Mongolia News Summary for March 21, 2025

The following news articles are the opinions of their authors and publications. They are presented here as translations for informational purposes and do not necessarily represent the opinion of MongolBeat or its members.

Today's Stories

Politics

• The Danger of Slipping into an Authoritarian Regime with a Democratic Facade and My Rescuing Star, the Election
• Trump suggests taking control of Ukraine's power plants
• D.Tsogtbaatar: The Democratic Index has declined due to the restriction of economic and press freedom
• Over the Past Four Years, 130 Laws Have Been Passed Without Public Discussion, 45 in Emergency Mode
• Implementation of Resolution No. 37 of the State Great Khural is Insufficient and Needs to be Intensified
• EVENT: Presentation of the Results of the Serial Study on the Implementation of the Law on Legislation

Economy

• President U. Khurelsukh Visits Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine
• TTBZ: It is essential to approve a budget without deficits until 2028
• Jakob Stausholm: May Resources and Knowledge Flow from the Depths of the Mongolian Gobi
• Oyu Tolgoi Paves Its Way to Becoming an Influential Player in the Global Copper Market
• No Positive Change Despite 21.7 Trillion Tugrik Spent on Mongolia's Development Measures in 2021-2024
• Visit: Increasing UK Investments
• The State Great Khural Presented Its Strategy for Supporting the Business Environment at the "Management Forum 2025"
• The Economy Faces Severe Challenges, Experts Warn
• President U. Khurelsukh Visits Oyu Tolgoi Mine
• Coal Forward Contracts Can Be Traded Again on Secondary Market
• CENTRAL: Requests for 16.7 billion MNT in concessional loans for small and medium enterprises submitted
• 700 Billion MNT from VAT to be Deposited in Banks for Growth
• Electricity Price Increase Reduces Losses for Three Coal Mines and UBTZ
• B.Dulguun: Coal Exchange Trading Reduced Threefold
• Shareholders' Meeting of "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC to be Held
• D. Delgersaikhan: We must limit expenditure growth and run without a deficit
• B. Dulgunn: I believe that updating the procedure to align the price of coal contracts with the market price will revive trading activity

Diplomacy

• The Chairman of the Mongolian Parliament D. Amarbayasgalan and the Speaker of the British House of Commons L. Hoyle Held an Official Meeting
• The Official Visit of Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan to The United Kingdom Begins
• Highlights from Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan's Visit to the United Kingdom
• Fifth Consultative Meeting between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and India Held
• Deputy Speaker of the State Great Khural Kh. Bulgantuya Meets with Ambassador Shen Minjuan
• Qutub Minar Illuminated with the Mongolian National Flag

Infrastructure

• Was Their Announced Energy Reform Just Aimed at Raising Prices?
• Postponing the Increase in Heating Prices Will Cause a 118 Billion Tugrik Loss in the Sector
• Expressed Intent to Collaborate in the Transportation Sector
• Fraudulent Practices Involving State-Owned Housing Registrations

Society

• Over 400 Australian Volunteer Programs Implemented in Mongolia
• China to Spend Money to Solve Population Crisis
• 966 people affected by disasters and accidents, causing damage worth 9.7 billion MNT
• A Seminar on Sending "Specially Skilled Workers"
• 17 People Killed and 5 Injured in Fires
• Joint Online Meeting-Discussion on the Assessment of the State of Human Rights Begins
• "Nauryzyn Bayar-2025" will be held this Saturday at Sukhbaatar Square
• Celebration of Nauryz at Sükhbaatar Square

Environment

• Saying Goodbye to the Smog, Greeted by a Foul Smell
• The Pipeline May Bring Not Energy, But "The Messenger of Death"!
• Discussion of the Draft Plan to Reduce Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Risks
• Wildfire in Sukhbaatar Province Affects 2200 Hectares

Innovation

• O.Tulga: AI is the next big technological revolution
• T.Battulga: Mongolia Mining 2025 Exhibition to be Organized under the Motto 'Smarter Technology - Stronger Mines'
• D. Amarbayasgalan Meets with Young Mongolians Working at a British Technology Company

Health

• The Board of "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" is holding an emergency meeting regarding food poisoning of 70 employees
• WHO Suggests Increasing Tobacco Tax by Up to 75%

Sports

• JOINING FORCES WITH SPEED, STRENGTH, AND TRUST: KHAN Bank Partners with the "Bishrelt Metal" Team

Politics

The Danger of Slipping into an Authoritarian Regime with a Democratic Facade and My Rescuing Star, the Election

