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

Dear Mr. Chairman,

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

Participants greatly appreciated the warm welcome they received from their Mongolian hosts, as well as the competent and professional manner in which the event was organised. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to H.E. Mr. Luvsantseren Enkh-Amgalan, Vice-Chairman of the State Great Hural, Ms. Dulamsuren Oyunkhorol, Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Policy, Education, Culture and Science as well as all the Members of Parliament who have kindly accepted to moderate the seminar’s sessions. My profound gratitude also goes to the entire staff of the State Great Hural for their efficiency, professionalism and kindness.

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

I was delighted to learn that the proceedings were rich and insightful and provided a forum for exchanging experiences and good practices among parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region. The panel debates gave the participants a practical understanding of issues that are particularly relevant for effective implementation of the SDGs in the Asia-Pacific region. I was also glad that the usefulness of the IPUUNDP Self-Assessment Toolkit was highlighted. 

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

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

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

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

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

Yours sincerely,

Martin Chungong 

Secretary General