Yearly Archives: 2013

My Sources on Developments in Mongolia

I am sometimes asked how I keep up with developments in Mongolia from afar. I take that question as a compliment on the quality of the analysis we provide. Social Media Twitter has become an invaluable tool for keeping up … Continue reading

Posted in Media and Press, Research on Mongolia, Social Media | Tagged | Leave a comment

Export peacekeeping training to Central and East Asia

This op-ed is first appeared in The Embassy, Canada’s foreign policy newsweekly (12/19/2013) Canada, a co-creator of United Nations peacekeeping, has a substantial comparative advantage in transferring peacekeeping knowledge to Central and East Asian countries, including former communist states, as it … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Central Asia, Military, Mongolia and ..., UN | Tagged | Leave a comment

Visas, Medicine, Education: Feeling Chinese Soft Power in Mongolia

China has been gradually increasing its soft power in neighbouring Mongolia, from offers of visa-free travel to access to its medical facilities, and most recently, growing educational opportunities in China for Mongolians. These policies have gone far in diminishing deep-seated … Continue reading

Posted in Asia Pacific Memo, China, International Relations, Publications | Tagged | 1 Comment

Subscribing to Mongolia Focus Updates

We’ve posted over 250 updates to this blog in the past 2 1/2 years. Any volunteers out there to edit a compilation? 😉 You’ve asked frequently about notifications for new posts recently. All along, I’ve tweeted about new posts @jdierkes and … Continue reading

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Foreign Policy Roundup #12: November 25-December 8, 2013

Highlights for the last two weeks include the 17th meeting of the Russia-Mongolian Joint Governmental Commission, meetings with the Japanese Ministry of Defense, and new relations with Rwanda and Micronesia.   …   Neighbors The Russia-Mongolia Joint Governmental Commission met … Continue reading

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Results from the Corruption Perception Index 2013

On Dec 3, Transparency International released its annual Corruption Perception Index. Previous Posts Last year, I wrote two blog posts that specifically focused on the CPI score for Mongolia: https://mongoliafocus.com/2012/corruption-transparency-international/ https://mongoliafocus.com/2012/more-on-corruption-in-mongolia-according-to-transparency-international-further-comparisons/ Last weekend, I wrote a post that looked ahead … Continue reading

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Corruption in 2013

The imminent release of Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (Dec 3) is as good an occasion to think/write about corruption in Mongolia as any. Of course, it is especially important in the context of the CPI to emphasize that this … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Governance, Media and Press, Politics, Public Service, Social Issues | Tagged | 1 Comment

Mongolia – Myanmar Comparison

We are currently enjoying a visit by Dr. Aung Tun Thet to our Institute of Asian Research. Dr. Thet has worked in the UN system for a long time and is now centrally involved in policy-making in Myanmar as the … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Foreign Investment, Mongolia and ..., Myanmar | Tagged | 2 Comments

Foreign Policy Roundup #11: November 11-24, 2013

Highlights in this edition of the Foreign Policy Roundup: President Elbegdorj’s trip to Southeast Asia, new ambassadorial appointments, and meetings with the Queen of England.   …   Neighbors  Mongolia’s Deputy Minister of Parliament and Director of the Mongolian-Russian Parliamentary … Continue reading

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Guest Post: Mongolia in the OSCE – One Year On

Paul Bryce Further Expansion of the OSCE In the years immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the membership of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) appeared to have expanded as … Continue reading

Posted in International Relations, Mongolia and ... | Leave a comment

Foreign Policy Roundup #10: October 28-November 10, 2013

Here are the highlights from the last two weeks in Mongolian foreign policy news, including: Elbegdorj’s trip to North Korea and L. Bold’s attendance at the recent UNESCO forum.   …   Asia Pacific President Elbegdorj made an official visit … Continue reading

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November 22 Event in Vancouver: Canada-Mongolia Relations

Program on Inner Asia Institute of Asian Research UBC Friday, November 22, 2013 17:30-19h UBC Robson Square, Room C400 On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Canada-Mongolia Diplomatic Relations Canada-Mongolia Relations and Mongolian Foreign Policy Introduction Tobin ROBBINS Honorary … Continue reading

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The Political Theatre of a State Visit to Mongolia

October 25 was the first day of a two-day State Visit by Canadian Governor General David Johnston to Mongolia. Ahead of the visit, I offered some background. For me, this was the first state visit by anyone anywhere that I … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Education, Foreign Policy, Governor General's Visit 2013 | Tagged | 3 Comments

Visible Manifestations of Social Change in Ulaanbaatar

By Julian Dierkes It seems to me that social change has accelerated in Mongolia, or at least in Ulaanbaatar, or at least in central Ulaanbaatar in the past two years. I’ve had the food fortune to have visited Mongolia three … Continue reading

Posted in Change, Curios, Social Change, Ulaanbaatar | Tagged | 2 Comments

My Governor General’s Medallion

It is a bit embarrassing to toot my own horn in this way, but the Rt Hon David Johnston awarded me a Governor General’s Medallion at the Friends of Canada reception on Oct 26 2013. During the award, the following … Continue reading

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