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

In 2023, Mongolia received a score of 0.43 in its Democracy Index, ranking 77th and falling 16 places from the previous year. However, in 2024, it slid 4 more ranks to 81st. Although this year's rank remains the same as last year's, it has deteriorated in most indicators, placing it among six countries with autocratic regimes. This situation indicates that Mongolia might be on the verge of entering such a regime, as reflected in a commentary by Member of Parliament J. Bayarmaa. Over the past year and a half, there have been four elections in Mongolia, a process that is always accompanied by controversy and has led to a decline in voter turnout. Democratic Party leader M. Tulgat commented, "Not even purchasing votes and using state budget resources could boost voter turnout, which threatens the fundamental principles of democracy. This is an indication of 'apathy' in society or despair among the people, as well as the manifestation of single-party rule. Therefore, the Democratic Party needs to present completely new policies and political approaches and should also collaborate with other parties to overcome this issue." O. Tsogtgerel remarked, "A democratic state relies on participation. Unfortunately, citizens have expressed their distrust in the government for the first time by declining to form their own government. Recent elections have become manipulative. Since there is no real Democratic Party-led or People's Party-led government, there should be reflections from all sides." The ruling party's secretary-general, D. Amarbaysgalan, stated, "The decrease in voter participation reflects the diminished trust people have in parties, which negatively affects the strengthening of democracy. Therefore, we politicians must conduct self-examinations. Cooperation is necessary." From these observations, it is evident that all modern politicians are concerned about elections and democracy, especially with suspicions and fears of Mongolia becoming an autocracy alarmingly spreading. To either confirm or refute these suspicions, it seems essential to evaluate the current state of democracy as a process and to understand global trends. Furthermore, there is concern that in Mongolia, contrary to the vibrant democratic studies and advocacy that began strongly in the early days, these efforts seem to have diminished recently, potentially due to a belief in a steady establishment of democracy. The structure of separating state power and ensuring mutual checks and balances is based on the doctrines of thinkers from various eras who advocated for the general welfare and the natural rights and freedoms of individuals. Since the 18th century, human society has chronicled its history according to this constitutional premise. With the onset of the Industrial Era, the intensification of global wealth competition among major countries, colonialism, the disintegration of colonies, world wars, the establishment of the United Nations, the spread of communism and leftist ideologies, the Cold War, alliances, and blocs have characterized the last 200 years of human society. Amidst this turmoil, Huntington describes three waves of democratization. The first occurred from 1820 to 1926, the second from 1945 to 1962, and the third followed the collapse of the socialist system from 1974 to 1990. Unfortunately, due to factors such as leftist governments' radical attempts to rapidly reform society and the economy, the extreme actions of middle and upper-class conservatives to exclude lower classes from politics, and societal conflicts arising from economic crises, two waves of regression from democracy have also occurred. These inclines towards fascism and authoritarian regimes saw their first decline in Italy, with Mussolini's ascent from 1922 to 1942, and the second from 1960 to 1975. The dark shadow of World War II, which claimed the lives of tens of millions, bears witness to the disastrous effects of such regimes. Mongolia also endured the harsh oversight of dictatorship and foreign dependence, tragically suffering the persecution and annihilation of tens of thousands of its forefront intellectuals and religious figures. The issues of democratic backsliding and autocratic legalism have been global challenges for quite some time. According to some scholars, the third wave of regression from democracy began as early as the 2000s. Experts link the causes and conditions to phenomena such as polarization, tribal factionalism, the transition from traditional media to digital, the rise of low-quality journalism, and the prevalence of fake news. External factors like the 2008 global financial crisis, wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, refugee crises, immigration, and the rapid economic and social development in autocratic China, the Arab Spring and its subsequent upheavals, alongside internal issues like corruption, injustice, poverty, and extreme wealth disparity in newly-democratized countries have also contributed. In general, authoritarianism has become a silent force not through coups with tanks in the streets but rather through the covert means of elected democratic rulers. The economic and social difficulties caused by COVID-19 have undoubtedly given backsliders a significant pretext. The ultimate goal of democracy is for it to become an everyday lifestyle for everyone. Unfortunately, research shows that the level of democratic living for the average global citizen fell back to that of 1990 in 2020. Over the past decade, many countries, including Russia, Venezuela, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and India, have backslid from democracy into electoral autocracy. In fact, the democratic fabric of countries like Venezuela, Hungary, and Poland, despite being previously considered robust and fully solidified, has weakened. Even the United States has taken a step back and then made up for it. Hence, President J. Biden plans to convene a Summit for Democracy to renew commitments and initiatives to protect against autocracy, fight corruption, and uphold human rights, with the first summit scheduled for this December. Germany's Minister of Foreign Affairs proposed a Marshall Plan for Democracy, and Sweden's Minister of Foreign Affairs has made "Drive for Democracy" a priority in foreign policy, highlighting how even countries with developed democracies are deeply concerned about democracy's future. Mongolia, which was governed by the sole Communist Party, was impacted by the third wave of democratization, leading to the creation of a new, democratic Constitution as a result of the Democratic Revolution. Although our path to becoming a perfect democracy will not be smooth and short, nearly half a century has already passed. The country, known as a democratic oasis between two large authoritarian regimes, fears regressing in its journey or questions the implementation of its Constitution. There arises a need to revisit and comprehend the essential attributes and criteria of democracy and autocracy. The Economics Intelligence Unit annually establishes a Democracy Index, classifying countries into (1) full democracies, (2) flawed democracies possessing free and fair elections but troubled governance and human rights, deficient political culture, and political participation, (3) hybrid regimes with electoral manipulation, weak governance, and civil liberties, extensive corruption, and (4) authoritarian regimes with limited pluralism, restricted and unfair elections, and curtailed freedoms. On the other hand, the V-Dem Institute categorizes countries into (1) liberal democracies, (2) electoral democracies with compromised judiciary and human rights principles, (3) electoral authoritarian regimes, and (4) closed authoritarian regimes. According to these organizations, Mongolia is classified as a flawed democracy and an electoral democracy. From their descriptions, it is clear that international organizations have already established that Mongolia is weak in the implementation and protection of human rights, judicial independence, and press freedom, while the checks and balances within governance are diminishing. In other words, even though its rulers come to power through democratic elections, life is not as democratic outside of elections. The multinational participation in elections barely saves us from slipping entirely into hybrid regimes. Hence, there is a need to evaluate whether our saving grace—our elections—is not only free but also fair. The concept of free and fair elections originated with the first post-apartheid election in South Africa in 1994. The core idea is for citizens to freely participate in the process of selecting their representatives and for the results to be fair and accepted by other parties. Apart from clientelism in political science theory, there is electoral clientelism or electoral corruption focusing on vote-buying. According to political scientists Scott and Stokes, an electoral clientelist party (political machine) is not party ideology-based but rather one that attempts to attract low-income voters by offering money or material goods using state resources. Although corrupt elections are inherently unfair, how they are conducted can be understood through the following three concepts: 1. Vote-buying (VP): Starting with the distribution of soap bars during the first free elections of 1990, evolving into distributing ice cream to children, fabric to women, flour to elders, spectacles to young people, and diagnosing elders' illnesses. Despite being prohibited since 2012, authorities have continued to distribute money openly and even accrue debt from China to finance these practices. Goods have transitioned to being replaced by cash, whether given in hand or transferred to bank accounts. Members of Parliament, or those aspiring to run, water their constituencies using state funds to sponsor trips and pay for school enrollments or tuition fees. Prior to an election, they will cover costs for students attending New Year’s parties and distribute cakes and beverages to families. 2. Abuse of State Resources (ASR): Transparency International classified this misuse in seven categories, all fully utilized in Mongolia. Significant examples include: (1) The use of law enforcement to harass political opponents or to detain them during elections is viewed as the worst form, as it restricts individuals’ political, civil, and economic rights. Although it occurred sporadically before, it peaked in 2020 with the detention of various opposition figures without the General Election Commission’s approval. (2) Financial resources were distributed to specific groups in previous elections. In 2020, loans for pensioners and students abroad were waived, dividends from shares were distributed (prohibited by the Election Law), and funds were transferred to herders' accounts. (3) Official power resources entail the exploitation of privileges held by Presidents, Prime Ministers, and MPs during election periods. For instance, gathering people for meetings despite pandemic restrictions illustrates their abuse of power. 3. Political Budget Cycle (PBC): During election years, funds allocated per member for districts rise significantly, leading to an increase in deficits. These activities aim to buy or sway voters. If one considers the malpractice of voting multiple times per person, moving "fly population" for votes, or even hacking voting machines, it becomes evident how extensive voter fraud can be. Unfortunately, although categorized as a flawed democracy, our rescuing star—elections—does not meet the essential criterion of being fair. Mongolia has regressed into the class of hybrid regimes, combining authoritarian and democratic elements. Similar to our declining anti-corruption index, our democracy index has slipped. While authorities hold mass gatherings for political advertisement, risking thousands while restricting two people from expressing their opinions, the aim is to intimidate and suppress the citizenry, further worsening the fundamental principles of rule of law, equal treatment, and fair justice that form democracy's foundations. Moreover, being deaf to expressions of public discontent such as protests and hunger strikes illustrates the state’s failure to fulfill its constitutional duty of ensuring justice, freedom, equality, and national unity. If we continue down this path, we are but one step away from becoming an authoritarian regime with a democratic facade—an outcome of which we should genuinely be wary. To ensure our elections at least proceed fairly, continuous district watering under various fund names should be prohibited not just during election years but throughout the four years; distribution of dividends, shares, debt forgiveness, salary or pension increases should be forbidden from one year before elections; political party leaders, unless caught red-handed or convicted in court, should not be detained from six months before elections, and mechanisms to hold accountable those violating fiscal stability laws must be toughened, including altering the principles for appointing the General Election Commission. The future of democracy rests on the political will of new generations from all parties concerned about their country, their partnership with civil society representatives, and collaboration with scholars and researchers.

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Trump suggests taking control of Ukraine's power plants

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the day after talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During this conversation, Trump proposed taking control of Ukraine's power plants, expressing that this is the "best way" to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Their discussion lasted over an hour, and Trump described it as very "productive." Zelensky also called his conversation with Trump "very important." He wrote on his page, "I believe we can establish peace by the end of this year in cooperation with the U.S. and under President Trump’s leadership." Trump aims to reach a broader ceasefire agreement, but on Tuesday, Putin did not support the proposal backed by the U.S. and Ukraine for a full 30-day ceasefire. According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump has reached an agreement to help Ukraine obtain additional air defense systems from Europe. The parties have also agreed to closely exchange information regarding the progression of the war. Source: BBC

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D.Tsogtbaatar: The Democratic Index has declined due to the restriction of economic and press freedom

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

Mongolia scored 0.43 in the Democracy Index in 2023, ranking 77th and declining by 16 places compared to the previous year. In the past year, it further fell by four places to 81st position. Although this year's position remains the same as last year's, most indicators have dropped, placing it among the six countries with autocratic regimes. We listened to the position of Member of Parliament D. Tsogtbaatar on this matter. LIVE:

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Over the Past Four Years, 130 Laws Have Been Passed Without Public Discussion, 45 in Emergency Mode

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

Over the past four years, 130 laws have been passed without public discussion, 45 of which were passed in emergency mode. The Open Society Forum, in collaboration with a team of researchers, has been conducting a series of studies on the issue that parliament should adopt laws that are based on transparent, inclusive research that involves citizens, but this norm has been deteriorating in recent years. Among the laws passed without public discussion were the "Law on Protecting Human Rights in the Digital Environment," the "Law on Reducing Traffic Congestion and Housing in the Capital Ulaanbaatar," and others that have the consequence of restricting human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, emphasizing the NGO Forum. It was highlighted that among the 880 active laws in Mongolia, 318 have 810 provisions that negatively affect human rights. The reason is that during the law proposal process, feedback is not solicited from citizens and social groups whose legal rights and interests might be affected. Furthermore, the recommendations and opinions of human rights organizations and researchers are often overlooked and not incorporated into the proposals. Additionally, laws are modified in bulk under the name of companion laws, with initial laws occasionally included, and there have been instances where a companion law itself had a companion law. From June 30, 2023, to 2024, an impact assessment on human rights was conducted on the 135 legislative proposals submitted to the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia. Key observations from this policy analysis include: - "Several legislative proposals affecting public interests and labor rights lack fundamental research." During this period, 84 law proposals required research, but it was not possible to determine if research was conducted for five proposals, which lacked basic research or whether the research was conducted. These include: - Amendments to the "Law on Labor Migration" - Amendments to the "Law on Courts of Mongolia" (expanded version) - Amendments to the "Law on Regulating Public and Private Interests and Preventing Conflicts of Interest in Public Service" - The draft of the new "Law on Physical Education and Sports" - The draft of the new "Law on the Legal Status of Cities and Towns" Among these, it is crucial to pay attention to three legislative proposals affecting public interests and other rights, as noted by the research team. - "Insufficient importance is given to the human rights impact assessment of legislative proposals." Among 37 proposals studied, six lacked a human rights assessment. The assessments conducted were overly general or failed to consider the importance, reducing the significance of these evaluations. For instance, the human rights assessment response and explanation for the "Law on Amendments to the Law on Fiscal Stability 2024" were identical in wording to those for the 2023 "Law on Amendments to the Budget Law." Among the 75 legislative proposals subjected to effect assessment, 32 failed to answer whether they include "provisions restricting human rights," and 43 responded in overly general terms like "yes/no," indicating inadequate research quality. Of the 84 proposals requiring research, 5 lacked basic research, and 9 lacked impact reports, reflecting a lack of proper oversight in forming proposals. The research group noted that there is a failure to ensure the proposals' studies, research reports, and public discussions are conducted to appropriate standards and quality. For full details on the policy analysis mentioned above, CLICK HERE. Warning: Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social, and Web pages) are reminded to mention the source (ikon.mn) when fully or partially using our information in any form.

