The diplomatic relationship between Mongolia and Turkey, established on June 24, 1969, has witnessed significant milestones and developments over the past 55 years. These achievements span across various sectors including political, economic, educational, and cultural domains. The foundation for the Comprehensive Partnership between Mongolia and Turkey was laid through the first state visits by Turkish President Süleyman Demirel in 1995 and Mongolian President N.Bagabandi in 1998. These visits are considered pivotal in intensifying bilateral relations and fostering cooperation across all sectors. Inter-parliamentary relations have also accelerated since 2000, marked by reciprocal visits between members of Mongolia's State Great Khural and Turkey's Grand National Assembly.
One of the significant economic milestones was the achievement of the trade turnover target of 100 million USD, set in 2013, which was reached in 2022 with a total trade value of 110 million USD. This growth reflects the robust economic partnership between the two countries. Moreover, the introduction of direct flights by Turkish Airlines in 2012 has bolstered economic and business cooperation, tourism, and infrastructure development.
Since 1992, Mongolian students have benefitted from the Turkish Government Scholarship program, with the number of annual scholarships increasing from 30 to 50 in 2005 during the Turkish Prime Minister's visit to Mongolia. Currently, there are ongoing discussions to further increase the scholarships to 100 people annually, highlighting the commitment to educational cooperation. Culturally, the approval of 30-day visa-free travel in 2014 has facilitated people-to-people ties and promoted tourism, contributing to mutual understanding and cultural exchange.
In a recent conference commemorating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia N.Ankhbayar emphasized the importance of evaluating past achievements to determine future trends. He noted the expanding cooperation in essential social and economic sectors and expressed Mongolia's ambition to elevate relations and conduct high-level visits in the near future.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to Mongolia Zafer Ateş, highlighted the intensification of political relations since 1990, which has been a driving force behind the deepening bilateral ties. Reflecting on the achievements of the past 55 years, Mongolia and Turkey have established a strong foundation for a comprehensive partnership. The attendees at the conference underscored that the significant strides made in political, economic, educational, and cultural cooperation indicate the potential to elevate this partnership to a strategic level, paving the way for enhanced bilateral relations in the future.
