The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Batzetsgeg Batmunkh, held an official meeting with Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, the Secretary General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), during her visit to Sweden. This was reported by MidleAsianNews.
During the conversation, the minister emphasized the importance of Mongolia's cooperation with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance and discussed opportunities for further development of relations through the implementation of specific projects and programs.
The parties also agreed to work together on the resolution "On Enhancing Transparency in the Financing of Election Candidates, Political Parties, and Electoral Campaigns," which was proposed by Mongolia at the 11th Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption. Additionally, the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of an Asian Electoral Observation Reference Center in Ulaanbaatar was discussed.
Batzetsgeg also noted that the research and global assessments of democracy conducted by the institute are important resources for government institutions, academic organizations, and politicians both in Mongolia and in other countries. She suggested considering the possibility of deepening cooperation in this area.
At the end of the meeting, Batzetsgeg invited Dr. Casas-Zamora to visit Mongolia.
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) was founded in 1995 and is an intergovernmental organization that includes countries from all continents. Mongolia became a member of this organization in 2011, and currently, 35 countries are full members.
In June 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the General Election Commission of Mongolia and International IDEA regarding the establishment of the "Asian Electoral Observation Reference Center" in Mongolia.
International IDEA regularly conducts research and publishes reports on the "Global State of Democracy" (GSoD), which highlight the state of democracy and electoral reform in Mongolia.
The main goal of IDEA is to promote the improvement of democratic institutions and processes by deepening knowledge about the issues that contribute to democratic progress. The organization connects analysts and experts monitoring democratic changes with those directly involved in political reforms or supporting democracy both at home and abroad. IDEA works with both new democratic states and those where democracy is already established, fostering the development of democratic institutions and culture. The organization's activities span international, regional, and national levels and are carried out in cooperation with various institutions.
