Secretary General of the State Great Hural (Parliament), B. Baasandorj, met today with Sara L. Taylor, Country Representative for Mongolia at the Asia Foundation.

At the start of the meeting, Secretary General B. Baasandorj extended greetings on International Human Rights Day and expressed gratitude to the Asia Foundation for its impactful work in Mongolia over the past 30 years. This includes improving governance, mitigating the effects of climate change, promoting gender equality, and intensifying anti-corruption efforts.

He highlighted the collaboration between the Secretariat of the State Great Hural and the Asia Foundation, particularly mentioning the first-ever deliberative polling on constitutional amendments in 2017. He also noted the successful implementation of projects under the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which focused on enhancing citizen participation in legislative processes, advancing parliamentary education, strengthening the Parliamentary Research and Development Institute, and promoting transparency and openness in the parliament.

Secretary General Baasandorj further expressed his appreciation for the renewed MoU signed during the visit of Asia Foundation Executive Vice President Suzanne Siskel in May 2024. He emphasized confidence in strengthening cooperation with the Asia Foundation based on past collaborative experiences.

He also briefed Ms. Taylor on the 126-member Parliament formed following the constitutional changes in 2023, which included representatives from five political parties, and introduced the strategic plan adopted by the State Great Hural for the next four years. He reiterated his readiness to partner with international organizations to ensure the successful implementation of this strategy.

Sara L. Taylor, Country Representative for Mongolia at the Asia Foundation, expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to review past joint initiatives and discuss ways to expand cooperation. She highlighted the Asia Foundation’s ongoing program, Media and Civil Society Strengthening in Mongolia,” funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Ms. Taylor conveyed her hope that this program would pave the way for closer collaboration between the Asia Foundation, the State Great Hural, and other government institutions.

She underscored that the program focuses on fostering creative engagement and cooperation among the government, the public, media, and civil society organizations. In addition, she expressed interest in initiatives aimed at building the capacity of newly elected MPs and government officials.

During the meeting, the parties discussed strengthening the capacities of the Secretariat staff and the Parliamentary Research and Development Institute, as well as expanding cooperation. They also reviewed ongoing efforts to enhance transparency by making attendance and voting records from plenary sessions and standing committee meetings publicly accessible. Furthermore, they discussed organizing the “Open Parliament” initiative to bolster openness and transparency in the legislature.