On June 04, 2019, the Secretary General of the IPU, Mr. MartinChungong sent a letter addressing Mr. Gombojav Zandanshatar, Chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia for kind assistance andcollaboration in the organization of the Second Regional Seminar for theAsia-Pacific Region Parliaments on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goalsheld in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on May 27-28, 2019.

Dear Mr. Chairman,

I wish to express my most sincere gratitude to you and yourParliament for graciously hosting the Second Regional Seminar for theAsia-Pacific Region Parliaments on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Your active personal role throughout the event not only set the tone ofthe meeting, but also illustrated your steadfast commitment to advancing theachievement of the SDGs. The IPU was pleased to have been represented by itsPresident, Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron.

Participants greatly appreciated the warm welcome theyreceived from their Mongolian hosts, as well as the competent and professionalmanner in which the event was organised. I would like to express my heartfeltappreciation to H.E. Mr. Luvsantseren Enkh-Amgalan, Vice-Chairman of the StateGreat Hural, Ms. Dulamsuren Oyunkhorol, Chair of the Standing Committee onSocial Policy, Education, Culture and Science as well as all the Members ofParliament who have kindly accepted to moderate the seminar’s sessions. Myprofound gratitude also goes to the entire staff of the State Great Hural fortheir efficiency, professionalism and kindness.

The Seminar was very well attended—there were more than 100participants from 18 countries joined by experts from UN agencies, governmentaland non-governmental organizations. The welcoming remarks by the H.E. UkhnaaKhurelsukh, Prime Minister of Mongolia and the courtesy call on H.E. Mr.Khaltmaagiin Battulga, President of Mongolia were greatly appreciated byparticipants. 

I was delighted to learn that the proceedings were rich andinsightful and provided a forum for exchanging experiences and good practicesamong parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region. The panel debates gave theparticipants a practical understanding of issues that are particularly relevantfor effective implementation of the SDGs in the Asia-Pacific region. I was alsoglad that the usefulness of the IPUUNDP Self-Assessment Toolkit washighlighted. 

The outcome document, which was adopted at the end of theSeminar, outlines several important actions that are to be taken to advanceparliamentary engagement with the SDGs in the region with a particular emphasison gender equality, education, health and climate change. I am confident thatit will serve as a valuable roadmap for implementation of the SDGs at both theregional and national levels. I am pleased to share with you the link to theOutcome Document adopted at the Seminar: 

https://www.ipu.org/event/second-regional-seminar-asia-pacific-region-parliaments- 

achieving-sustainable-development-goals/documents I wouldalso like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the proactivity andleadership shown by the State Great Hural in being in the forefront of the SDGsimplementation. By approving the “Mongolia Sustainable Development Vision –2030” through the resolution n°19 in 2016, producing a publication on the SDGsimplementation in the country and translating the IPU-UNDP Self-AssessmentToolkit into Mongolian, the State Great Hural has been demonstrating a commendablecommitment to implement the SDGs at the national level. 

We would be interested in knowing whether the State GreatHural would be willing to continue its leadership by becoming one of the firstparliaments in the East Asia to carry out the SDGs self-assessment exercise?The IPU would certainly be pleased to support or facilitate thisself-assessment.

I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you at the forthcomingIPU Assembly in Belgrade (Serbia), and I look forward to continuing ourfruitful collaboration with the State Great Hural of Mongolia.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Chungong 

Secretary General