Battsetseg Batmunkh has served as Mongolia's Foreign Affairs Minister longer than any other woman in recent memory. We asked her about her journey to become Foreign Affairs Minister and what it means to represent Mongolia on the world stage. This interview with Minister Battsetseg was first published in MONTSAME's English quarterly magazine "Mongolia Today" in the 2026 issue No.1.

-You dreamed of becoming a diplomat since childhood, yet your path took you through the private sector before returning to public service. Looking back, how did those years as a businesswoman shape the kind of diplomat and minister you became?

-Childhood dreams do not always come true on demand, and there is rarely a straight road leading to them. The path to any goal is winding, full of obstacles and detours. Along the way, the dream sometimes fades — and sometimes it transforms into something deeper: a conviction. Once a dream becomes a conviction, it never strays from its course. Over a long journey, it only gains more meaning.

For me, working in the private sector was an enormous real-life test with consequences. Success is measured not by good intentions alone, but by execution; not by lofty aspirations, but by results. The ability to negotiate, to build trust, to bear responsibility, and to reconcile short-term challenges with long-term goals — all of that is forged in business. In diplomacy, those capabilities are not merely useful. They are essential.

Foreign affairs is not only about our position on the international stage — it is an inseparable part of the future opportunities of Mongol people,

Working in the private sector helped me understand how state policy and decisions affect the lives of ordinary citizens. It helped me see why foreign policy and international relations are directly connected to the life of an ordinary herder. Foreign affairs is not only about our position on the international stage — it is an inseparable part of the future opportunities of Mongol people, the space for Mongolia’s development, and the country’s economic independence. When I think of it that way, the objectives of foreign policy become much clearer.

That is why I believe my business experience taught me that foreign affairs must be deeply pragmatic. As Foreign Affairs Minister, I have had one guiding principle: “Toward Mongolia.” I apply it in every situation. If I had to express our diplomatic work in a single word, that would be it.

-You are the third woman — after Tuya Nyam-Osor and Oyun Sanjaasuren — to serve as Foreign Affairs Minister of Mongolia, and now one of the longest-serving. What does it mean to you personally to hold that record, and what do you hope it signals to the next generation of young Mongol women?

-For Mongolia, a woman serving as minister or holding a senior leadership position for an extended period is not particularly remarkable. The two women ministers you named who preceded me in this role — their journeys and the standards they set opened the broad possibilities that exist for us today. Mongol women have dedicated their labor, strength, and minds to their country across generations.

The reason I have served in this role for so long is likely because the country’s leadership recognized that stability and trust are essential in this field today. Implementing the long-term objectives of foreign policy, measuring responsibility and outcomes — these require continuity. Diplomatic work is built on consistency, continuity, and long-term trust. Time, then, becomes a measure of responsibility rather than of position.

High office in the Mongol state, participation in international politics, and involvement in decision-making are not closed spaces for Mongol women. I hope the next generation — girls and young women — will come to see all of this not as a rare exception, but as a natural possibility. I have developed a habit of expressing my aspirations in a few words, in symbolic form. What I wish for Mongol women, and especially for young girls, I have come to call “Khatan Ukhaan” (Khatan Wisdom)— not the wisdom of a queen or a lady in the formal sense, but the resilience to rise after falling in life’s trials, to find the logic and the way through any situation, to learn from mistakes and grow better. In English, I would simply call it resilience.

I hope the next generation — girls and young women — will come to see all of this not as a rare exception, but as a natural possibility.

-Mongolia maintains diplomatic relations with all 193 UN member states. How do you actively manage and deepen such a vast diplomatic network, particularly with countries that are not immediate neighbors or “third neighbors”?

-Maintaining diplomatic relations with every UN member state is the clearest expression of Mongolia’s peace-loving, open, independent, and multi-pillar foreign policy. But it is worth remembering that establishing diplomatic relations is not the final goal — it is only the beginning of a broader partnership.