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Implementation of Resolution No. 37 of the State Great Khural is Insufficient and Needs to be Intensified

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia annually prepares a report on the state of human rights and freedoms in Mongolia, which is discussed by the State Great Khural. Last year, a Resolution No. 37 of the State Great Khural was issued regarding measures to be taken following the discussion of the report of the member responsible for preventing torture, presented in the 23rd report on the state of human rights and freedoms in Mongolia. Information about the implementation of this resolution is being provided. Resolution No. 37 includes 28 measures on 9 issues. Today's information is based on the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of 26 measures on 8 issues, grounded in the reports from the following organizations: - State Great Khural - Cabinet Secretariat of the Government - State agencies under the Deputy Prime Minister - Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs - Ministry of Education - Ministry of Finance - Ministry of Construction and Urban Development - Ministry of Environment and Climate Change - Ministry of Health - Ministry of Labor and Social Protection - Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Innovation - Capital City Governor's Office According to the evaluation, 4 of the 26 measures have been fully implemented, and 9 have achieved specific results. The preparatory work for 10 measures is only at the initial development stage, which means the implementation is insufficient. Three measures have not been implemented at all. The overall implementation of the resolution reached 51%, which is considered insufficient and needs to be intensified.

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EVENT: Presentation of the Results of the Serial Study on the Implementation of the Law on Legislation

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

At 09:00 at the branch school of the University of Health Sciences located in Botanik, surgical teams will demonstrate surgeries such as experimental liver resection and bone trauma treatment on pigs, related to the commissioning of the "Experimental Surgery Center." At 09:00 at the State Palace, a national conference on "Healthy Teeth - A Healthy Future" in the field of dentistry will be held. Committees will meet at 10:00. At 14:30, a joint meeting-discussion between the State Great Khural of Mongolia and the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the evaluation of the human rights situation will take place. At the "Suld" hall of the "Tuushin" hotel, from 08:30 to 12:00, a public discussion of the "Medium-Term Budget Framework Statement" project will be organized by the Ministry of Economy and Development. At the Open Society Forum building from 09:00 to 12:00, a meeting to present the results of the serial study on the implementation of the Law on Legislation will take place. At 11:00 in the meeting room of the National Human Rights Commission, a press conference related to the implementation of Resolution No. 37 of the Parliament will be organized. Notice: Media organizations (television, radio, social network sites, and websites) must mention the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, either in full or in part.

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Economy

President U. Khurelsukh Visits Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

President U. Khurelsukh, accompanied by government representatives and members of parliament, was received at the Oyu Tolgoi mine by Rio Tinto Group's CEO Jakob Stausholm and other executives, who introduced them to the operations. President Khurelsukh had previously visited the Oyu Tolgoi mine when he was Deputy Prime Minister. He was welcomed by Andrew Lya, the Operations Director of Oyu Tolgoi, Philip Abraham, the General Manager of Health, Safety, Environment, and Local Communities, and the governors of Umnugobi province and Khanbogd district. During his visit, the President highlighted that Oyu Tolgoi has collaborated with 750 domestic suppliers and producers as of 2024. Rio Tinto Group's CEO Jakob Stausholm remarked, "The copper extracted from Oyu Tolgoi is a significant contribution by Mongolia to humanity's green development. The environmental initiatives implemented here are a concrete example of support for numerous projects and programs initiated by you." This year, the mine's production has increased by 50% compared to the previous year, with copper concentrate production growing rapidly. Over the next four years, an average of 500,000 tons of copper (100% pure metal) will be produced annually from both underground and open pit mines. As a result, Oyu Tolgoi will become the world's fourth-largest copper mine by 2030. In this era where the world is transitioning to green energy, producing copper—a key raw material for electric vehicles and renewable energy—within Mongolia contributes to global efforts against climate change. At its peak, the Oyu Tolgoi mine will produce enough copper daily to produce approximately 17,000 electric vehicles. The initiatives carried out under the leadership of President U. Khurelsukh, such as "Let's Leave 100 Million Trees," "Made in Mongolia," and "Love from the Depth," are supported by Oyu Tolgoi through their programs. To further specify, "Love from the Depth," aligned with the "Blue Gold" national conference, is in its fourth year of collaboration with the Water Agency and other sectoral organizations. Additionally, the "Made in Mongolia" program, which aims to replace imported products, and a policy to support local small and medium-sized businesses, align with the "White Gold" national program. By improving the safety, quality, and environmental standards of national products and services, value-added products are being manufactured domestically, while also creating numerous jobs and introducing new technologies to Mongolia. In the framework of the national movement "Billion Trees," the "Let's Leave 100 Million Trees" program initiated by Oyu Tolgoi in 2022 is undertaking projects to plant and grow trees, prepare for reforestation works, enhance personnel training, increase nursery and forestry sector capacity, and strengthen resources and infrastructure.

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TTBZ: It is essential to approve a budget without deficits until 2028

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The Fiscal Stability Council (TTBZ) presented the macroeconomic forecast for 2026-2028. According to the macroeconomic assessment presented by TTBZ, economic growth is expected to remain at 5.4-5.7 percent in the next three years. While in 2024, the forecast included both baseline and optimistic scenarios of economic and fiscal indicators, this year a specific hypothesis is being proposed to maintain fiscal discipline and stability, and to mitigate risks dependent on fiscal policy. Macroeconomic Key Indicators and Forecasts: Therefore, based on the above forecast, TTBZ recommends considering the following when preparing the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework Statement. These include: - Taking into account that favorable economic conditions may end and certain risks may arise, adopt a fiscal policy that safeguards against risks in the medium term. - Limit the growth of fiscal expenditures and continue the approach of the law version amended and approved on December 12, 2024, with no deficits in the unified budget of 2025, and the Budgetary Framework Statement of the State Fiscal Budget of Mongolia for 2025, and maintain the approach for the fiscal forecasts of 2026-2027 to prevent the increase of budget deficits. - Avoid creating an increase in expenditures alongside rising fiscal revenues and refrain from adding new types of expenses. - When approving the budget of Mongolia for 2025, include issues related to continuing certain expenditure savings achieved, as noted in the medium-term fiscal planning. Moreover, the Fiscal Stability Council advised approving a conservative budget during the approval of the budgets for the upcoming three years. In particular, it emphasized the importance of continuing the precedent of approving budgets without deficits for the years 2026-2027. Highlights from the research and model results conducted for the development of macroeconomic key indicators and forecasts by TTBZ: 1. As a result of external and internal risk research, significant economic challenges have emerged in the medium-term economic and fiscal planning of Mongolia, which are not only apparent but also have potential to worsen. 2. In terms of external factors, the decreasing economic growth in Mongolia in recent years is chiefly due to uncertainty in the coal market and new geopolitical, trade, and economic risks emerging globally, which affect the economic conditions of China, coal demand, and competition. 3. Domestically, by the end of 2024, real economic growth was below the level forecasted in the fiscal adjustments framework, being approximately around the average of the upper and lower limit indicators forecasted by TTBZ in March 2024. The fiscal performance of 2024, external trade, and balance of payments also indicate that the favorable economic conditions of 2023 have deteriorated. 4. Reviewing the external trade, fiscal performance, and inflation of the first two months of 2025 suggests certain difficulties in the economy dependent on the mining sector may arise. These include: - Global geopolitical changes and trade tariff conflicts, - The external trade situation and the fall in mineral prices, - Breaks in export income due to the drop in coal prices, negatively impacting economic growth. 5. The main issue pressing in the current economic situation within the budget framework is the significant expansion of fiscal expenditures in recent years. Continuing the fiscal policy the same way would be risky. 6. Although model calculations indicate a potential for economic growth and an increase in fiscal revenues, this is a relatively optimistic forecast but outlines a possible trend if the economic conditions of past years persist. Its significance is in showing what the future situation might be if current conditions continue. Continuing as such would lead to fiscal expansion following revenue increases, maintaining conditions for growing expenditures without reducing government involvement, with low probability of positively impacting economic growth. Moreover, continuing the fiscal expansion policy under these conditions would pressure the balance of payments and not provide significant positive impact on policy interest rates, which should be the next point of focus.

