Natsagiin Bagabandi President of Mongolia
Expand our foreign relations and participate in regional organizations .: INTERVIEW :.

n Mongolia, landlocked between the twin powers of China and Russia, is forging its own identity on the world stage. Following the demise of Soviet communism, the government has introduced sweeping reforms that have transformed this vast Asian republic.

Home to around 2.5 million people, Mongolia now combines the ultra-modern with the traditional, from the progressive capital city, Ulaan Bataar, to nomadic culture on the distant plains.

As well as building ties with its near neighbors, the country is also looking to the U.S. and the West for assistance and partnership. With an economy based squarely on farming, livestock and mining, there is a need to diversify to tackle outstanding social issues such as poverty. Government officials have dubbed 2002 as ‘The Year of Foreign Investment’.

President Natsagiin Bagabandi says the strengthening of American commercial interests in Mongolia is a guarantee for future prosperity and national security. “We want to increase foreign investment, expand our foreign relations and participate actively in regional organizations,” he says.