The Mongolia-NATO Partnership 

The North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO) not too long ago celebrated its seventy fifth anniversary in Washington, D.C. Since its institution in 1949, partnership with NATO has develop into an vital international coverage device not just for member nations but in addition for non-member states like Mongolia. With NATO eying companions in Asia, Mongolia-NATO relations will proceed to emphasise capacity-building mechanisms to deal with Mongolia’s nontraditional safety points, comparable to cybersecurity. 

As International Minister of Mongolia Battsetseg Batmunkh highlighted in a 2021 interview, “Mongolia’s particular partnership and cooperation with NATO goals at collaborating in political dialogue, schooling, capacity-building, peacekeeping operations, and overcoming new safety challenges.” Battsetseg additionally emphasised that, per Mongolia’s multi-pillared international coverage idea, the Mongolia-NATO partnership is just not aimed towards another nation. 

Since 2005, Mongolia and NATO have been in dialogue and cooperated on a number of continents. The twenty years of Mongolia-NATO partnership illustrates the importance of navy diplomacy.  

To Ulaanbaatar, the early 2000s have been essential years as Mongolia’s international coverage strived to ascertain and strengthen relationships with world establishments, which included NATO. In accordance with Mongolia’s international coverage idea, partnership with NATO solely got here on the stage of cooperation – with out having Mongolia be a part of as a member state. 

Beneath Mongolia’s multi-pillared international coverage technique, Ulaanbaatar carried out navy diplomacy with NATO, particularly in schooling, peacekeeping, and capacity-building. This partnership helped the Mongolian navy to modernize and maintain tempo with world developments.  

Mongolia has actively participated in a lot of NATO-led operations and missions within the Balkans and the Center East. Between 2005 and 2007, round 70 Mongolian navy personnel participated within the Kosovo Power Intervention (KFOR) peace-support operation. On the time, Mongolia was a part of the French contingent’s multinational forces. Mongolia’s diplomatic relations with NATO member states and its engagement with multinational forces have boosted Ulaanbaatar’s worldwide repute. 

In 2014, Mongolia partnered with NATO’s Partnership Interoperability Initiative, which goals to reinforce the interoperability of the Mongolian Armed Forces by an change of greatest practices. NATO-led packages typically contain programs and coaching for navy professionals, which performs an vital function in modernizing Mongolia’s armed forces. 

Moreover, Mongolia is a part of the Constructing Integrity Program, which promotes good governance, reduces corruption, and will increase accountability within the protection sector. 

Amid successive world crises on completely different continents, Mongolia’s international coverage regarded to strengthen its contribution to the worldwide peacekeeping effort. Through the prolonged warfare in Afghanistan, Mongolia was a significant contributor to each the United Nations and NATO missions in Afghanistan. As of February 2021 – the final deployment earlier than the tip of the mission – Mongolia nonetheless contributed 233 navy personnel to the Resolute Assist Mission, marking one of many largest companion contributors. 

In his e book “Mongolia and the USA: A Diplomatic Historical past,” former U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia Jonathan S. Addleton known as Mongolia’s Afghanistan deployment “proportionally some of the vital contributions made by any nation to the Afghan marketing campaign.”

Lately, Mongolia-NATO relations have expanded into tackling fashionable safety points comparable to cybersecurity. As Mongolia’s “Digital Nation” turns into a actuality, the cybersecurity sector has develop into an space of vulnerability, and it wants enchancment. International partnerships and coaching packages not solely assist enhance the nation’s cybersecurity programs but in addition increase the Mongolian Armed Forces’ capabilities in cyber incident response. 

Between 2017 and 2020, NATO packages educated the Mongolian Armed Forces on cyber protection capabilities. In January 2021, Mongolia-NATO cooperation on cybersecurity culminated within the opening of a brand new Cyber Safety Heart for the Mongolian Armed Forces. NATO’s Deputy Secretary Normal Mircea Geoana attended the digital opening ceremony together with the Mongolian minister of protection. 

Mongolia additionally accomplished a multi-year program by the Protection Training Enhancement Program, often called DEEP. In keeping with the official press launch from NATO, the president of the Mongolian Nationwide Protection College, Main Normal Yadmaa Choijamts, said, by DEEP “45 navy personnel from the Mongolian Armed Forces, the Normal Authority for Border Safety and Nationwide Emergency Administration Company have participated within the Mongolian Employees Officer Course and gained data and abilities to hold out their duties in worldwide peacekeeping operations employees.”

Mongolia-NATO bilateral relations have modified within the final 19 years however so has the geopolitical ambiance. With developments in data expertise, growing nations want larger help in coaching, strengthening, and defending their digital programs from cyber crimes. 

Mongolia’s navy diplomacy locations an emphasis on strengthening capacity-building partnerships. Ulaanbaatar’s relations with NATO will proceed to strengthen Mongolia’s capabilities to unravel rising safety challenges.