Experts explain what’s behind President Tokayev’s visit to Mongolia
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev traveled to Mongolia for a business visit on Oct. 28 and 29, 2024. The guard of honor, horse guard, and nomad tent welcomed him in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Kursiv.media has interviewed experts to understand the goals of this trip.
During a closed meeting with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, President Tokayev referred to Mongolia as one of Kazakhstan’s most important partners and emphasized the special significance of the visit. Political analyst Gaziz Abishev views this visit as a step toward strengthening Kazakhstan-Mongolia relations on a regional scale.
«This is a regular state visit, which implies no groundbreaking and life-altering consequences. The majority of documents signed are memoranda, some sort of general guidelines for agencies from both countries. This may be valued as an intention to breathe life into economic relationships. The real question is whether a solid foundation exists for this. Does Mongolia possess resources useful to Kazakhstan? And does Mongolia need what Kazakhstan has to offer?» Abishev wondered.
During the negotiations, Tokayev expressed interest in developing joint ecological, historical, and economic tourism. However, the analyst doubts this area holds significant potential for either country.
«In terms of logistics, we don’t particularly need Mongolia, especially given the limited potential for joint tourism. It will be a routine job maintaining activities within the region,» the speaker summed up.
However, analyst Aidar Amrebayev expresses another opinion on the issue.
«President Tokayev’s trip to Mongolia was more than a courtesy visit; it had pragmatic objectives. The two sides explored all potential areas for bilateral cooperation, with a strong focus on the economic sphere — a crucial area amid the ongoing turbulence and fragility of the global economy,» he highlighted.
According to Amrebayev, having Mongolia as a partner and an additional point for economic advancement reinforces Kazakhstan’s functional strength and capacity.
The president’s office reported that the leaders discussed opportunities for cooperation in the spheres of agriculture, energy, transportation, logistics, mining and finance.
Following the meeting, Khürelsükh presented Tokayev with a Kazakh-Mongolian dictionary featuring more than 60,000 lexical entries.
«Our countries have maintained diplomatic relations for 30 years. This is the first visit at this level in 16 years. We see your visit as a foundation for defining the prospects and fields of bilateral cooperation for the near future,» Khürelsükh summarized.
