Category Archives: Foreign Policy

New President, New Foreign Policy?

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

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

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

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

M vs Genco

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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

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

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

Future of the DP?

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

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?

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

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

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

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

Guest Post: ICF Workshop – Private Sector Perspective

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

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

Institutionalized Role for State in Emerging Resource Economies

By Julian Dierkes The workshop on “The State’s Role in Large Resource Projects” CIRDI recently co-organized with the International Cooperation Fund of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was designed as an opportunity for Mongolians to share their experience in … Continue reading

Posted in Afghanistan, Canada, CIRDI, International Cooperation Fund, JD Mining Governance, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Mining Governance, Mongolia and ..., Myanmar | Tagged | Leave a comment

ICF Workshop “State’s Role in Large Resource Projects”

Co-organized and co-hosted by International Cooperation Fund Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government of Mongolia Canadian International Resources and Development Institute Int’l Cooperation Fund(ICF) & @CIIEID_ICIIED co-organize workshop on “The State’s Role in Large Resource Projects”. pic.twitter.com/0nasxUohSb — MFA Mongolia (@MFA_Mongolia) … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, CIRDI, Erdenet, Governance, International Cooperation Fund, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance | Leave a comment

How popular is Russian in Mongolia 26 Years After the Fall of the Soviet Union?

By Bulgan B The May 9th Victory Day has revived the Mongolian love for Russia once again. Mongolians were watching the Victory Day parade and Mongolian social media was trending on any story which relates to the Great Victory. Wreaths … Continue reading

Posted in Bulgan Batdorj, Education, Foreign Policy, Kazakhs, Nationalism, Russia, Social Change, Society and Culture | Tagged | Leave a comment

Digital Diplomacy tied to ASEM

By Julian Dierkes Some weeks ago I wrote about the potential for a Mongolian digital diplomacy. That post generated a lot of interest (over 500 readers in less than 2 months). The tweet about this post was my most-viewed tweet … Continue reading

Posted in Digital Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., Social Media | Tagged | Leave a comment