AMBASSADOR GALT: Steve, Members of Parliament and of the government of Mongolia, Ambassador Arnold, ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to be sharing this early spring evening with you to celebrate all that Cummins Mongolia has accomplished.
I have made my top priority as United States Ambassador the expansion of our economic engagement with Mongolia, especially trade and investment ties.
Cummins Mongolia is a great example of how U.S. business can succeed in the Mongolian economy and bring benefits to both our countries.
Cummins has been a key partner to the U.S. Embassy in Mongolia, working with us to improve the investment environment.
I want to thank the entire Cummins team for their close collaboration in support of our joint efforts to eliminate the onerous Certificates of Origin requirement that was imposed last fall.
Thanks to Cummins’ advocacy, and that of other U.S. companies and the American Chamber of Commerce Mongolia, we succeeded in eliminating this requirement which would have made it more difficult to do business here.
Cummins has also been a consistent advocate for the U.S.-Mongolia Transparency Agreement, which I am proud to say will go into effect on the 20th of this month.
I visited the Cummins engine rebuild center here in Ulaanbaatar last August and saw firsthand what U.S. private sector investment means for Mongolia.
In the $8 million state-of-the-art facility, 58 Mongolians are being trained through an apprentice program to the highest labor, safety, and environmental practices.
These high standards help produce products of outstanding quality and serve as a model to other companies in Mongolia.
I am especially proud that Cummins Mongolia is working with both the government and the city of Ulaanbaatar to bring cleaner engines to improve our air quality and organic engine coolants that leave our drinking water pure.
Cummins is also an integral member of the Mongolian community, as shown by its support for local orphanages and the aid it gives to families facing emergencies.
During Cummins’ five years in Mongolia, it has faced a declining economy, but we hope and expect, that following the Mongolian government’s bold decision to work with the IMF and take control of its fiscal situation, Cummins will be a part of Mongolia returning to strong economic growth.
I would also like to commend Cummins Mongolia’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Active in mining, construction, power, and transport, Cummins Mongolia joined our first agricultural trade delegation last June to see how it can now contribute to the development of agriculture in Mongolia.
And the presence of my colleague Ambassador Arnold from the UK reminds me that Cummins is also a global company.
As we mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the United States and Mongolia, I appreciate occasions like this evening to highlight the enormous value innovative U.S. private sector companies like Cummins add to our overall bilateral relationship.
Thank you very much.