In managing this wide network, we follow three core principles: first, to sustain political dialogue consistently; second, to enrich our relations through economic, trade, investment, educational, cultural, scientific, and humanitarian cooperation; and third, to build alignment around shared values and common goals within the UN and other international frameworks.

Once those principles are established, we can measure our relationships not by geographic proximity but by proximity of opportunity — identifying where the strategic rationale for cooperation exists, where there is complementary capacity, and where trust can be built for the future. The essence of modern diplomacy is that it always keeps open the possibility of productive engagement, not only with nearby neighbors, but with distant partners as well.

Mongolia’s foreign policy is three-dimensional. It is easiest to understand by imagining it on a coordinate plane. The two horizontal axes represent our relations with our two neighbors. Rising vertically from those — pointing toward the sky — is the axis of our third-neighbor relations. The factors on that vertical axis should equal the sum of the values on the two horizontal ones. In other words, the soul of our foreign policy is balance. We must maintain balanced relations with both neighbors and with our third neighbors. We must also keep our relations with the two neighbors balanced with each other. That is the guarantee of our national security — the continuum of our foreign policy.

-Mongolia’s recent state visits have included both Russia and China at the highest levels. How do you personally navigate Mongolia’s “balanced, multi-pillar” foreign policy in an era of growing great-power and global tensions?

-The world is at war today. In these conditions, the peace-loving, independent, multi-pillar, balanced, and open foundational principles of our foreign policy have taken on deeper meaning, and many events have shown that the foreign policy we have pursued was the right one.

Our two neighbors are strategic partners bound together by history, geography, economics, infrastructure, and trade in ways that are inseparable. Our relations with Russia and China are not a matter of choice so much as a principal direction of state policy — one that manages reality with wisdom. Above that foundation, Mongolia continuously strengthens its ties with third neighbors, expands its multilateral diplomacy, and increases its engagement based on international law and cooperation.

In implementing our two-neighbor and third-neighbor policies, I hold consistently to another core principle: Mongolia is not a country that takes sides in divisions and defines itself against others. Rather, it is a country that maintains a wise, balanced, and neutral position in defense of its sovereignty, security, and developmental future. Neutrality here does not mean passive or compliant — there is a concept called active neutrality. That describes, broadly, the direction of our foreign affairs over the past five or six years.

Consistently maintaining a multi-pillar, balanced policy in difficult geopolitical conditions is not easy. Short-term challenges can be hard, but with the right policy, mid-term opportunities can emerge. The greatest challenge is less geopolitical than structural — our economy’s vulnerability in logistics and energy. A very high share of Mongolia’s exports is directed at a single market; 95% of petroleum products depend on a single country. In that structure, balanced and multi-pillar policy depends not only on diplomatic skill but on actual supply conditions.

Neutrality here does not mean passive or compliant — there is a concept called active neutrality. That describes, broadly, the direction of our foreign affairs over the past five or six years.

In the current environment, state visits, votes in international organizations, and the financing of infrastructure and strategic minerals are all read as geopolitical signals. The cost of maintaining balance has risen considerably. It is no longer sufficient simply to remain neutral without taking sides — what matters is protecting the national interest without being misread by any side.

-Mongolia has been strengthening ties with Nordic countries, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Which new partnerships do you consider the most strategically significant for Mongolia’s future, and why?

-Strengthening ties with Nordic countries opens wide possibilities for collaboration in good governance, sustainable development, green transition, innovation, education, and social inclusion. These countries are models in institutional quality and long-term development policy, and they are always ready to share the best practices that Mongolia needs for its future.

Expanding ties with Southeast Asian countries carries real significance for economics, trade, investment, and regional integration. Mongolia must participate more actively in the processes taking place in that region in order to widen its export, logistics, and market reach.

