On 8 January 2020 the Mongolia cabinet has approved the order #11 that lays the ground for establishing a Secretariat office for “Dairy Asia” in Ulaanbaatar. Dairy Asia is a multi-stakeholder partnership committed to building a socially and environmentally responsible Asian dairy sector that enhances rural livelihoods, improves nutrition, and contributes to economic prosperity in the region. It was founded by FAO in 2014 and currently has 13 member countries including Mongolia, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Philippines, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam.

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MoFALI) initiated the proposal and is currently in close contact with FAO and the Dairy Asia steering committee to advance and implement it in collaboration with national, regional and global partners including the Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock and the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Mongolia has a long tradition of dairy production based on its nomadic culture and a diverse range of species and dairy products. The country is striving to develop its agricultural sector by combining intensive and extensive animal husbandry, enhancing milk production consumption,  and diversification of dairy products as well as building a mutually beneficial cooperative system at national and regional level in the future. Considering that Asia accounts for over 60% of the world's population and about 40% ofmilk production, hosting the Dairy Asia Secretariat in Ulaanbaatar, is a strategic step to utilize the full potential of the sector and to take leadership in shaping the long-term vision at national and regional level.