On May 18, U.S. and Mongolian government officials will meet in Ulaanbaatar to restart Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks after a seven-year hiatus. The TIFA Talks offer the United States and Mongolia a key venue to deepen our long-standing cooperation on a number of bilateral trade issues. Specifically, the TIFA lets the U.S. and the Mongolian governments engage on a variety of trade policy issues that facilitate collaboration and build the U.S.-Mongolian trade and investment relationship. American and Mongolian officials will discuss key issues such as transparency in trade-related laws, investment climate issues, trade promotion activities, and intellectual property rights.
As the leader of an interagency U.S. delegation, Ambassador Robert W. Holleyman II, Deputy United States Trade Representative, will chair the TIFA talks. Confirmed by the U.S. Senate for this position on September 18, 2014, Ambassador Holleyman’s areas of focus include U.S. trade and investment relations with China, India, and the countries in South and Central Asia, as well as trade negotiations and policy coordination in services, investment, and intellectual property and innovation. In addition, Ambassador Holleyman represents USTR on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and serves on the board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution.
Ambassador Holleyman will have the opportunity to meet with His Excellency L. Purevsuren, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Mongolian side of the talks will be led by Her Excellency N. Oyundari, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
A joint press conference will be held on Monday, May 18, at 17:00 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.