Strategic partnerships are measured not by today’s interests alone, but by how they affect Mongolia’s future development, technological renewal, human resource potential, and the resilience of national security. Simply put, the most strategically significant partnerships for Mongolia’s future should be those that expand the space for our independent choices — partnerships that have the capacity to advance some strategic objective: economic diversification, energy independence, value-added production, or broader market access.

-At the World Women’s Forum, you called on participants to place women’s education at the forefront of discussions, stating your firm belief that many challenges women face are closely tied to the level of education they receive. In the context of building modern Mongolia, what role has women’s education played, and where do the gaps still lie?

-In our context, women’s education is connected not simply to the interests of one social group, but to the quality of national development, competitiveness, and future sustainability. Women’s education has a profound influence on Mongolia’s modern development. An educated woman participates not only in her family but directly in the formation of social values and the nurturing of future citizens. The returns on women’s education therefore exceed the boundaries of one group and affect the quality of development of society as a whole.

In Mongolia, women occupy high positions in many sectors by measures of access to education and levels of social participation. But these are just numbers. When it comes to quality of education, opportunities in rural areas, digital transition, professional training aligned with the labor market, and participation in decision-making, the gaps are quite visible.

The task is not simply to ensure girls and women are educated, but to make their knowledge and education a factor in economic independence — and to ensure that Mongol women, especially in digital technology, increase their participation in public affairs.

-You have spoken about Mongol women’s participation in the country’s great history, nomadic culture, and the legacy of ancestors who brought peace to the world. How do you draw on that heritage when you represent Mongolia’s foreign policy abroad? Is it a source of strength in those conversations?

-The role Mongol women have played throughout history is a profound source of spiritual and moral strength for me.

In nomadic civilization, women were symbols of skill, organization, responsibility, and the balance of power. That is a value embedded deep in our historical consciousness.

I try to translate these values from our historical tradition into the language of modern diplomacy — to express them through words and actions. I believe that when our positions on the international stage visibly reflect a tradition of statecraft spanning many centuries, the weight and substance of what we say is amplified.

Very few countries in the world carry such a rich heritage and broad tradition of statehood. That heritage gives me the confidence to hold my ground and express my positions with conviction. On the international stage — especially when speaking of trust, cooperation, and the cause of peace — drawing on historical tradition genuinely adds force. Because when I explain that the role Mongol women play is not a recent development but a continuous thread in the nation’s heritage, our position gains greater depth and a more solid foundation.

-With your initiative, Mongolia hosted the first Female Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2023. Why was it important to hold such a meeting, and what resistance — if any — did you face in bringing it to the international stage?

-This meeting was for me not merely symbolic — it carried genuine policy content. In a time when global political challenges have become more complex and unfold across multiple levels simultaneously, I felt that the voices of female foreign ministers should be heard more clearly in international affairs. The work female ministers do, the positions they hold, are not a separate topic relevant only to diplomacy. I saw them as a direct force in peace, security, and sustainable development.

By organizing this meeting under the patronage of the President, Mongolia opened a new dimension, a new space in the global conversation. The female ministers who participated still speak of it when we meet

The work female ministers do, the positions they hold, are not a separate topic relevant only to diplomacy. I saw them as a direct force in peace, security, and sustainable development.

There was no open resistance, though there was some initial skepticism. Some probably assumed it would be a momentary event that would pass by. But when the meeting took shape with clear content — when it brought female ministers together and created a unified group — it showed that it could become a very effective platform for dialogue. It proved that Mongolia can be an initiator on the international stage.

-What made you decide that Mongolia should be the one to convene the meeting?

-For Mongolia to organize this meeting, the conditions were right both in terms of timing and substance. By virtue of our geographic position and the values of our foreign policy, Mongolia strives to serve as a bridge of dialogue, understanding, and trust — contributing to the peace and stability of our region and the world. We aspire to define our position not from behind the lines of division and polarization, but from the place of dialogue.

