AKIPRESS.COM - The 12th political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States Department of State took place on January 20 in Ulaanbaatar, Monstame reported.

Representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sport, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the Ministry of Energy, the National Emergency Management Agency and the Institute for Strategic Studies of the National Security Council joined the US representatives from the Department of State, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, US Agency for International Development, and U.S. Embassy in the Annual Bilateral Consultations .

The meeting was co-chaired by State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ts.Davaasuren and the US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan A.Thornton.

During the meeting, Mongolia reported on the activities of the Government, foreign policy priorities, latest developments in political, social and economic spheres, implementation of the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Fund Facility program and measures taken to attract foreign direct investment and restore investors’ trust.

The sides noted how bilateral relations advanced in 2017 in the margins of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In particular, bilateral relations have seen developments such as the re-selection of Mongolia as eligible country for a Second Compact Agreement of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, launch of USD 10 million project to boost Mongolia’s meat export, the first consultation on energy policy, re-establishment of Mongolia group in the US Congress, addition of Mongolia to the list of countries eligible for the H-2A/B visa program and implementation of LEAD and FLEX programs.