In Mongolia for a historic visit, Emmanuel Macron pleads for the strengthening of energy collaboration between the two countries

A visit of a few hours, but a historic visit. The first French head of state to visit Mongolia, Emmanuel Macron arrived on Sunday May 21 in Ulan Bator, the capital of this country landlocked between two giants, China and Russia. With his Mongolian counterpart, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, the President of the Republic pleaded for the strengthening of bilateral ties in the field of energy.

The French president, who was returning from the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, and must return to Paris at the end of the evening, invited Ukhnaa Khurelsukh for a state visit in October to France.

Paris defends a major uranium mining project

This visit comes at a time when the French nuclear group Orano, already established in Mongolia, is a candidate for a large-scale uranium extraction project, which still has to obtain the approval of the Mongolian government. “The partnership with Orano is a structuring element”, “this will therefore make it possible to extract extremely important critical metals”commented Emmanuel Macron, referring to the “energy sovereignty” from France.

For its part, Paris is committed to facilitating the financing of the energy transition of this country, which is 90% dependent on coal, through cooperation on renewable energies and nuclear power.

In December, demonstrations broke out in the capital to denounce the corruption that plagues the Mongolian energy sector, even denouncing “a mafia” coal in the country.