WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Last week Mongolia signed the official agreement with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to host COP17 in its capital, Ulan Bataar, in 2026.

The emperor's weeklong visit comes as Mongolia -- a vibrant democracy of 3.5 million people -- seeks to chart an independent course between its two giant authoritarian neighbors, Russia and China.