During his visit, President Ts.Elbegdorj also attended the Mongolia-Germany Business Forum, met his counterpart, President of Germany Joachim Gauck, and Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel.
During the event, which kicked off on March 3, President Ts.Elbegdorj, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Governing Mayor of Berlin Michael Muller, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifai, and President of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry Michael Frenzel delivered remarks.
In his address, President Ts.Elbegdorj noted, “Mongolia is delighted to participate in ITB Berlin as Official Partner Country. There is an old saying in our country, ‘Meet people while your father is with you. Travel when you have horse’. If you want to travel the lands of the greatest empire on Earth, founded by the great Chinggis Khaan and Attila Khaan, if you want an adventure in fascinating nature, or if you want to see a country that is moving towards economic development, visit Mongolia. I cordially invite you to visit Mongolia.”
In the photos:
1. In the square near the main entrance of Messe Berlin Mongolia has erected a ger with 15 walls. Three more gers with 4, five and eight walls were built inside the exhibit hall, which will represent Mongolia’s customs and tradition.
2. Most visitors to Mongolia choose airplanes for their arrival. MIAT Mongolian Airlines is promoting its operations at the event.
3. A Mongolian team of 60 artists preparing for a performance in City Cube Berlin hall of Messe Berlin. Director of On’Off Production Ononbat directed the performance.
4. In the central part of the Asian continent are in the fairgrounds Mongolia erected a ger. The main design of the pavillion was created by Babelsberg Film School professor from Potsdam, Germany, D.Ariunsaikhan.
5. Traditional Mongolian food will be served at ITB 2015.
The event is being held at the Messe Berlin fairground, which covers 160,000 square meters, 400 square meters of which is dedicated to promoting Mongolia. Mongolia is attending the event under the theme “Mongolia, nomadic by nature”.
According to industry studies, after successful participation in ITB Berlin, the number of tourists to a country increases by 15 to 30 percent. After participating in ITB Berlin 2010 as an Official Partner Country, Turkey managed to attract 31.4 million international visitors in 2011, and 39.7 million in 2012, the Office of the President reported.
ITB Berlin allows countries to introduce their tourism products and services to the European tourism market. Mongolia has participated in ITB Berlin since 1999. ITB Berlin has been held annually since 1966, and this year more than 10,000 tourism agencies from 190 countries are taking part in the exhibition. Around 175,000 visitors from all over the world come to ITB Berlin every year.
MONGOLIA-GERMANY BUSINESS FORUM
Mongolian delegates led by President Ts.Elbegdorj attended the German-Mongolian Business Forum in Berlin on March 3, which was jointly hosted by the Invest in Mongolia investment agency, the German Asia-Pacific Committee, and Mongolian Embassy to Germany at the Berlin City Administration Office.
At the event, Deputy Minister of Construction and Urban Development of Mongolia G.Baigalmaa gave a detailed introduction of her sector, and Department Head at the Ministry of Transport S.Adyasuren, Department Head at the Ministry of Industry D.Battogtokh, and Deputy Governor of Ulaanbaatar Ts.Enkhtsengel gave presentations about projects being implemented in the construction sector.
Senior Advisor to the Department of Investment D.Irmuun briefly introduced the investment environment of Mongolia, as well as Mongolian companies that were attending the forum. He also gave a presentation on the Maitreya City project by German architects.
A total of 170 representatives from industrial, tourism, infrastructure, and urban development sector organizations took part in the event. Ninety representatives attended for German organizations, which organizers said proves that the German private sector is interested in cooperating with Mongolia. The forum was attended by 15 Mongolian companies, most of them in partnerships with German companies.
President Ts.Elbegdorj, Governing Mayor of Berlin Michael Muller, and Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bank Juergen Fitschen delivered opening remarks at the forum. Minister of Foreign Affairs L.Purevsuren, Minister of Transport L.Tumurkhuu, Governor of Ulaanbaatar E.Bat-Uul, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to Germany Ts.Bolor, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Mongolia Gerhard Thiedemann also attended the forum.
PRESIDENTS OF GERMANY AND MONGOLIA MEET
On the last day of his working visit, President Ts.Elbegdorj met with the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joachim Gauck.
President Gauck expressed his pleasure in welcoming the President of Mongolia and noted, “We highly value and respect Mongolia’s path towards democracy. I hope that our two countries will further enhance our historic bilateral relations. There are ample opportunities to promote and enrich intensifying the development of mutual ties in the political sector through economic cooperation. I would like to emphasize that the Mongolia-Germany Institute of Technology is one of the major achievements of our bilateral partnership in the education sphere.”
President Elbegdorj said, “I am pleased to remember that I was the first official visitor of the newly elected President of Germany, Joachim Gauck, in 2012. This year marks the 25th anniversary of democratic elections in our country, and a ceremony will be held July, in Ulaanbaatar. I believe that Your Excellency, President Joachim Gauck, will attend this event. Your visit will underline the importance of the mutual relations between the two countries and contribute to enhancing and sharing democratic values in our region. In the scope of my initiative on the National Program to Develop Mongolian studies, Mongolia is successfully expanding partnership with the universities of Germany. Mongolia and Germany share similar positions on key issues of international relations and support each other. Mongolia is interested in maintaining and continuing this close cooperation with Germany.”
President Gauck asked questions of President Ts.Elbegdorj and thanked him for the invitation.
ANGELA MERKEL AND TS.ELBEGDORJ hold a PRESS CONFERENCE
On Tuesday, President Ts.Elbegdorj held a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after their offical talks. Merkel said the two leaders had discussed the interest of Mongolian airlines in forging closer ties with Lufthansa.
“In Germany the government doesn’t do that, the companies have to do it. We want to talk to Lufthansa to call their attention to potential cooperation and maybe there can be an intensification of the cooperation between Lufthansa and Mongolian airlines,” said Merkel. Lufthansa was not immediately available for comment.
Merkel also emphasized Germany’s interest in pursuing a commodities agreement signed in 2011, when she visited Mongolia. Merkel outlined the difficulties involved in getting start-up financing for infrastructure and mining projects, and the need for infrastructure expansion in Mongolia.
“Thirdly, Mongolia has big neighbors who have their own ideas about infrastructure,” said Merkel, pointing mainly to Russia and the need to discuss with Moscow ways to make exporting materials from Mongolia to Europe easier. As Reuters reported, Merkel said, “I don’t think that things are hopeless.”
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