Mongolia, Kuwait relations: Past achievements point to promising future

By Reaven D’Souza
Executive Managing Editor

This year marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Kuwait. How would you describe the journey of bilateral ties over these five decades?

Over the past fifty years, Mongolia and Kuwait have built a strong and mutually respectful partnership grounded in trust, shared interests, and a commitment to international cooperation. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, our two countries have steadily expanded collaboration across political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian fields. Kuwait was the first GCC country to establish diplomatic relations with Mongolia, and this historic milestone set the foundation for a long-standing friendship.

Kuwait has played an important role in Mongolia’s development efforts through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development by investing in health, infrastructure, renewable energy, road and transport, and environment sectors, and the Government and people of Mongolia highly value and appreciate this.

I specially would like to highlight that our cooperation is growing faster than before over the past few years. For instance, we have started meat export from Mongolia to the State of Kuwait in October 2025 and our two governments have signed an ‘Air Service agreement’ in January 2025, establishing legal frameworks to open direct flights between Mongolia and the State of Kuwait, and both sides are actively working to open direct flights. I am confident this development will increase our people-to-people ties as well as trade and economic cooperation.

I would also like to say that our cooperation in the fields of sports and education is growing rapidly. Kuwait University provides two scholarship quotas annually for Mongolian students to study Arabic language. Some of the graduates from this program are now serving as diplomats in our embassies in Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt. We see not only achievements of the past but also a very promising and bright future.

What moments or milestones stand out as the most significant in shaping Mongolia–Kuwait relations?

The biggest motive to further enhance and shape the relations and cooperation between our two countries has always been our people-to-people ties and high-level exchanges. For example, Mongolia was considered a second home to His Highness the Late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who visited Mongolia eleven times, which then set a strong and heartfelt foundation for the friendship between our countries.

Kuwait was one of the earliest Middle Eastern countries to establish diplomatic relations with Mongolia, this motivated both countries to formalize ties in 1975?

Also, Mongolia and Kuwait both adhered to foreign policy principles based on peace, mutual respect, and non-interference. These shared values created a natural foundation for diplomatic relations.

During the 1970s Mongolia was actively engaging with countries in the Middle East, while Kuwait aimed to strengthen ties with Asian countries. Establishing relations served the strategic interest of diversifying international relations.

How strong is the current level of political engagement between the two countries?

Over the past 50 years, Mongolia and Kuwait have strengthened their relations at the political level, and are now working actively to expand cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, tourism, education, and culture.
Mongolia and Kuwait also enjoy strong cooperation within the United Nations and various multilateral platforms.

Both countries share common views on many global and regional issues, which allows them to coordinate effectively on matters such as peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, and humanitarian assistance. A recent example is the election of both countries to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, where Mongolia and Kuwait voted for each other.

What are some of the most promising sectors for Kuwait to invest in Mongolia?

Several sectors, including agriculture, mining, tourism, and infrastructure are open to investments from Kuwait. Firstly, Mongolia began exporting meat and meat products to the State of Kuwait in October 2024, and these products are now available in major supermarket chains across Kuwait.

I believe that investing in the agricultural sector, especially in food production and meat processing will further elevate our trade cooperation to a new level. With approximately 80 million livestock, Mongolia has significant capacity and long-term potential to supply high-quality meat and meat products to the Kuwaiti market.

Also, Mongolia is the world’s number one supplier of raw cashmere and cashmere products and is rich in copper, gold, coal, and rare earth elements. I believe that we have vast opportunities to cooperate in this sector.

Are there ongoing discussions to encourage private sector partnerships or joint ventures?

In 2023, we organized the first-ever Mongolia-Kuwaiti joint business forum in Kuwait City in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait. During the business forum, 30 Mongolian businessmen from agriculture, meat export, tourism and cashmere sectors, and 20 Kuwaiti businessmen from agriculture, construction, investment sectors attended and established Memorandum of Understanding and some of the entities have already started their cooperation as a result of this forum. The Embassy of Mongolia to the State of Kuwait is now planning to organize the second business forum in the beginning of next year.

How can Kuwaiti investors benefit from Mongolia’s strategic location between China and Russia?

Mongolia is a landlocked country sandwiched between two great powers, China and Russia. Even though we are landlocked, we can serve as a bridge and gateway for Kuwaiti investors to access both the Russian and Chinese markets. With our strategic geographic location, open investment environment, and growing transport and logistics capabilities, Mongolia offers a unique platform for trade, re-export, and regional connectivity.

