hope that positive results will be achieved in this direction in the future.

- How many times have you been to Baku and have you traveled to Karabakh?

- During my professional career, I have had the opportunity to travel to the city of Baku six times. Each visit has created sincere and pleasant impressions on me. I would particularly like to note that the level of urban planning is very high: Baku harmoniously combines modern architecture with its rich historical heritage, and in this regard, it can be called one of the best-planned cities in the region. Every time I come here, I am once again amazed by the beauty of the city and the attention paid to details. It is also impossible not to highlight the hospitality of the Azerbaijani people - their sincere and friendly attitude leaves a deep and unforgettable impression.

As for Karabakh, unfortunately, I have not yet had the opportunity to travel to this region due to my personal official obligations. Nevertheless, the diplomats of our embassy actively participate in events organized by the Azerbaijani side. In particular, they have had the opportunity to visit the city of Shusha and familiarize themselves on-site with the progress of restoration work. I am confident that in the future I will also have the opportunity to personally travel to Karabakh.