Category Archives: Foreign Policy

Guest Post: Missing at the Kazakh Expo Party

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Dénes Jäger The Vatican, Yemen, Antigua and Barbuda are only three of over 100 states participating in this year‘s Expo in Astana Kazakhstan. Even though the concept of an international exposition seems to be a little outdated in a … Continue reading →

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Posted in Dénes Jäger, Foreign Policy, Kazakhstan | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Not Hans and George but Battulga?

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Dénes Jäger In Turkish media the result of the Mongolian presidential elections didn’t really attract much attention. Most outlets only published a footnote, while some, interestingly, depicted Battulga as being a candidate close to Vladimir Putin. Naturally, Turkey currently … Continue reading →

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Posted in Bilateral Aid, Dénes Jäger, Foreign Policy, Turkey | 1 Comment

State of Digital Diplomacy in Mongolia Missions

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes With the appointment of Z Enkbold as chief of staff and Ts Sukhbaatar as foreign policy advisor, Pres. Battulga’s foreign policy team is coming together. Foreign policy, of course, is one of the areas of policy-making that … Continue reading →

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Posted in Australia, Canada, Digital Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Germany, Japan, Mongolia and ..., North Korea, Russia, South Korea, UN, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Presidential Debate or FAQ?

Posted on June 24, 2017 by mendee

By Mendee The presidential campaign closed with a two-hour debate on June 24.  Under the agreement between the DP, MPP, and MPRP for the debate, candidates were basically provided opportunities to express their views on frequently rumoured allegations during the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Corruption, Foreign Policy, Military, Presidential 2017 | Tagged | Leave a comment

New President, New Foreign Policy?

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes The Mongolian constitution assigns responsibility for international relations to the president. Ts Elbegdorj has been very active in this regard for the past eight years of his two terms as president. With the election campaign getting ready … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., North Korea, Presidential 2017, Russia, South Korea, UN, United States | Tagged | 1 Comment

North Korea Turmoil = Mongolian International Relations Role

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes Some months ago, I speculated about the implications that a changed foreign policy under U.S. Pres. Trump might have for Mongolia. I was certainly right about one aspect: [W]ith Donald Trump becoming U.S.-president, I have to add a … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Foreign Policy, Mongolia and ..., North Korea, Ulaanbaatar Dialogue, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

M vs Genco

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes The MPP has selected its chairman, Enkhbold M, to be nominated as candidate in the June 26 presidential election. The DP appears to have selected Battulga Kh., pending a party congress. One question remains: Will Enkhbayar N … Continue reading →

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Posted in Corruption, Democracy, Democratic Party, Elections, Foreign Policy, International Relations, JD Democratization, Mongolia and ..., Mongolian People's Party, Party Politics, Politics, Populism, Presidential 2017, Public Policy | Tagged | 4 Comments

International Relations in the Trump Era

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes As someone who thinks and writes about political risk regarding Mongolia, my focus is on domestic politics more than on international relations. Yet, with Donald Trump becoming U.S.-president, I have to add a fairly random element to … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., Nationalism, North Korea, Presidential 2017, Russia, UN, United States | Tagged | 2 Comments

Bullied by China over Visit by the Dalai Lama

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes [With thanks to Bulgan B for her help in understanding the interview and subsequent statements.] Late in November, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Mongolia. This was the first visit since 2011. Previous visits occurred in 2006 … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Dalai Lama, Foreign Policy, Religion | Tagged | 1 Comment

Bishkek ICF-CIRDI Workshop “Sound Management of Natural Resources: The State’s Role in the Resource Sector”

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

Co-Organized, Funded, and Hosted by: International Cooperation Fund (ICF), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Global Affairs Canada through the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute, Oslo Governance Centre for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights, and University of Central Asia … Continue reading →

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Posted in CIRDI, Development, EITI, International Cooperation Fund, JD Mining Governance, Kyrgyz Republic, Mining, Mining Governance, Mongolia and ..., Myanmar, Timor Leste | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Diplomat Podcast on Mongolia as Asia’s Hidden Geopolitical Player

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes I’m finally getting around to listening to The Diplomat’s podcast episode focused on Mongolia, “Northeast Asia’s Hidden Geopolitical Player“. Ankit Panda, one of the editors of The Diplomat, speaks to Peter Bittner who spent some time in … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Foreign Policy, Japan, Mongolia and ..., North Korea, Podcast, Social Media, South Korea | Tagged | Leave a comment

Future of the DP?

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes A crushing defeat like the one that the DP suffered on June 29 should lead to some party-soul searching. More than two months after the election, I can only imagine that questions about the future of the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Democratic Party, Foreign Policy, Ikh Khural 2016, Inequality, JD Democratization, Party Politics, Policy, Politics, Presidential 2017, Public Policy, Ulaanbaatar | Tagged | Leave a comment

Did (Any of) My Saikhanbileg Wishes Come True?

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes In December 2014 when the first Saikhanbileg cabinet had been formed, I wrote a personal wishlist of actions I was hoping that cabinet might take. J Erdenebat was the finance minister in that cabinet. All the more … Continue reading →

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Posted in Corruption, Democracy, Democratic Party, Education, Foreign Policy, Ikh Khural 2016, Mining, Party Politics, Policy, Policy, Politics, Public Policy, Public Service | Tagged | Leave a comment

Small, Unanticipated Impacts

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

By Julian Dierkes [With some notes from CIRDI program manager, Marie-Luise Ermisch, PhD] One of the challenges on attempting to apply my understanding of contemporary Mongolia through development interventions has been that it is forcing me to learn a number … Continue reading →

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Posted in CIRDI, Development, International Cooperation Fund, Mongolia and ... | Tagged | Leave a comment

Guest Post: ICF Workshop – Private Sector Perspective

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Julian Dierkes

By Aligermaa B Does the state, responsible for national welfare, have any business getting actively involved in a business, even in one related to essential services or strategic national resources? Or, should everything be left to the private sector which, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Aligermaa Bayarsaikhan, Business, CIRDI, EITI, International Cooperation Fund, Mining, Mining Governance | 2 Comments