The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Antonio Tajani, signed today at the Farnesina (headquarters of the Ministry) the first agreement on aircraft and transport services between Italy and Mongolia with the Undersecretary of Transport of Mongolia, Sandagdorj Batbold.

The agreement is the first between the two countries in the sector and opens the procedure to create a complete regulatory and reference framework in view of the activation of direct air connections between Italy and Mongolia. The text, in line with European legislation on the protection and development of competition and safety in air transport, provides for the multi-designation of companies, guarantees an adequate number of operable weekly frequencies, indicates the usable stops for both parties and allows the possibility of using a wide range of direct and indirect services in collaboration between carriers of the two parties and third countries. Furthermore, the EU designation clause will allow our aviation authorities to designate companies from other European Union member States with headquarters in Italy to operate from Italy to Mongolia and vice-versa. Today's agreement opens the way to a series of regulatory acts and agreements that will lead to the establishment of direct flights.

Mongolia is one of the Asian countries that the Farnesina indicates as new outlet markets within the framework of the “growth diplomacy”, which guides the foreign trade policy of the Italian Government.

“We need to relaunch the political dialogue with Mongolia", the minister said. “It is important to have signed the first agreement on air transport services: I now hope for the rapid activation of the first direct air connections, starting with the one between the airports of Bergamo-Orio al Serio and Ulaanbaatar, for which work has already begun some time ago".

“Mongolia is a very promising economic, commercial and cultural partner", he continued: “our trade, which stood at 159 million euros in 2023, has ample room for growth and our companies are looking at the Mongolian market with great interest. This is demonstrated by the growth in Italian exports in recent years, mainly in the machinery, clothing, furniture and footwear sectors. Italy is also the leading importer of cashmere from Mongolia among the G7 countries and the leading importer in the world after China. The activation of direct air links will also allow us to strengthen institutional relations: I would also like to mention the important role of the CNR, at the forefront of the implementation of an innovative European Union project on waste management in Ulaanbaatar, and of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, which recently activated a 20 million dollar credit in favor of Khan Bank to encourage the growth of micro and small-medium enterprises in the cashmere sector".