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Jakob Stausholm: May Resources and Knowledge Flow from the Depths of the Mongolian Gobi

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The President of Mongolia, U. Khurelsukh, and representatives from the state's government visited the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine today. CEO of Rio Tinto Group, Jakob Stausholm, welcomed the distinguished visitors and presented the operations of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine. During this event, Jakob Stausholm remarked in full: Dear President, members of the government, advisors, and distinguished guests, Thank you, President, for coming to the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine to witness this great construction and for your encouraging words. Exactly two years ago, we announced with joy to the world that extraction had started at this point 1,300 meters deep in the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine. Today, the head of state of Mongolia personally visited, became familiar with our work, and saw how far we have come together in such a short time. For the past 15 years, we have been especially grateful to the successive leaders of Mongolia who have trusted us at all levels to create this world-class mine deep in the vast Gobi Desert. As a result of our cooperation, Oyu Tolgoi's extraction will average 500,000 tons per year for the next four years and, by the end of this decade, it will become one of the top five copper mines in the world. From the beginning, Oyu Tolgoi has amazed the world with its engineering and technological solutions and has been an exemplary mine where top international experts want to work, besides being a mine built by over 20,000 Mongolians. We are using the latest automation, real-time data analysis, and top safety technologies to set new production standards. The copper concentrate produced here is a vital component worldwide for wind turbines, electric vehicles, and renewable energy infrastructure. The copper extracted from the Oyu Tolgoi mine is not only a valuable contribution of Mongolia to humanity's green development, but also the environmental activities being implemented here are a tangible example of the projects and initiatives promoted by you, President. Today's visit hopefully affirmed that Mongolia is a country rich in natural resources, with a skilled workforce, and open to investment. We are ready to build the future together, fueled by your trust and encouragement, as the head of state, emissary of the Mongolian people. May resources and knowledge flow from the depths of the Mongolian Gobi! Notice Please note that media organizations (Television, Radio, Social, and Web pages) must credit the source (ikon.mn) for using our information in any form, whether in full or in part.

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Oyu Tolgoi Paves Its Way to Becoming an Influential Player in the Global Copper Market

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

President U. KhurelSukh today visited the Oyu Tolgoi mine site, where the company's CEO, Deirdre Lingenfelder, gave a presentation. Here is her speech for you. Honorable President of Mongolia U. KhurelSukh, esteemed members of the government, and distinguished guests, we are truly delighted to have the opportunity to introduce you to the Oyu Tolgoi mine. We are grateful to all the guests and representatives visiting our mine, as it is a testament to the strong and long-lasting partnership between the Government of Mongolia and the Rio Tinto Group. This collaboration defines the responsible and sustainable future of copper extraction on a global scale. We are thankful for the presence of Rio Tinto Group's CEO Jakob Stausholm, Copper Group Director Katie Jackson, Erdenes Mongol's Director S. Narantsogt, Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi's CEO Gankhüü, and Chairman of Oyu Tolgoi LLC's Board of Directors, Sean Hinton. I am fond of the Mozambican saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” As someone from neighboring South Africa, I believe in the power of cooperation and partnership for a long journey. It's an honor to introduce the achievements of our partnership over the last three years, during which I've held the position of CEO at Oyu Tolgoi. This collaboration has raised new infrastructures through collective efforts. Hardworking teams, extraordinary ore bodies, pioneering technology, and an unwavering commitment to sustainable development are the ingredients of our success. Our company's strategy has been deeply integrated into the "Vision 2050" long-term development policy of Mongolia and Rio Tinto's development strategy. It is a great pleasure to introduce you with pride to Oyu Tolgoi's operations, which form the foundation for ongoing national profits by expanding business operations, investing in communities and the local region, protecting our planet, and supporting economic resilience. Let's briefly mention the incredible potential resources found at Oyu Tolgoi. With these factors driving our growth and development, Oyu Tolgoi is emerging as a world-class copper and gold complex mine and is paving its way to becoming an influential player in the global copper market. Approximately 17,000 young people are working at Oyu Tolgoi. Mongolians comprise 97% of our team, with 24.7% hailing from the South Gobi region. 23% of Oyu Tolgoi employees are women, which is significantly higher than the global average of 15%. Women are effectively leading teams in diverse areas such as forklift operations, truck driving, underground mining engineering, and resource planning. About 500 women work in the underground mines. We aim to increase the proportion of female employees to 50% in the next ten years. By adopting Rio Tinto's exemplary practices, we aim to maintain our position as a leader in safety within the industry. We spend 90% of our procurement budget with local companies and businesses, reflecting our goal to bring greater benefits to the nation through collaboration with local and national wealth creators.

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No Positive Change Despite 21.7 Trillion Tugrik Spent on Mongolia's Development Measures in 2021-2024

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The State Auditing Organization presented the audit report on the 'Implementation of Mongolia's Five-Year Development Basic Directions for 2021-2025' at the joint meeting of the State Structure and Economic Standing Committees of the Parliament. This five-year basic direction has been approved with nine policies and goals, 47 objectives, and 243 measures to be implemented. Also, a total of 150 projects and measures included in the investment program were approved, requiring feasibility studies and design development for 98, and financial sources to be determined for 88 projects and measures. However, 108 of the 243 measures planned to be implemented lack evaluation criteria, baseline, and target levels, which do not fully meet legal requirements, according to the audit conclusion. Specifically, based on the evidence and data collected during the audit, it was concluded that 67.7% of the 'Five-Year Development Basic Directions for 2021-2025' has been implemented. It was also noted that not developing the basic directions in accordance with the legal requirements has affected the inability to fully implement it in the planned timeframe. Ultimately, it hinders the meaningful evaluation of performance and reduces the impact on sustainable social, economic, and environmental development. Furthermore, the audit highlighted that despite spending a total of 21.7 trillion tugriks on goals, objectives, and measures defined for Mongolia's development from 2021-2024, no significant positive changes in society and the economy have been identified. Based on the audit conclusion, the National Audit Office issued a recommendation to conduct comprehensive research, calculations, and evaluations in accordance with the laws, regulations, and methodologies for projects and measures to be included in Mongolia's investment program.

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Visit: Increasing UK Investments

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

“News” agency's special correspondent reports from the United Kingdom. It is politically significant where the three top leaders begin their first official visit. As the inaugural speaker of the 126-member new parliament, D. Amarbayasgalan started his first visit to a neighboring country, China, and is now conducting his second visit to a third nation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This being the first visit at the level of the Chairman of the State Great Hural, both countries are paying special attention to it, as informed by the staff of the Embassy of Mongolia in the United Kingdom. Diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the United Kingdom have been established for 62 years. The relationship between the two countries has actively been enhanced in support of common democratic values, with the United Kingdom supporting Mongolia's democracy and parliamentary governance from the start. Notably, at the “G7” summit in 1991, the United Kingdom encouraged other G-6 countries to support Mongolia’s choice to follow the path of democracy, an important element in the countries' shared history. To strengthen Mongolia's democracy, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary Malcolm Rifkind visited Mongolia in 1996, followed by Mongolian Prime Ministers N. Enkhbayar in 2007 and Ch. Saikhanbileg in 2017 visiting the UK. The inaugural visit of the Chairman of the State Great Hural, D. Amarbayasgalan, to the United Kingdom is accompanied by several members of the parliament. It is unofficially reported that over 6,000 Mongolian citizens live and work in the UK, of which 5,000 are students. On March 19, 2025, in Mongolian time, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan held an official meeting with the Right Honourable L. Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, at the Westminster Palace. Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan introduced the newly established State Great Hural's goals, the "Three Perfect Intonations" policy to strengthen parliamentary governance, and initiatives aimed at developing Mongolia's economy and increasing trade and investment through legal reforms. Additionally, on this day, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan met with young Mongolians working in UK technology companies, highlighting the significant role their experience and knowledge of working in leading tech companies worldwide play in driving the country's development. Mongolia pays considerable attention to investing in technological development and building a national satellite. The United Kingdom is one of Mongolia's top 10 trading partners. The amount of investment from the UK into Mongolia reached approximately $700 million in 2024, while foreign trade was valued at around $70 million. Expanding trade and investment relations with the UK is seen as a priority for further developing Mongolia's economy. London is one of the cities with the most advanced metro systems worldwide, having built its first metro network in 1863. An unofficial statistic suggests four million people use London's metro daily. Last autumn, the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, Kh. Nyambaatar, announced to the press that to alleviate Ulaanbaatar's traffic congestion, the UK Treasury provided a guarantee equivalent to three billion GBP over 15 years to finance the metro project. Furthermore, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Cross Rail Int., which successfully constructed and commissioned the Elizabeth line in London, to collaborate on the Ulaanbaatar metro project.

