Natsagiin Bagabandi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Natsagiin Bagabandi
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| Нацагийн Багабанди | |
Bagabandi in 2004
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| 2nd President of Mongolia | |
| In office 20 June 1997 – 24 June 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Mendsaikhany Enkhsaikhan Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj Janlavyn Narantsatsralt Rinchinnyamyn Amarjargal Nambaryn Enkhbayar |
| Preceded by | Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat |
| Succeeded by | Nambaryn Enkhbayar |
| General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Mongolian People's Party | |
| In office 7 February 1997 – 6 June 1997 |
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| President | Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat |
| Premier | Mendsaikhany Enkhsaikhan |
| Preceded by | Nambaryn Enkhbayar |
| Succeeded by | Nambaryn Enkhbayar |
| Chairman of the State Great Khural | |
| In office July 1992 – July 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Radnaasümbereliin Gonchigdorj of Little Khural |
| Succeeded by | Radnaasümbereliin Gonchigdorj |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 April 1950 Yaruu, Zavkhan, Mongolian People's Republic |
| Political party | Mongolian People's Party |
| Spouse | Azadsurengiin Oyunbileg |
| Children | 2 |
Natsagiin Bagabandi (Mongolian: Нацагийн Багабанди; born 22 April 1950) is a Mongolian politician. He was the 2nd President of Mongolia from 1997 to 2005. He won two presidential elections, in 1997 and 2001. Before becoming president, he was the leader of the State Great Khural (Mongolia's parliament) from 1992 to 1996. He also led the Mongolian People's Party for a short time in 1997.
Bagabandi was also the first director of Oyu Tolgoi LLC, a large mining company. He held this role from 2010 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Natsagiin Bagabandi was born on April 22, 1950. He grew up in Zavkhan Province, Mongolia. He was the fifth child in a family of herders. In 1979, he joined the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party.
He studied in different countries. He went to school in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg, Russia) and Ukraine. He also studied in Moscow. He specialized in Food engineering. In 1987, he earned a doctorate in Philosophy.
Political Career Before Presidency
In 1992, Bagabandi became the Chairman of the State Great Khural. This means he was the leader of Mongolia's parliament. He served in this important role for four years.
In early 1997, he became the leader of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP). This happened just before the presidential elections. The MPRP had lost the 1996 parliamentary election. They won only 25 seats, while the Democratic Union Coalition won 50 seats.
Despite this, Bagabandi won the 1997 Mongolian presidential election. He received 62.53% of the votes. He defeated the previous president, Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat. Bagabandi became the second President of Mongolia. He was also the first president elected from the MPRP. He won re-election in 2001 with 59.19% of the votes. He was the first Mongolian president to win a second term.
Presidency (1997-2005)
During his time as president, Bagabandi worked with several prime ministers. The government faced some challenges and changes.
Working with Prime Ministers
In his first four years, four different prime ministers from the Democratic Union Coalition served. There were often disagreements and changes in the government. For example, Mendsaikhany Enkhsaikhan resigned in 1998.
Later, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj became prime minister. He lost a vote of no confidence. President Bagabandi rejected several other candidates for prime minister. During this time, a well-known politician, Sanjaasürengiin Zorig, was sadly killed.
Eventually, Janlavyn Narantsatsralt became prime minister. He resigned in 1999. Rinchinnyamyn Amarjargal then took over until the 2000 elections.
In the 2000 Mongolian parliamentary election, Bagabandi's party, the MPRP, won a huge victory. They secured 72 out of 76 seats in parliament. The Democratic Union Coalition won only one seat. Nambaryn Enkhbayar, the leader of the MPRP, became the new prime minister. He served a full term. Later, he would become the next president after Bagabandi.
Foreign Relations
President Bagabandi worked to strengthen Mongolia's relationships with other countries.
In November 2000, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, visited Mongolia. This was a very important visit. It helped make the relationship between Mongolia and Russia stronger. They signed an agreement called the Ulan Bator Declaration. This agreement helped lower the price of Russian fuel for Mongolia. It also increased economic cooperation.
In September 2003, President Bagabandi spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. He talked about supporting reforms in the UN. He also spoke about creating nuclear-weapon-free zones.
Mongolia's relationship with the United States also grew stronger during his presidency. Many important visits and meetings took place.
In July 2004, President Bagabandi visited the United States. He met with President George W. Bush. They discussed many topics. These included fighting global terrorism, promoting democracy, and increasing trade. He also visited the Pentagon. There, he met General Richard Myers, a top military leader.
Peacekeeping Efforts
Under President Bagabandi's leadership, Mongolia worked to improve its ability to help with peacekeeping missions. He ordered the new 150th Peacekeeping Battalion to prepare for these missions.
After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Mongolia supported the United States. Mongolia joined the "Coalition of the willing" in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Even though Mongolia is a small country, it showed strong support for peacekeeping. This was the first time the Mongolian Armed Forces were actively deployed in the 21st century.
Personal Life
Natsagiin Bagabandi is married and has two children.
After his time as president ended, Bagabandi became less involved in politics. He wrote several books about meditation and philosophy. These books are called "Crown Words" (in Mongolian: Титэм Үгс).
Awards and Recognition
| Country or Institution | Award | Date |
|---|---|---|
 Mongolia |
Order of Genghis Khan | 13 July 2011 |
| Mongolia |
Order of Sukhbaatar | 13 September 2006 |
 Hungary |
Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit | 2005 |
 Russia |
Order of Friendship | 19 April 2000 |
 Mongolian People's Republic |
Medal "70 Years of the Mongolian People's Revolution" | 1991 |
Honorary Degrees
| Country | School | Degree | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
 USA |
Indiana University Bloomington | Honorary Doctorate | 2005 |
| Mongolia |
National Academy of Governance | Honorary Doctorate | 1999 |
 Japan |
Senshu University | Honorary Doctorate | 1998 |
 Turkey |
Ankara University | Honorary Doctorate | 1998 |
 Kazakhstan |
Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University | Honorary Doctorate | 1998 |
 Ukraine |
Odesa National Academy of Food Technologies | Honorary Doctorate | 1995 |
Works
- "Address to UN General Assembly", 29 September 2003
See also
In Spanish: Natsagiin Bagabandi para niños
