AKIPRESS.COM - Member of Parliament and Head of the Mongolia–Switzerland Parliamentary Group Batchimeg Purev met with Ambassador of Switzerland to Mongolia Krystyna Marty on April 3, Montsame reported.

MP Batchimeg congratulated the Ambassador on assuming her duties and wished her success. She expressed her satisfaction that, for the first time, a Switzerland–Mongolia parliamentary friendship group has been formed in the Swiss National Council.

MP Batchimeg further highlighted that Switzerland is Mongolia's "third neighbor" and a trusted partner in Europe, stressing that inter-parliamentary cooperation plays an important role in expanding relations in key social and economic sectors. She also pointed out that, as a result of systemic reforms, the current 126-member parliament, comprising representatives from five parties and coalitions, includes 32 women members, which is a leading figure in Asia.

She noted that efforts are being made to ensure gender equality in key sectors of the economy, increase women's employment, and support women entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises through policy measures.

The parties agreed that there is significant potential to strengthen cooperation in developing traditional livestock husbandry based on best practices and in addressing climate change and environmental issues.

They also noted the successful implementation of numerous joint projects and programs aimed at strengthening democracy, the rule of law, and parliamentary governance. In particular, the Strengthening Parliamentary Institution project, implemented in cooperation between the Secretariat of the Mongolian Parliament and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, was highlighted as progressing successfully.

Ambassador Krystyna Marty expressed her gratitude to MP Batchimeg for receiving her and affirmed her commitment to supporting efforts to elevate bilateral relations to a new level within the scope of her authority. She emphasized that there is full potential to consolidate past achievements and further expand traditional cooperation across many social and economic sectors.

Both sides agreed that ensuring gender equality is a key driver of national development and exchanged views on cooperating in various ways to support women's leadership.

At the end of the meeting, Ambassador Krystyna Marty noted that the establishment of parliamentary groups in both countries is important for strengthening cooperation between legislative bodies and expressed her intention to actively promote people-to-people relations in the future.