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Mongolia signs digital skills partnership with Google as landlocked nation seeks closer ties with US www.scmp.com
Google and the government of Mongolia have struck a new partnership to bring digital devices and training to Mongolian classrooms, as the East Asian country, sandwiched between China and Russia, seeks to strengthen ties with the US.
Under the plan, 20,000 new Chromebook laptops will be supplied to Mongolian teachers and provide training for 10,000 of them, promoting proficiency in the use of technology in classrooms, the Mongolian government said in a joint press release with the Californian company.
Google for Education is a “key partner” for Mongolia in its long-term development plan, which seeks to prepare the country’s school-age children for the digitally transforming world, it said.
“Through this initiative with Google, the life chances of Mongolia’s youth will not only improve, but our thriving start-up ecosystems and growth in high innovation sectors will be further supported,” said Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene.
Mongolians long for space in rapidly-urbanising capital Ulaanbaatar
Google will also provide the country with 1 million Google for Education Workspace accounts and 1,000 scholarships for Google Career Certificates to “upskill Mongolians in high-demand tech skills ranging from cybersecurity to data analytics”, John Solomon, vice-president at Google for Education and ChromeOS, said.
Google executives and Mongolian officials also discussed other collaborative opportunities that would incorporate Google for Start-ups, YouTube Local and artificial intelligence, according to their statement.
Oyun-Erdene signed the deal during an eventful trip to the US, where he also met with US Vice-President Kamala Harris, other senior government officials and private sector figures in Washington last week to discuss strengthening bilateral strategic partnerships.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Mongolia and the US agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas including rare earth minerals, technology and energy. Both governments also hailed a new Open Skies Agreement that allows direct flights between the countries.
Mongolia holds a growing role in the global tech landscape, as it is rich in rare earth and copper deposits, which are crucial in the manufacturing of hi-tech products such as defence equipment and electric vehicles, which are part of many nations’ plans to address climate change.
Mongolia has cultivated partnerships with both the US and China this year. Landlocked Mongolia has long relied on its two massive neighbours, China and Russia, for most of its trade.
The country has a population of over 3 million, 65 per cent under the age of 35, making it ready to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the worldwide growth of the digital and technology sectors, according to the government.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently spoke with Oyun-Erdene over possible investments and cooperation in the electric vehicle sector. SpaceX, another company helmed by Musk and the operator of satellite internet system Starlink, received government approval last month to provide internet services in Mongolia.
In the past two years, Mongolia has moved up 18 places on the United Nations E-Government Development Index, which measures how a country is using information technologies to promote access and inclusion of its people. It currently ranks 74th.
BY Dylan Butts
Dylan is an American who graduated from the University of Hong Kong's Master of Journalism programme in 2022.
Published Date:2023-08-07
