Mongolia: Women increasingly at the center of foreign diplomacy

Nyamkhuu Ulambayar (Left) presenting her Letter of Credence as Mongolia’s Ambassador to UNESCO to Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the UNESCO (Montsame)

ULAANBAATAR: The tweet by Mongolia’s new Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh summed it up.

The country that for centuries was associated with masculine virility and warrior’s strength is now highlighting the skills and prowess of its women as ambassadors in foreign capitals.

“For the first time in its history, the Mongolian diplomatic service has the largest number of ambassadors. Of the 31 ambassadors, six are female ambassadors. The issue of women is thus being addressed in foreign relations,” Battsetseg Batmunkh posted on her Twitter account.

Last month, Mongolia’s parliament approved the appointment of long-time diplomat Sarantagos Erdnetogt as ambassador to South Korea and Gerelma Davasuren as ambassador to Switzerland.

Nyamkhuu Ulambayar participating in an online meeting (Montsame)

In December, and in a historic first, Nyamkhuu Ulambayar was appointed as ambassador to France. Her mission includes strengthening ties with UNESCO, Spain, Portugal, Monaco and Andorra.

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs assumed her duties on January 29, 2021.

Born in 1973, she graduated from Mongolian National University in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in international relations, the University of Finance and Economics in 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands in 2005 with a Master’s degree in business administration.

She has 24 years of experience in public and diplomatic service and speaks English and Russian.