Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar met with her Mongolian counterpart, President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, in Ulaanbaatar on August 20, in the first state visit by a Slovenian president to Mongolia since the establishment of diplomatic relations 31 years ago, her cabinet announced.

Slovenia, among the smallest but also one of the richest post-socialist countries, has been building up its international presence recently. Ljubljana sought to reinforce ties with several north African nations in the months before Pirc Musar’s visit to Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is also now punching above its weight diplomatically, as outlined in a comment for bne IntelliNews earlier this year. 

During the visit, Pirc Musar highlighted in particular the two countries’ struggles with climate change-related disasters, as well as the geopolitical challenges they both face. 

Both Slovenia and Mongolia share a commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, as well as similar goals in international relations, a statement from the Slovenian president posted on X (formerly Twitter) said. These include strong support for multilateralism, the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, respect for international law, and a focus on sustainable development, Musar's cabinet said.

Mongolia, alongside Slovenia, is also one of the core countries of the MLA Initiative (the Ljubljana-Hague Convention on Cooperation in the Prosecution of Genocide).

President Pirc Musar highlighted the common challenges both nations face, particularly the impact of climate change and shifting geopolitical dynamics.

"Last winter was one of the worst in recent years for Mongolia, while Slovenia was hit by catastrophic floods last year. These challenges require closer cooperation, solidarity, and strengthened diplomatic efforts," she said.

The visit aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including the economy, tourism, transport, research, sustainable development and women's empowerment.

Following their discussions, Presidents Pirc Musar and Khurelsukh signed a declaration of cooperation, reaffirming their intention to collaborate in the highlighted areas.

Slovenian Ambassador to China, Alenka Suhadolnik, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the tourism sector. Additional memorandums on cooperation between the chambers of commerce of both countries and in the field of forestry are also set to be signed.

The state visit includes the inaugural Slovenian-Mongolian Business Forum, with a focus on opportunities in pharmacy, smart agriculture, nutrition, digitisation, and artificial intelligence. A strong Slovenian business delegation, including companies such as Krka, Medex, Duol, and Tajfun Planina, will participate in the forum to explore potential partnerships in Mongolia.

Slovenia has already shared its expertise with Mongolia in several areas. In 2023, Slovenia conducted training for Mongolian peacekeepers on gender equality and the integration of this principle into peacekeeping operations, which received positive feedback from the Mongolian forces.

Furthermore, Slovenia is transferring its knowledge in sustainable forest management through an ongoing development project aimed at empowering women in rural areas of Mongolia.

As a sign of support for Mongolia’s initiative to plant a billion trees, President Pirc Musar will symbolically plant a red pine during her visit.