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The State Great Khural Presented Its Strategy for Supporting the Business Environment at the "Management Forum 2025"

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

The new parliament has promised to reduce the pressure faced by entrepreneurs and has set up several working groups. During the "Management Forum 2025" conference, the Speaker of the Mongolian State Great Khural, D. Amarbaysgalan, sent a greeting, which was conveyed by the Secretary General of the State Great Khural, B. Baasandorj. Members of the State Great Khural, P. Sainzorig and N. Batsumberel, participated in this forum, where they presented the parliament's 2024-2028 strategy and plan to the business community. The Speaker of the State Great Khural, D. Amarbaysgalan, attached great importance to this event, which involved the top 150 leaders from Mongolia’s top companies. Last year, when he was the Head of Cabinet Secretariat, he personally attended the forum. This time, while on an official visit to the United Kingdom, he sent a message. It is now clear that the parliament, with its 126 members, which forms the majority of the national budget, is committed to supporting businesses and reforming the legal environment. The Secretary General of the State Great Khural explained the parliament's 2024-2028 strategy plan and its "Human-Centric" legal policies to entrepreneurs in detail. On behalf of the parliamentary working group, members of the State Great Khural N. Batsumberel and P. Sainzorig expressed their positions. They emphasized their focus on reducing tax rates, creating a stable business environment, upholding national development policies and fundamental interests, removing bureaucratic obstacles in government services, and aiming to create a favorable, competitive legal environment for investments. For almost the first time, the parliament introduced its policies and activities to the private sector and explained its decision to adopt policies that support the business environment, marking a new approach of listening to the business community. During the "Management Forum 2025" conference held under the slogan "Building The Trust," discussions covered the economic environment and addressed pressing issues such as artificial intelligence and human resources. Let us see how the partnership between the government and the private sector will develop.

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The Economy Faces Severe Challenges, Experts Warn

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The Minister of Finance, B. Javkhlan, stated that "the macroeconomic situation remains stable." However, the Fiscal Stability Council reported that positive macroeconomic indicators are rapidly slowing down, with potential risks of further deterioration in the future. The council presented the government's medium-term macroeconomic forecast for 2026-2028 to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy and Development. They emphasized that although there were positive economic results in 2023, they have overall declined compared to the previous year, as evidenced by fiscal performance, balance of payments, foreign currency reserves, and exchange rate indicators. This situation could bring even greater challenges. While there are short-term opportunities to expand fiscal policy, the council cautioned that the impacts might not be favorable. They advised the government to adopt risk-averse budget planning strategies, prevent further fiscal deficits, limit expenditures, and save on certain types of costs. Additionally, they warned against making overly optimistic projections based on mining raw materials and failing to consider the real risks of coal export revenues falling short of expectations. Taking into account the current conditions and potential future challenges, the council forecasted that Mongolia's GDP will grow by 5.4% in 2026, 5.5% in 2027, and 5.7% in 2028. They also projected inflation rates of 8.2% next year, 7.2% the following year, and 6.8% in 2028.

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President U. Khurelsukh Visits Oyu Tolgoi Mine

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Oyu Tolgoi Mining Complex, Khanbogd Soum, Umnugovi Province, Mongolia – Mongolian President U. Khurelsukh, along with a government delegation and members of parliament, was welcomed at the Oyu Tolgoi mine by the management team led by Rio Tinto Group's CEO Jakob Stausholm, who presented the mining operations. At a time when "Oyu Tolgoi" is irrevocably committed to becoming a world leader in the copper business, President Khurelsukh's visit was a significant event. It is projected that by 2025, mining extraction will increase by 50% compared to the previous year, with the production of copper concentrate growing rapidly, transitioning to an average annual production of 500,000 tonnes of copper (100% pure metal) from both underground and open-pit mines over the next four years. Thus, by the end of this decade, Oyu Tolgoi is set to become the world's fourth largest copper mine. During his visit to the Oyu Tolgoi mine, President U. Khurelsukh expressed, "I am proud of the more than 20,000 young Mongolians working tirelessly to turn the resources of Oyu Tolgoi into national wealth and benefit for the country and its people. I also thank the international and domestic experts working alongside young Mongolians and sharing their knowledge." Jakob Stausholm, CEO of Rio Tinto Group, expressed his gratitude: "The copper extracted from the Oyu Tolgoi mine is a valuable contribution to Mongolia's role in humanity's green development, and the environmental initiatives implemented here are a tangible example of the many projects and programs initiated by you, Mr. President." Under initiatives led by President U. Khurelsukh, Oyu Tolgoi supports national movements and programs such as "Let's Leave 100 Million Saplings," "Made in Mongolia," and "From the Depths with Love." In particular, the "From the Depths with Love" campaign supporting the national "Blue Gold" congress is in its fourth year, partnering with the Water Agency and other organizations to promote proper water use, recycling, and public awareness of the importance of groundwater, aiming to protect resources. The program "Made in Mongolia" aims to substitute imported goods, align with the national "White Gold" program, improve safety procedures, product quality, and environmental standards of national producers, creating locally produced value-added goods and numerous new jobs, while introducing new technology in Mongolia. Through the "Billion Trees" national movement, the program "Let's Leave 100 Million Saplings," initiated by Oyu Tolgoi in 2022, continues to plant and raise trees, improving reforestation efforts, workforce preparation, nursery operations, and strengthening the forestry sector's capacity. The "Oyu Tolgoi" company, integrating its "Creating Progress Together" strategy with international economic and future green sustainable development efforts, is globally leading a safe, sustainable copper business, creating value for shareholders and participants and contributing to the long-term social and economic development of the homeland. Environmental initiatives implemented by the "Oyu Tolgoi" company extend beyond the mine's boundaries, positively impacting every corner of Mongolia. The program "Let's Leave 100 Million Saplings" is currently progressing at over 20% completion. Since 2022, Oyu Tolgoi has successfully planted and raised 20.5 million trees and shrubs. Of this, 1.3 million trees have been planted and grown within reforestation efforts, with an equivalent investment of 19 million trees in the forestry sector infrastructure. The "Oyu Tolgoi" company, partnering with Mongolia's Water Agency, the Mongolian Association of Hydrogeologists and Geoecologists, Gobi Basin Authority, and the School of Geology and Hydrogeology at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology, has implemented the "From the Depths with Love" campaign for four years. This aims to promote proper water use, recycling, and the understanding of groundwater importance, advocating for judicious use and sustainable practices, resource protection, and promoting the hydrogeologist profession, encouraging training qualified professionals. On March 21, 2025, during the "Blue Gold" national congress, "From the Depths with Love 2025" will award individuals and organizations for implementing water-saving, proper use, and recycling solutions and underground water research and analysis. On average, "Oyu Tolgoi" recycles 87% of its industrial water, while 97% of domestic water is reused for operations such as dust suppression and equipment washing. The "Oyu Tolgoi" process uses around three times less water per ton of ore processed compared to similar mines worldwide. In 2024, average replenishment used was 0.34 cubic meters per ton of ore. Since 2013, until the fourth quarter of 2024, 193 billion MNT has been paid for water usage. The groundwater used in the processing plant does not meet drinking water standards and does not adversely affect local community water resources. The company continues to conserve and improve biodiversity. In 2024, 63% of total waste was recyclable or reusable, with collaborations with 17 national companies in recycling efforts. A key example of onsite waste reuse is the compost production from food waste used in mine remediation, landscaping, and tree planting. Joining the global initiative against climate change, "Oyu Tolgoi" is gradually reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a target of reaching net zero by 2050. Oyu Tolgoi and Rio Tinto are working on a 180MW renewable energy project, aiming to supply 30% or 600,000 MWh of Oyu Tolgoi's long-term energy needs. In the long run, they plan to incorporate more renewable energy sources to supply 70% of total energy requirements.

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Coal Forward Contracts Can Be Traded Again on Secondary Market

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Mongolian Stock Exchange has announced that coal forward contracts are now available for re-trading on the secondary market, following a significant decline in mining exchange activity compared to the previous year. This move is expected to increase liquidity, stimulate exchange activity, and provide flexible conditions for buyers, ultimately helping to clear the coal piles accumulated at the border. During a recent government meeting, the Prime Minister directed certain measures to enhance the export of mining products. These measures include addressing the issue of coal piles at the border, ensuring efficient transportation organization, completing the construction of the railway connection on the Khangi-Mandal route, and increasing the throughput capacity of the border checkpoint. According to the Minister of Finance, a total of 10 million tons of coal have accumulated at the border due to a drop in coal prices, as buyers are currently unwilling to withdraw the coal they purchased at higher prices around six months ago. To support the increase in mining product outputs, create additional export revenue, and enhance the country's foreign currency reserves, a task force was established by the Minister of Finance during last week's government meeting. This task force will focus on advancing these key areas.

