Mongolia, 2012

Last year, Mongolia observed

the fiftieth anniversary of its joining this important body. Thanks to the choice of our free people, this son

of a herder is here today, happy to report on Mongolia’s

progress in building a strong and free society.

More than 20 years ago, Mongolia stood at a

crossroads. The f lag of democracy was firmly planted

in our rich and historic soil when, in the cold winter of

1989 and in the spring of the White Horse Year of 1990,

decades of rule without the consent of the governed were

swept aside. Individual rights and liberties prevailed.

Our revolution did not break a single window, and not

one drop of blood was shed.

More than two decades later, Mongolia is a stable

beacon of self-governance, a moving force behind the

Asian Partnership Initiative for Democracy and the

current President of the Community of Democracies.

We are proud to chair that world movement for freedom.

Mongolia has demonstrated a firm commitment

to transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

We have recognized that that is the only way that our

democracy can succeed. Therefore, we cannot tolerate

public corruption at any level, from the highest officials

to the ordinary citizen. Corruption is like an infectious

disease, growing in the dark, eating away at the public

trust, scaring away investors, robbing average citizens

of opportunities and attacking the vital immune system

of a nation. We must shine a light on corruption and

attack it head-on.

Additionally, our track record of free and fair

elections and the peaceful transfer of power from one

party to another can serve as an example to our sister

democracies around the world. Mongolia is moving

towards more direct and participatory democracy.

We are empowering our people, not the Government.

Mongolia is proud to be the democratic anchor in the

East.

No democracy is ever perfect. We have experienced

challenges similar to those experienced by other young

democracies. Democracy does not end with the casting

of a ballot. That is just the beginning.

Mongolia is uniquely situated on many levels,

democratically, economically and geographically. Our

drive for democracy, transparency and hope for peace

makes our nation a vital regional player.

Economically, we are blessed by extraordinary

growth — nearly 17 per cent last year. Keeping up with

our high rate of growth is a very real challenge and

one that we are prepared to meet directly. We are very focused on balancing two goals — first, sharing the

opportunities created by our economic success with all

Mongolians, and secondly, demonstrating clearly and

firmly that Mongolia is open for business and a fully

engaged member of the international community.

Our nation’s needs are significant — improved

infrastructure, better health care and world-class

education. We have much to do to meet the immediate

and long-term needs of our people. Our people are

the key to our success. We need to invest in their

future. We need to invest in both social and economic

infrastructure. We are committed to making the

investments needed to give our children the bright

futures they deserve.

As an emerging leader of the global community,

Mongolia also has important international priorities.

None is more important than protecting our

environment. All nations must work to preserve our

planet as our economies expand and mature. I was

honoured and humbled to be recognized by the United

Nations Environmental Programme this year for the

work we are doing in Mongolia to preserve our precious

environment. We are committed to doing even more.

Another priority for Mongolia is expanding

human rights. Mongolia has established an effective

moratorium on capital punishment. We are seeking to

permanently abolish the death penalty in Mongolia by

legislative action very soon. A Government is created

by its people; therefore no Government has the right

to take the life of those who have created it. Let me be

clear: capital punishment is ineffective and barbaric.

Mongolia cares deeply about safeguarding global

peace. We must preserve our planet by eliminating

nuclear weapons across the world. We are also firmly

opposed to storing nuclear waste on Mongolian soil.

We are celebrating 20 years of enjoying nuclear-

weapon-free status. I am grateful that on 17 September,

the five permanent members of the Security

Council — the People’s Republic of China, France,

the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the

United States — signed a joint declaration reaffirming

that status for Mongolia.

The dialogue on Mongolia and its nuclear-

weapon-free zone, which was initiated and has been led

by Mongolia, has continued to make progress. We will

host an event in 2015 to make even further progress.

While nuclear power may remain a viable energy

option for some, any nuclear energy programme in

development must submit to the permanent supervision

of the United Nations and the International Atomic

Energy Agency. Any nation seeking to build nuclear

power must not endanger the peace and security of

its independent neighbours. The solution to those

challenges is engagement, not isolation. The solution is

more diplomacy, more dialogue and more action.

Now more than ever, it is clear that words alone

are not enough. We must be united in taking action to

preserve peace. That goal is even more imperative in

light of the conflicts that have grown ever more tense

in areas such as the Middle East. I was saddened by the

death of the United States Ambassador and others in

Libya. The mission of diplomacy is peaceful. Attacks

on diplomatic compounds violate both the letter and

spirit of international law.

Today, I join with Mongolia’s allies in condemning

the needless violence and bloodshed in Syria. Last year

I urged action. The protest had started peacefully, but

was met with violence from the Syrian Government.

Each day, each hour and, indeed, each minute, the

situation grows worse. In dealing with crises such as

that in Syria, we must remember that those dying are

not just citizens of that nation. They are also citizens

of our planet. They are therefore also our brothers

and sisters. The world should be unified and direct in

bringing the bloodshed to an end before another life is

needlessly lost.

Young girls and boys should be in school, studying

for their future, building their dreams. Young girls and

boys, as well as their mothers and fathers, should not be

dying in the streets and living through nightmares. That

crisis is not just a subject for television programmes.

We Members of the United Nations are not spectators.

The Organization was not created merely to watch a

show unfold on our televisions. We have to act. We have

to move.

Too many mothers suffer when their children

struggle, whether it is for a lack of human rights or

economic opportunity. Mothers want their children to

be free. They want their children to have a job. They

want a better life for their children. My 92-year-old-

mother reminds me daily to serve all people with

respect, especially women, children and the elderly.

Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock

of a nation. They bring life into the world. They sense

the cries of an infant. Their instincts are to care for the old, the sick and those in need. Our mothers, sisters and

daughters share a core value of caring for others.

We need more women leaders. Women tend to see

the whole picture. For society to advance, we need more

women in public service at all levels, local to global.

They bring a unique perspective that is often missing

in global challenges. Has anyone ever heard of a female

bloody dictator or tyrant? I think not. If there were more

women in power, I think we would have more harmony,

more engagement, less suffering and less conflict. I am

proud to report that in our last elections, we tripled the

number of women in Parliament.

The way to empower women is to ensure that girls

share the same educational opportunities as boys.

Education is the most basic human right. It is the

fundamental building block for human development and

free society. We owe our children — all of them — the

opportunities that a strong education can offer. Instead

of weapons, we should invest more in education, which

unlocks the potential of every child. The return on

such investment will be higher, both for the young men

and women of tomorrow and for the world. Educated

nations are more secure economically, respect human

rights and have greater political freedom.

In conclusion, I am happy to report Mongolia’s

incredible forward movement and to renew our

commitment as a part of the community of nations. We

accept both the rights and responsibilities that come

with that honour.

Eight hundred and fifty years ago, our great king,

Chinggis Khan, was born. He built the largest land

empire in the history of the world. Yet that great king

did not erect a single statute to himself. Chinggis Khan

famously noted, “It was easier to conquer the world on

horseback than to dismount and try to govern.” Let us

be frank. It is not easy to be a diplomat in a troubled

world. It is not easy to fight for equal opportunity for

all. It is not easy to shine a light on corruption. It is not

easy to govern by the rule of law. It is not easy to build

real democracy.

It is easier to build statues. It is easier to destroy.

It is hard to govern well. But we all must dismount and

govern, and govern well. That is vital in order to build

a world where our children feel safer, a world where

our families are stronger, a world where all nations can

prosper. That is the legacy that real leaders need to build — not

statues, but opportunities for all humankind. Let us,

together, build opportunities for all.