At the same time, Mongolia has developed real positions at the international level on women’s leadership, peacekeeping, education, and sustainable development. We therefore had not only the capacity and capability to organize it, but a clear rationale and purpose. I believe that small countries can introduce new content into global politics and build new platforms of trust — and that belief needed to be proved through action.

This meeting was ultimately about Mongolia’s responsibility within the community of democratic nations. How that responsibility is carried is measured by the quality of the ideas advanced and the trust established.

-The World Women’s Forum you hosted in August 2024 was convened in recognition of the centennial anniversary of the Women’s Federation of Mongolia. How does that century of Mongol women’s organizing connect to the international work you are doing today?

-The centennial of the Women’s Federation of Mongolia is a significant testament to Mongol women’s participation in the great work of renewing their homeland and building their country’s newest history. In other words, the issues we now speak about at the international level — women’s rights and freedoms, education, participation in decision-making — are not foreign concepts imported from outside for Mongolia. They have a deeply rooted foundation within.

The organized, conscious, and purposeful participation of women in transforming society is recognized today in every country in the world. Because Mongolia’s Women’s Federation has a hundred years of history and experience, Mongolia has the moral authority to raise women’s issues on the international stage and to host international conferences on the subject.

In organizing the World Women’s Forum, we offered the world the opportunity to view the future of women everywhere from the perspective of a hundred years of Mongol women’s experience — a morally grounded perspective with deep roots.

-Mongolia hosted the international conference on “Strengthening the Role of Women in Peacekeeping” in 2022, welcoming female peacekeepers from over 30 countries, and has committed to raising the share of women peacekeepers to 15 percent by 2027. Why is it important to you that Mongol women are visible in peace and security roles on the world stage?

-Peace and security in the world are not merely questions of war and peace — in a broader sense, they are bound up with human life, dignity, trust, and development. For that reason, women’s participation in peacekeeping is not optional. Female service members earn community trust more quickly, engage more openly with vulnerable groups, and perceive human security issues more sensitively in conflict environments — advantages that matter in many situations.

Mongol women being visibly present and participating in peacekeeping on the world stage is a concrete form of Mongolia’s commitment to peace. It is also a role model — a real example that gives Mongol girls and women the belief that they can.

As a female foreign affairs minister, having Mongol women more actively engaged in peacekeeping is a very clear expression of how sincerely Mongolia is contributing to the maintenance of global peace and stability.

-Global tensions have tested the foundations of multilateral diplomacy in ways few could have predicted when you took office. After five years navigating that landscape, what has your tenure taught you about what it really takes to be an effective diplomat?

-Global politics is changing at a remarkable pace. Diplomacy is adapting along with it. What has not changed is that effective diplomatic work requires depth of substance and well-grounded foundations.

The time that has passed has taught me that strategic patience is essential. I came to understand that, for diplomacy, the greatest challenge is to preserve and maintain trust that has already been built. A diplomat must, of course, understand reality accurately. But no matter how the balance of power shifts across the world, holding firmly to one’s own country’s core interests and long-term direction is the most important thing of all.

Something else I have come to believe: small countries can participate in world politics with genuine influence. To do so, a country’s position must be clear and yet built on foundations that no one can refute — historical, political, economic, and legal grounds so solid that there is no argument against them. If the foundation is unshakable, most challenges can be turned into opportunities.

-When historians look back at this era of Mongol diplomacy, what do you hope they say about your contribution during your tenure specifically?

-I hope that future historians will say that, in a very complex and risky international environment, Mongolia conducted its independent, balanced, and multi-pillar foreign policy with dignity and consistency.

I also hope they will say that during this period, work was done to make Mongolia’s voice heard on the world stage — more actively, more ambitiously, more broadly. Over the past years, I have tried to show that Mongolia is a country that can launch new initiatives, open new platforms for dialogue, and genuinely contribute to women’s leadership, peace, and multilateral cooperation.

In the end, if historians conclude that I was able to protect my country’s sovereignty, core interests, and international standing, that will be the highest honor of all.

Published Date:2026-05-13