MONGOLIA 45TH NATION TO JOIN ISAF

Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/. Mongolia has become the 45th nation to contribute troops to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan.
In a meeting at NATO headquarters, Mongolian Defence Minister, Luvsanvandan Bold, met with Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, formally recognising Mongolia’s contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
An FCO spokesperson said “The UK welcomes Mongolia's decision to contribute troops to the UN-mandated ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Mongolia's announcement demonstrates their commitment to the Afghan people.”
The NATO-led ISAF mission consists of around 89,500 personnel from 45 countries operating under UN Security Council approval, and the UK is the second largest contributor. Last month Montenegro became the 44th nation in ISAF.
ISAF works to provide stability and a secure environment for the population in Afghanistan. They support the development of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and work to improve governance and socio-economic development.
More than 60 countries in total are providing financial or material aid to the international effort.
S. Batbayar