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CENTRAL: Requests for 16.7 billion MNT in concessional loans for small and medium enterprises submitted

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

As part of efforts to support small and medium enterprises, 16.7 billion MNT worth of loan requests have been submitted online by 111 businesses interested in participating in the concessional loan program allocated 8 billion MNT for Töv Province. The applications were received until 8:30 AM on March 12, 2025. In relation to the loan provision, trainings have been organized by the provincial Food and Agriculture Department in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Agency, a governmental implementing agency, to inform businesses and citizens. Specifically, 1 in-person session, 2 online sessions, and 25 training sessions were conducted across 27 districts, providing information to 498 individuals and enterprises in-person and 73 online, with 600 handbooks distributed. A total of 319 businesses from Darkhan-Uul, Selenge, and Töv provinces have confirmed requests for loans amounting to 48.8 billion MNT through the online system. Out of these, 143 loan applications that met the requirements have been advanced to the second phase of detailed assessment, with on-site evaluations of the project implementers' operations already underway.

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700 Billion MNT from VAT to be Deposited in Banks for Growth

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

In the meeting of the Social Policy Standing Committee of the State Great Khural, it was discussed to organize a hearing for the candidate representing the insurees of the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) and the National Social Insurance Council (NSIC), as well as to set a date for it. By decision, the hearing for the nominee was scheduled for April 7, with MPs D.Uuriintuya and Ts.Iderbat appointed to preside over it. Member of the NHIC S.Erdenebat was elected as a member of parliament, and the term of the member representing the insurees of the NSIC, Ts.Sukhbaatar, has ended, prompting the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions to nominate J.Batzorig and B.Ragchaa. The nominee to represent the insurees of the NHIC, B.Ragchaa, holds the position of vice president of the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions and has worked from being an organizer to chairman of the Mongolian Transport, Communication, and Petroleum Workers' Union since 2005. Meanwhile, the nominee to represent the insurees of the NSIC, J.Batzorig, is an expert responsible for general education schools and pre-school educational institutions in the Mongolian Education and Science Workers' Union. He has worked continuously in the trade union organization since 1997 and served as chairman of the Education and Science Workers' Union from 2011 to 2019. During the discussion, MPs A.Ariunzaya and Kh.Bolgontuya raised the issue of including a senior representative among the nominees for the NSIC. MP A.Ariunzaya stated that the NSIC is responsible for determining the social insurance contribution rate, retirement age, and pension amount. On this basis, they agreed that J.Sukhbaatar, having advocated for the rights of pensioners to represent the Senior Citizens Association, was included due to an agreement and was employed as one of the three trade union quota members of the NSIC. The current NSIC has teacher representation, and now another teacher representative has been added. Why was the proposal of the Senior Citizens Association not taken along with the minister's proposal? Tovuuseren is an excellent candidate, well-prepared at a policy level for our social insurance system. Why was he not nominated as a member of the NSIC? General Secretary of the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions /NSIC member/ Kh.Buianjargal stated that in accordance with Article 35.1.2 of the Social Insurance Law, three people must be from the Trade Union, which protects the majority interests of insurees, as stated in the law. In compliance with Resolution No. 01 of the State Great Khural, the NSIC's regulations and statutes were renewed and promulgated. An open selection process was announced within the legal framework. The issue regarding representatives such as Erdenesuren, Gansukh, Batzorig, Erdenebayar, Dagvadorj, Sarantsatsralt, and Senior Citizens Association's Tovuuseren was discussed. J.Sukhbaatar sent a letter asking for support for Tovuuseren from the Senior Citizens Association because my term representing the insurees of the NSIC has ended. However, according to the law, Tovuuseren cannot represent the Trade Union. The NSIC discussed that a retiree cannot be a basis to represent the insurees, as Tovuuseren is 78 years old. An official representative is required from the CMTU, which is a nationwide structured organization. However, this individual is not a member of any trade union. MP S.Erdenebat stated that the beginning of social insurance insolvency started with Capital Bank. Thirteen years ago, we admitted several people with seals to the NSIC. Those individuals, following their respective ministers and leaders of that time, placed social insurance funds into risky, less-capable banks, due to conflicts of interest. Future NSIC members should focus more on independent capability. It often results in mistakes when ministers and leaders are followed too closely. Some members are asking what we did as members of this council. From what I can say, as a person who worked on social insurance contributions, legally, the possibility for pension inheritance was established when a social insurance contribution was paid for 30 years, having only previously covered funeral expenses. Recently, a decision was made to deposit 700 billion MNT from social insurance in banks. With this, countless bank representatives will likely be lobbying or going around. For a long time, we demanded protocols of who managed and proposed what regarding the funds of the Social Insurance Fund, but they have not been provided yet. If not given, the issue will be raised with the Ethics Subcommittee of the State Great Khural. When Capital Bank went bankrupt, it was the trade unions who first ran to demand their money. It was the trade unions who were sitting in protest demanding their money. The General Secretary of the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions /NSIC member/ Kh.Buianjargal responded that during the implementation of the previous law, the individuals from the CMTU working in the NSIC possibly made some mistakes due to lacking authority or inability to maintain independence. The social insurance fund is still owed 102.4 billion MNT from Capital Bank and Chinggis Khaan Bank. During the CMTU's general council meeting, directions were given to NSIC members to settle debt obligations. A clear issue was raised to openly discuss this matter by involving media representatives and law enforcement bodies. The NSIC's secretariat is preparing accordingly. On February 24, the NSIC decided to deposit 700 billion MNT of insurees' funds in five systemically powerful banks. However, due to changes in the Bank of Mongolia's policy interest rate, the issue of depositing over 12.2% arose, leading NSIC to discuss this matter further. The NSIC is committed to placing the insurees' funds in profitable banks and increasing monetary resources.

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Electricity Price Increase Reduces Losses for Three Coal Mines and UBTZ

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Energy Regulatory Commission provided information to economic journalists. Last November, the electricity prices for businesses and households were increased, bringing about the following changes in the sector. The thermal power plants in the capital are supplied with coal by three coal mines. Depending on the calorific value of the coal and geological conditions, the plants purchase it at different prices. At the end of last year, as a result of the electricity price increase, the prices of coal from the Baganuur, Shivee-Ovoo, and Sharyn Gol mines rose. The price of Baganuur coal was increased to 43,310-54,091 MNT, Shivee-Ovoo coal to 38,000-53,000 MNT, and Sharyn Gol coal to 52,000-65,000 MNT per ton. Additionally, as UBTZ had been incurring losses by transporting coal to the capital at a price lower than the cost, the transport cost per ton was raised from 8,169 MNT to 9,435 MNT at the beginning of this year. As a result of the price increase, the energy sector will gain an additional income of 516 billion MNT. This income will be allocated to the following costs: - 205 billion MNT for employee salaries and social insurance - 117 billion MNT for coal transportation - 70 billion MNT for repairs and renovations. There are about 90 companies in this sector. Before the price increase, some companies had to take out loans from banks to pay salaries due to the fact that subsidies were only provided to the western regional network from the state budget. Even though the electricity price increased, the government postponed increases in heating and water prices. Also, as no large new energy sources will be brought into operation, energy shortages will persist until 2026. The power purchase agreement for the Bööröljuutiin power station was signed nine years ago. After the agreement was signed, the contractor sought financing, and construction began. Building a large power plant requires years of work. Households living in ger districts constitute 14% of the country's total energy consumption. This figure is not expected to increase in the coming years. Ninety-nine percent of them have two meters. However, the energy consumption of businesses is expected to increase. Households in apartment buildings consume, on average, 200-200 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month, which remains constant.

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B.Dulguun: Coal Exchange Trading Reduced Threefold

