Interview by Yusuf Al-Tatan KUWAIT, Dec 6 (KUNA) -- Mongoliaآ’s Ambassador to Kuwait Sergelen Purev affirmed Saturday that bilateral relations have witnessed remarkable development over the past five decades, as both sides commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year.
In an interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Ambassador Purev said that since relations were established in 1975, Mongolia and Kuwait have built a solid and mutually respectful partnership founded on trust, shared interests and a commitment to international cooperation.
He added that Kuwait was the first GCC country to forge diplomatic relations with Mongolia, a milestone that paved the way for a long-standing friendship and expanding cooperation across political, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields.
He highlighted Kuwaitآ’s important role in supporting Mongoliaآ’s development efforts through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), which has financed projects in health, infrastructure, renewable energy, roads, transport and the environment.
He stressed that the government and people of Mongolia highly appreciate this valuable contribution.
The ambassador noted that bilateral cooperation has accelerated significantly in recent years; for instance In October 2025, Mongolia began exporting meat and meat products to the Kuwaiti market, marking an important step in enhancing trade and contributing to Kuwaitآ’s food-security objectives.
He added that in January 2025, the two governments signed an Air Services Agreement that creates the legal framework for direct flights between the two countries, with both sides actively working to operationalize the route. This development, he said, will strengthen people-to-people links and boost economic and commercial exchange.
Cooperation in sports and education has also grown rapidly. Kuwait University offers two annual scholarships for Mongolian students to study the Arabic language, and several graduates are now serving as diplomats in Mongolian embassies across the Middle East, he added.
On the political front, the ambassador stated that Mongolia and Kuwait have achieved several milestones in high-level exchanges, saying that the late Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, visited Mongolia 11 times, contributing significantly to mutual understanding.
Mongolia, meanwhile, has undertaken multiple high-level visits to Kuwait, including three presidential visits, one by the Speaker of Parliament, one by the Prime Minister and five by Foreign Ministers, he said, revealing that several high-level visits are being prepared by both sides for the coming two months.
At the multilateral level, Ambassador Purev affirmed that Mongolia and Kuwait enjoy close coordination within the United Nations and other international platforms as both countries share similar views on many global issues, including peace and security, sustainable development and climate change.
He cited their election to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, where each supported the otherآ’s candidacy, as a recent example of this cooperation.
The ambassador underlined the broad potential for expanding trade and investment ties, particularly after the successful launch of meat exports to Kuwait. Based on market demand, he said Mongolia sees the possibility of increasing supplies to 100-150 tons per week.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening business-to-business cooperation, noting that the first Mongolia-Kuwait Business Forum was held in Kuwait City in 2023, resulting in several Memoranda of Understanding and ongoing commercial engagements, given that Mongoliaآ’s rich resources in cashmere, copper, gold, coal and rare earth elements also offer promising avenues for investment.
He praised the Kuwait Fundآ’s continued support, noting that it has invested around USD 80 million in Mongolia in five major projects in infrastructure, energy and health sectors.
Cultural relations have also flourished, supported by shared traditions such as nomadic heritage, strong family values and respect for history, Ambassador Purev concluded. (end) yt.mt