This year marks the 57th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and Mongolia. ‘We share our understanding of the importance of freedom, open society and democratic rule; and we share an appetite for cooperation, connectivity, exchanges’ said  Sebastian Surun, the ambassador of France to Mongolia, at interview with the Diplomat’s L.Bolor.

In the interview, he noted that  France is partnering closely with Mongolia on nuclear technology. In Mongolia, the French company, Orano, and the Mongol company, Monatom, are developing a mining project to extract natural uranium. The technology is called In Situ Recovery and is designed to be very protective of the environment. He visited the site earlier this year.

When production of natural uranium from Mongolia starts – among the top ten deposits in the world – the uranium will be exported to one of the few facilities in the world that can manufacture fuel out of the mineral.

Developing renewable energy should be a priority, given Mongolia’s huge potential: its 2.6 TW of renewable energy [potential] is the total electricity consumption of China today. Making the most of Mongolia’s renewable potential will enhance the country’s green energy supplies, serve as an efficient way to fight climate change, provide better air quality, and ensure energy independence from its neighbors.