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

We had a conversation with B.Dulguun, the CEO of the Mongolian Stock Exchange. Let’s start our conversation by discussing the current state of the Mongolian Stock Exchange? Recently, public attention has been focused on whether the coal export volume has decreased. According to statistics, at this time last year, 10.9 million tons of coal were exported, while this year, the figure slightly increased to 11.3 million tons. The main issue, however, is not the volume of the coal export but the drop in coal prices. Even though the volume has increased, the amount of U.S. dollars coming in has decreased due to the price drop. There’s no one today who can answer how long this situation will last. However, the National Congress of China recently announced certain construction projects. Following that, the demand for steel, rebar, and cement is expected to increase. As a result, the demand for coal from Mongolia is anticipated to rise, leading to the hope that prices will go up again. Due to seasonal tendencies, the pace of construction activities usually slows in the winter months. If we look at the figures from the beginning of the year, as of March 14 last year, coal trades worth 2 trillion MNT were conducted, while as of March 14 this year, trades worth 630-640 billion MNT were conducted on the Stock Exchange. This indicates that the activity in coal trading can be estimated to have decreased approximately threefold. Is the Mongolian Stock Exchange able to operate in the same system as international stock exchanges? Are prices being settled based on competition among participants on the stock exchange? The law about the mining stock exchange was initially approved with the aim to stop the theft related to the mining sector. Therefore, I believe that with the passing of this law, it has had a significant impact on advancing Mongolia’s economy. Previously, directors of state-owned companies could embezzle large sums by merely signing off. Coal was sold under pretextual conditions at desired valuations. Now, with the Exchange Act, this situation has completely changed. All coal sold by state-owned companies is traded through the exchange, making purchases transparent and open, and coal prices have risen. Over the last two years, over 40 million tons of coal have been sold through the exchange. As a result, they were able to generate sufficient funds to provide the 100,000 MNT child benefit monthly throughout the year by selling coal through the exchange. Initially, coal was sold through the exchange at 72 USD, but it has since been sold at increasing prices. The operations of the exchange should remain transparent irrespective of whether it is being bought by domestic or foreign entities. We must not back down from this principle. What is the current price of coal being sold through the exchange today? There have been ongoing discussions about the reduced interest in buying coal through the exchange due to falling coal prices? The issue for the buyers today is that the price at which they have purchased is falling by the time they aim to sell in the next 6-9 months. Hence, buyers who bought coal at the peak price in the last year are facing higher prices today. In contrast, the actual coal price has dropped by 44% since that period. Therefore, there is a proposal to shift our system towards international principles where if the market prices increase, we increase them or if they decrease, we lower them. Given that the coal price has decreased in Mongolia, reducing prices would mean that if it rises again, we risk not being able to benefit from the profits. Therefore, efforts are being made to propose mutually beneficial changes that will raise prices when they increase and lower them when they decrease, and this has been introduced to all ministries and relevant institutions with amendments to the rules for selling coal through the exchange. During the opening of the spring session, the Speaker of Parliament highlighted the presence of many regulations exceeding the law. It seems certain that changes will be made to the Exchange Act in some time. Until the law is amended, are we adding another regulation that exceeds the law? During the preparation of this regulation, opinions were gathered from relevant institutions and lawyers. The law on the mining exchange states that the contract price will be set based on the exchange's announced price. Initially, it is considered appropriate to conduct stock trading under the above stipulation until the law is amended without any delay. As auctions are conducted, the physical volume of Mongolia's mining products will increase. Proposals have been sent to amend the law to allow indexed black and white sales of coal. By the Financial Regulatory Commission's Resolution No. 76 dated March 18, 2025, amendments to certain regulations at "Mongolian Stock Exchange" JSC were allowed, including: "Regulations on trading of mining products on the exchange," "Regulations on the payment and settlement of mining product exchange trading" to be enforced until April 1, 2026. Also, the procedures for "Standardization and implementation of coal spot, forward contract", "Standardization and implementation of copper concentrate sales contract", "Standardization and implementation of iron ore and concentrate sales contract", "Standardization and implementation of fluorspar, ore, and concentrate sales contract" and "Regulation for reselling forward coal contracts" were approved. Is there a calculation or study on classifying participants in exchange trading by sector? How many are state-owned enterprises from China, and how many are private companies? Currently, over 440 registered buyers are on the stock exchange. They purchase coal, copper, and iron ore. Some purchase 2-3 types of products. It is possible to produce calculations on how many purchase coal, copper, iron ore. There is no calculated data on how many are state-owned or private. What is crucial is that any company formed today has the opportunity to come to the exchange and buy raw materials openly, regardless of being state-owned or private. There is no requirement to sell specifically to state-owned or private companies. Whichever company can purchase a commodity at the highest price has the opportunity to do so, among the incoming companies. Over the past three months, aside from coal, what other products have been sold through the Stock Exchange? There was an issue heard about not being able to sell copper through the exchange? Regarding copper, there was an issue of ending long-term agreements previously made before moving to direct exchange sales. Therefore, after fulfilling long-term agreements, the gradual move towards exchange trading was planned. Since 2025, just before Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year), 5000 tons of copper was sold through the exchange. There is a plan to sell 60 thousand tons of copper through the exchange this year. It is expected that the plan will be fulfilled. Secondly, for iron ore, 1.9 million tons were sold in the first two months through the exchange, and there is an expectation to sell an additional 1 million tons this year. Being sold through the exchange does not mean it is immediately exported. Although sales were recorded in the first two months, the delivery timeframe varies. The ability to bring in funds earlier has been enabled. Despite the drop in coal prices, increasing the export percentage of other raw materials to cover budget deficiencies is being discussed. How realistic is this calculation? Let me clarify one thing. No trade has decreased due to the exchange. The exchange is organizing trades very well. There are no blockages, and the process is reliable. Additionally, I would like to add that whatever product offered to us for sale is being bought. The other side is also meeting the interests of suppliers. Whether it’s "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" company or "Energy Resources," we organize auctions with the proposed price. We organize our trades without showcasing bureaucracy to any parties.

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Shareholders' Meeting of "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC to be Held

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

The regular shareholders' meeting of "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC will be held on April 28, 2025, at 09:00 AM in Ulaanbaatar, Sukhbaatar District, 8th khoroo, at the "Galleria" center's "Juulchin Grand Ballroom" conference room. The meeting will discuss and resolve the following issues: - Considering and approving the Board of Directors' conclusion on the company's 2024 operational report; - Considering and approving the Board of Directors' conclusion on the company's 2024 financial report; - Presentation of the Board of Directors' decision on whether to distribute dividends; - Amendments to the company's statutes; - The 2024 operational report of the Board of Directors; - Election of a member of the Board of Directors. The registration day for the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the regular meeting is April 7, 2025. According to the Government of Mongolia's Resolution No. 181 of 2012 and Resolution No. 45 of January 31, 2024, the shares of "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC held by citizens free of charge and companies purchased at face value will not have voting rights and cannot be disposed of in any form until the secondary market trading starts, so only votes from shareholders with voting rights will be considered for the matters discussed at the 2025 regular meeting. Relevant documents for the regular shareholders' meeting can be reviewed starting from April 17, 2025, and additional information can be obtained during business hours from the meeting organizing committee at the following address: Address: Finance Center, Jigjidjav Street, 1st khoroo, Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar 15160, Mongolia.
Website: www.ett.mn
Phone: +976 7505-5555
Email: info@erdenestt.mn
Live broadcast link: Facebook page Erdenes Tavantolgoi JSC / Эрдэнэс Тавантолгой ХК

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D. Delgersaikhan: We must limit expenditure growth and run without a deficit

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Ministry of Economic Development organized a public discussion on the draft law concerning the 2026 Budget Framework Statement and the 2027-2028 Budget Projections of Mongolia's unified budget. Representatives from the Fiscal Stability Council, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Mongolia, the International Monetary Fund, as well as scholars, researchers, and civil society organizations participated in the exchange of opinions regarding the issues to be considered in the medium-term budget framework statement and the policy directions to be pursued going forward. Additionally, presentations were made on the economic situation, key macroeconomic indicators, forecast conditions, inflation, the current status of the government's debt, and medium-term policy strategies. B. Tsendaayush, Director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Department at the Bank of Mongolia, mentioned the current state of inflation, saying, "As of the first two months of the year, the inflation rate reached 9.6%, mainly influenced by the rise in prices of food items, particularly flour, meat, and meat products. Over the past two years, livestock losses have increased due to winter and spring 'zud' (a severe winter weather phenomenon causing mass livestock death). Just last year, a statistical figure shows that 9.4 million livestock perished. This has disrupted the supply of meat, consequently raising prices. For instance, the price of sheep and beef has increased by 20%, affecting not only meat and meat products but also public catering services. On the one hand, adverse natural and climatic conditions are a significant cause of price increases," he stated. The Fiscal Stability Council has prepared the medium-term budget framework statement and submitted it along with a report on the necessary macroeconomic forecast conditions. Regarding this, J. Delgersaikhan, a member of the Fiscal Stability Council, economist, and associate professor at the School of Economic Studies, emphasized, "Last year, the Fiscal Stability Council issued a recommendation that the dependency and growth related to the mining sector might pose risks during economic downturns. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and limit the budget. Currently, this conclusion has changed. We are facing an unavoidable big challenge that has already started to have an impact. Therefore, in addition to reducing economic growth to align with model results, we must also limit the growth of budget expenditures and continue without a deficit. The medium-term budget framework statement is approved in December alongside the budget. At the very least, its figures should not be changed or expanded. Based on recommendations and the existing condition, adjusting the budget is what the government must do. There is an undeniable risk in the current situation. To prevent this, certain measures must be taken. Especially, the policy of fiscal discipline in the medium-term budget framework statement being discussed today must be executed very carefully."

