Ulaanbaatar Dialogue, Mongolia: Regional Cooperation on Energy Transition and Critical Minerals

List of Key Chapter Titles

1. Security Challenges and Opportunities in the Region
2. Multilateral Cooperation in Northeast Asia
3. Climate Change and Security Challenges in Northeast Asia
4. Secure and Affordable Energy Transition in Northeast Asia
5. Developing Sustainable and Resilient Value Chains for Critical Energy Transition Minerals
6. Mongolia's Cooperative Engagement Posture with European Partners
7. Participation of Regional Actors and the Value of Dialogue Mechanisms
8. Off-site Dialogues and Bilateral Agreement Reaching
9. Dialogue on Korean Peninsula Security and Denuclearization Issues
10. The Significance of Dialogue in the Context of Bloc Politics' Return

Document Introduction

On June 6-7, 2024, Mongolia hosted the 9th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security (UB Dialogue). The conference was jointly organized by the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute for Strategic Studies of the National Security Council, focusing on core cooperation issues against the backdrop of Northeast Asia's geopolitical landscape and the accelerating trend of climate change.

This dialogue revolved around five core themes, covering regional security challenges and opportunities, multilateral cooperation, the linkage between climate change and security, the security and affordability of the energy transition, and the sustainable development of critical mineral value chains. All themes directly address the core needs of Mongolia's economic revitalization and energy diversification strategy.

The meeting attracted 200 international think tank analysts, scholars, and government representatives. A notable feature was the increased participation of European partners, with representatives from the three Baltic states, the UK, France, Belgium, and others attending. Regional countries such as Russia, China, South Korea, Japan, and Kazakhstan actively participated, while North Korea did not send representatives.

As an important regional peace mechanism, the UB Dialogue aims to maintain communication channels between countries with diverging interests or conflicts. It seeks to lay the groundwork for resolving regional issues by enhancing understanding and building mutual trust, rather than directly resolving disputes.

During the dialogue, Mongolia held consultations with France and other countries on the implementation of bilateral cooperation plans. It also provided a peaceful dialogue platform for sensitive issues such as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, highlighting the unique value of neutral countries in bridging differences.

The 10th UB Dialogue will be held in 2025. Since its launch in 2014, the mechanism has only been suspended for two years during the pandemic and has become an important vehicle for diverse actors in Northeast Asia to engage in constructive dialogue.