Elbegdorj Tsakhiadation, Juan Manuel Santos, Mary Robinson, Helen Clark and Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein issued this open letter.
Elbegdorj Tsakhia was born 30 March 1963. He is a Mongolian politician and journalist who served as President of Mongolia from 2009 to 2017. He served as prime minister in 1998 and again from 2004 to 2006.
Elbegdorj was one of the key leaders of the 1990 Mongolian democratic revolution, which ended 70 years of communist rule in Mongolia. He also co-drafted the country’s 1992 constitution, which guaranteed democracy and a free market economy. His supporters have labeled Elbegdorj a “freedom fighter” and the “Golden Sparrow of Democracy,” alluding to a bird that comes with spring sunshine after a long, harsh winter.
Elbegdorj is a member of The Elders, which was established by Nelson Mandela in 2007. It works for peace, justice, human rights, and a sustainable planet.
Moreover, he is a member of Club de Madrid, which commits to advancing democracy worldwide. Elbegdorj is also a commissioner of the International Commission Against Death Penalty and a vice chairman of the International Democracy Union, an international alliance of centre-right political parties.
Elbegdorj is a patron of the World Sustainable Development Forum, the Bernard and Susan Liautaud visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and the president of the World Mongol Federation, an international federation of Mongols worldwide.
His tenure has focused on fighting corruption, environmental protection, women’s rights, judicial reform, civic engagement, economic liberalization and privatization, property rights, and the abolition of the death penalty.
Elbegdorj is the founder of the Ardchilal (English: Democracy) newspaper – the country’s first independent newspaper – and helped to establish the first independent television station in Mongolia.
Dear friends,
Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine is now in its third year. The Elders remain steadfast in our solidarity with the courageous Ukrainian people and with President Zelenskyy as their democratically-elected leader.
However, we recognise that the wider geopolitical context in which the war is taking place is changing rapidly and dramatically, especially about the new administration in the United States. The conflict is entering a critical phase, and Ukraine’s direct participation in any peace talks is essential.
These developments formed the backdrop to my participation last month in the Munich Security Conference, where I was joined by my fellow Elders Juan Manuel Santos, Mary Robinson, Helen Clark and Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
In our public and private meetings, our message was clear and consistent: leaders need to step up and defend the multilateral system and the rule of international law, as the best way to ensure conflicts are resolved in a just and sustainable way. This applies to the three priority conflicts we work on as Elders – Israel/Palestine, Russia/Ukraine and Myanmar – as well as in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and countless others.
Leaving the conference, it seemed clear to me that the world needs to change tack. Looking ahead to International Women’s Day, we need to explore new ways to ensure women’s voices are heard in the peace and security sphere which has traditionally been male-dominated, and at all levels of global leadership.
The Elders have a strong history of supporting gender equality and women in leadership, and we have recently been supporting the 1 for 8 Billion campaign’s call. After 80 years of men-only leadership, it’s time for a woman to serve as UN Secretary-General.
The UN’s glass ceiling remains unbroken, and it is vital that we ensure it is fit for purpose in the 21st century. This includes appointing a woman as the next Secretary-General through a fair and transparent process that seeks the most qualified candidate.
As the time for member states to make nominations approaches, we urge them to champion this cause and nominate only women candidates. This is our opportunity to drive transformative change and send an unequivocal message that women are essential to solving the world’s most pressing challenges.
To build a more stable and united world, we must guarantee that women have an equal voice at the table – not as a symbolic gesture, but as a necessity.
With thanks for your ongoing support,
Elbegdorj Tsakhia