For example, Mongolia is rich in renewable energy resources. At the same time, China is one of the world’s largest importers and consumers of renewable energy. International partners, including Kuwaiti investors can invest in Mongolia’s renewable energy projects and export it to China.

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has supported several projects in Mongolia. How important has this partnership been?

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has been one of the closest partners of Mongolia among the GCC development funds since the 1990s. As of today, the Kuwait Fund has invested around US$80 million in renewable energy, infrastructure, road, environment, and provided grants worth $18 million.

Currently, we are in discussions with the Fund to cooperate on Mongolia’s major development projects in the road and transport sectors in cooperation with other GCC development funds

Cultural ties between Mongolia and Kuwait are still growing. Are there plans for cultural weeks, exhibitions, or artistic exchanges?

The Embassy of Mongolia has prepared a year-long agenda to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the State of Kuwait, organizing a series of events and initiatives to commemorate this historic milestone.

As part of these celebrations, the Embassy is planning a Grand Reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on 7 December; a ‘Taste of Mongolia’ traditional food show on 8 December, at the Mughal Mahal Restaurant; and the ‘Legend of Nomads’, a Mongolian cultural concert, performed by the Mongolian Grand Theatre for National Arts, at the American University of Kuwait Theater on 8 December at 19:00. I kindly invite Kuwaiti citizens to attend our ‘Legend of Nomads’ cultural concert.

In addition to these events, we are in the process of making a documentary film that will showcase five decades of relations and cooperation between Mongolia and Kuwait, highlighting the milestones, achievements, and enduring friendship between our two countries.

Additionally, Kuwait University offers two scholarship quotas for Mongolian students annually to study Arabic language. Some of the graduates from this program are now serving as diplomats in our embassies in Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt. We are now in discussion with the Government of the State of Kuwait and Kuwait University to provide scholarships on bachelor and masters level.

Mongolia is becoming a unique tourism destination. What message would you send to Kuwaitis who may want to explore Mongolia, and what are some of the bilateral developments in this regard?

Mongolia is becoming a truly unique and unforgettable tourism destination, offering a blend of pristine landscapes, rich nomadic culture, and warm hospitality. For Kuwaitis who wish to explore Mongolia, I would say Mongolia is a place to connect with nature and history.

I warmly invite Kuwaiti travelers to discover Mongolia’s beauty, its people, and its unique way of life, which will surely leave lasting memories. Welcome to Mongolia. In January 2025, the Government of Mongolia and the Government of the State of Kuwait also signed an Air service agreement, which created the legal framework to open direct flights between the two countries. Currently, our two sides are studying the possibilities of opening direct flights.

In June 2024, we also organized the first ever Mongolia-Kuwaiti tourism forum in Kuwait City. During this forum, a number of Kuwaiti companies established Memorandum of Understanding with Mongolian tourism companies and agreed to implement tourism packages from Kuwait to Mongolia and vice versa. We are planning to organize the second forum in 2026.

As we look ahead to the next 50 years, what are your priority areas for deepening cooperation?

Looking ahead to the next 50 years, Mongolia and Kuwait aim to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, particularly in agriculture and renewable energy, AI, infrastructure and transport, education and cultural exchanges, innovation, and multilateral collaboration. By focusing on these areas, we hope to build a resilient and forward-looking partnership that benefits both our peoples and strengthens regional ties.

As Ambassador, what has been your most memorable experience in Kuwait so far?

Since I was appointed as Ambassador of Mongolia to the State of Kuwait in 2022, I have made it a priority to establish meat exports from Mongolia to Kuwait, a goal that required careful planning, persistent effort, and strong collaboration between government agencies, private sector partners, and Kuwaiti authorities.

Over the course of two years, we worked tirelessly to ensure that Mongolian meat products met all the quality, safety, and regulatory and halal standards required by the Kuwaiti market. This involved extensive coordination on logistics, certifications, and registration of halal certificates in Kuwait, as well as building trust with local distributors and retailers.

In October 2024, after two years of dedicated work, we successfully achieved this goal, and Mongolian meat products are now available in major supermarket chains across Kuwait. This accomplishment is particularly meaningful because it not only strengthens bilateral trade but also showcases Mongolia’s agricultural potential and high-quality food products to international markets.

What message would you like to convey to the Kuwaiti leadership, government, and people on this 50-year milestone?

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Kuwait, I would like to convey my heartfelt congratulations and deepest appreciation to the Kuwaiti leadership, government, and people. Over the past five decades, our two nations have built a relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and shared aspirations, spanning political dialogue, economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people ties. Mongolia is eager to take these historic relations into a new level and I am confident that the next 50 years will bring new milestones, strengthened bonds, and shared prosperity for both our countries.