Ulaanbaatar, December 4, 2023 /MONTSAME. President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, who is participating in the World Climate Action Summit (WCAS) of the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP 28 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates addressed the High-level Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) on Addressing the Unique Climate Vulnerability of LLDC’s through Partnerships on December 2, 2023.

The President highlighted the urgent need to intensify the global fight against climate change to achieve actual results, as humanity is facing the hottest years in terms of global climate since industrialization, and natural disasters including fires, droughts, and floods all over the world, that caused significant damage to the environment and human society.

Landlocked developing countries face many challenges, such as being far from international markets, having high foreign trade costs, being highly dependent on transit countries, and are most affected by climate change, noted the President.

“Although Mongolia accounts for only 0.1 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, it is one of the countries most affected by climate change.

Mongolia supports the launching of the "Loss and Damage Fund" to assist the countries vulnerable to climate change considering that it would be a vital support for countries that require special needs.”

Emphasizing that Mongolia strives to increase its national contribution to global efforts to combat climate change, desertification, and global warming President Khurelsukh noted some actions taken by the country including the implementation of national campaigns such as "One Billion Trees", "Food Supply and Security", and "Healthy Mongolian" throughout the country; initiatives of establishing a group of LLDCs under the World Trade Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization; working on to host "World Women's Conference" to discuss women's participation and leadership in combating climate change and 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Desertification in 2026.

“We need evidence-based research to address the unique challenges of climate change in landlocked developing countries.

That is why our country established the International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries (ITTLLDC) based in Ulaanbaatar, developed and strengthened it to become an independent international intergovernmental institution, and through this organization has been making a valuable contribution to the policy development of landlocked developing countries.

We believe that for the past ten years, the research center jointly with the UN has carried out to carry out high-quality policy research works that are significant to LLDCs,” said the President and called on countries to implement research projects jointly with the research center as well as to join Multilateral Agreement on the Establishment of ITTLLDC to make the research center to grow stronger, and ensure the possibility of cooperation between the researchers from landlocked countries and carrying out large-scale research projects.  

At the end of his speech, the President of Mongolia emphasized the importance of unity, mutual understanding, partnership, cooperation, bold decisions, and persistent efforts of LLDCs in overcoming the challenges, successfully implementing the set goals, and achieving sustainable development.