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B. Dulgunn: I believe that updating the procedure to align the price of coal contracts with the market price will revive trading activity

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

By adopting the Financial Regulatory Commission's Resolution No. 76, the operation of the "Regulations on the Trading of Mineral Products Exchanges" and "Regulations on the Settlement of Trading of Mineral Products Exchanges" will be enforced until April 1, 2026. In connection with this, we discussed the changes in the coal exchange of the Mineral Exchange with B. Dulgunn, Acting Executive Director of the Mongolian Stock Exchange. - Why was it decided to change the trading rules of the mineral products exchange? - The rules and procedures took effect on the day when the Mineral Exchange Law was approved. The Mineral Exchange Law has made all transactions that were previously opaque transparent and open. The issue has been heavily influenced by individuals and their affiliates, affecting the interests of Mongolia negatively. By trading mineral products on an open exchange, the revenue entering Mongolia increased by 1.3 trillion MNT. This means extra profit amounting to 100,000 MNT being given to all children monthly for a whole year. As everything evolves and changes over time, we reached the conclusion that it is necessary to set the contract price in alignment with the market price due to the current decline in coal prices, which led to the amendments. Secondly, even if the party that won the coal trading on the exchange paid 100%, if they did not receive their coal, there wasn't a condition to continue selling it. Therefore, we are allowing the coal to be sold through the exchange if it has not been received. - What results do you expect from these changes in the exchange policies for the mineral exchange? - By introducing regulations where the initial price changes based on the index, we foresee the coal trade becoming more active. Longer-term contracts will also have the chance to be traded on the exchange. Buyers are cautious about committing to a fixed price until December, worrying about overpaying if coal prices drop. By bringing long-term players to the exchange, it will be possible to make very good deals, which will benefit both parties in the end. - Will changes be made to the trading regulations for other mineral products besides coal? - This time, the major changes were focused on coal trading. If necessary, changes can be made in the future for iron, copper, and fluorspar. Currently, there was an urgent need to update the coal exchange operations. Looking at the first two months of 2025, our country exported 11.5 million tons of coal. Although this is an increase of 600,000 tons compared to the same period last year, the money coming in decreased. The more coal is traded through exchanges, the higher prices it can fetch. "During a price drop, if we can improve aspects under our control, such as trading and contract conditions, the activity of coal trading will start to revive." - What challenges does the coal market face? - Observing the challenges arising in the market, 60% are beyond our control. Mongolians do not set coal prices. Prices are determined based on China's demand for steel mills and the supply balance through imports. At the meeting of China's Political Consultative Conference held on March 5-11, efforts were noted to mitigate an 8% deficit in domestic GDP and to revive the economy. During a price decline, if we can improve aspects under our control, such as trading and contract conditions, the activity of coal trading will start to revive. Consequently, the physical volume of coal traded and exported through exchanges should increase. Now, sellers only initiate loading the first truck of coal after receiving 100% payment. Therefore, we are making payment conditions more flexible, requiring partial upfront payment with guarantees for the remainder. Secondly, the prices of contracts constructed for 30 to 45 days will not change. However, contracts based on indexes for coal purchased over 3, 6, and 12 months will see the payment amount per ton decrease if the market declines. Conversely, if the market rises, the payment per ton will increase. This protects buyers from price falls and sellers from price rises. When the market price rises, selling at a stable price is unprofitable for Mongolia, hence the changes to contract conditions. - What changes might be implemented by the Mineral Exchange if coal prices remain low in the future? - We have calculated that coal prices have reached their lowest point. We are researching how long it will stay at this level and when it might recover. There is an expectation that coal prices may recover starting from the third quarter of 2025. - Are buyers indicating that the decline in coal trading relates to strict regulations adhered to by our mineral exchange? - Due to the strict regulations of the mineral exchange, our state-owned companies gained significantly. However, companies that were active participants in our trading suffered $250 million in losses due to undelivered coal in the past. If this extent of losses is incurred again, the number of buyers for our coal will decrease.

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Diplomacy

The Chairman of the Mongolian Parliament D. Amarbayasgalan and the Speaker of the British House of Commons L. Hoyle Held an Official Meeting

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Chairman of the Parliament of Mongolia, D. Amarbayasgalan, and the Speaker of the House of Commons of the British Parliament, L. Hoyle, held an official meeting.

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The Official Visit of Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan to The United Kingdom Begins

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The official visit of the Speaker of Mongolia’s State Great Khural, D. Amarbayasgalan, to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has commenced. He held an official meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, the Right Honourable Mr. L. Hoyle, at the Palace of Westminster. During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with the active development of bilateral relations and cooperation across all sectors in recent years and emphasized the strengthening of high-level mutual visits and understanding. They also exchanged detailed proposals on expanding and enhancing cooperation between legislative bodies, particularly invigorating relations between secretariats and parliamentary groups. Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan introduced the goals of the newly established State Great Khural, the policy of "Three Enhancements" aimed at strengthening parliamentary governance, as well as ongoing activities and legal reforms intended to develop Mongolia’s economy and increase trade and investment. Speaker of the House of Commons L. Hoyle expressed gratitude for accepting his invitation and implementing the first official visit of the Speaker of the State Great Khural to the country, and he expressed confidence that this visit will contribute to expanding cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries. After the meeting, Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan signed the distinguished guest book of the House of Commons, as reported by the Press and Media Department of the State Great Khural.

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Highlights from Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan's Visit to the United Kingdom

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The official visit of the Chairman of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia, D. Amarbayasgalan, to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has begun. He held an official meeting with the Right Honorable Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, in the Westminster Palace. During the meeting, both sides expressed their satisfaction with the active development of relations and cooperation between the two countries in all areas over recent years and highlighted the strengthening of mutual understanding through high-level visits. They also discussed in detail the expansion and development of cooperation between legislative bodies, specifically emphasizing the activation of relations between the Secretariats and parliamentary groups. During the meeting, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan introduced the newly established goals of the State Great Khural, the "Three Perfections" policy aimed at strengthening parliamentary governance, and the activities and legal reforms being implemented to develop Mongolia's economy and increase trade and investment. Sir Lindsay Hoyle expressed gratitude for accepting the invitation and noted that this official visit by the Chairman of the State Great Khural is a first to the country, expressing confidence that it would drive the expansion of cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries. After the meeting, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan signed the guestbook of honor of the House of Commons of the British Parliament. In the context of his official visit to the United Kingdom, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan met with Rupert Hay Campbell, Director of Architecture at the House of Commons Digital Service, and Elizabeth Aks, Director of Innovation and Initiative. During the meeting, they exchanged views on policies regarding e-governance, e-parliament, digitalizing public services, as well as information security projects and programs implemented. Additionally, he met with Fabian Hamilton, Chair of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. They discussed relations and cooperation between the supreme legislative bodies of the two countries. Within the framework of his official visit to the United Kingdom, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan met with representatives of Mongolian youth working in British technology companies to exchange views. During the meeting, Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan emphasized the importance of the experience and knowledge gained by youth working in leading technology companies globally as pivotal to the development of the country and wished them success. The Mongolian youth shared their work experiences and thoughts on the participation of the private sector and government regulatory support in building globally competitive technology systems.

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Fifth Consultative Meeting between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and India Held

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Fifth Consultative Meeting between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and India was held in New Delhi, the capital city of the Republic of India, on the 19th of this month. At the beginning of the meeting, State Secretary L. Munkhtushig emphasized that Mongolia places high importance on deepening the strategic partnership with India, which is considered a "spiritual neighbor" and a significant partner in the region, as well as a "third neighbor." The parties discussed a wide range of issues concerning political, trade, economic, mining, information technology, education, and cultural cooperation, as well as regional and international collaboration between Mongolia and India. They exchanged views on high-level visits and events to be implemented in celebration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. The parties noted the rapid progress in the development of joint projects and programs and agreed to closely collaborate to commission the Oil Refinery, which is one of the 14 mega projects of the Mongolian government and a symbol of Mongolia-India relations, within the planned timeline. The parties expressed their continued mutual support and cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and international organizations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Deputy Speaker of the State Great Khural Kh. Bulgantuya Meets with Ambassador Shen Minjuan

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar – Deputy Speaker of the State Great Khural Kh. Bulgantuya met with Shen Minjuan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Mongolia, on March 19. At the beginning of the meeting, Deputy Speaker Kh. Bulgantuya highlighted the success of the official visit by the Speaker of the State Great Khural, D. Amarbayasgalan, to China last month and expressed gratitude for the efforts made in organizing the visit. Ambassador Shen Minjuan emphasized the signing of the agreement between the governments of Mongolia and China on the cross-border railway connection at the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod border port. She expressed confidence in the further expansion and strengthening of cooperation between the two countries and their legislative bodies. Additionally, she expressed gratitude on behalf of her country for the donation of 30,000 sheep by the people of Mongolia during the difficult times of the Covid-19 pandemic, as reported by the Press Office of the State Great Khural.

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Qutub Minar Illuminated with the Mongolian National Flag

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar, March 20, 2025 /MONTSAME/. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and India, the Mongolian Embassy in India organized a reception in New Delhi on March 19. The event was opened with speeches by L. Munkhtushig, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, and D. Ganbold, Ambassador of Mongolia to India. The ceremony was attended by over 300 guests, including high-ranking officials from the foreign ministries of both countries, Mongolian and Indian businesspeople, Mongolian citizens and students studying and working in that country, and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations in New Delhi. During the event, a ceremony was held to illuminate the "Qutub Minar" in New Delhi, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a historic landmark, with the national flag of Mongolia, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Follow @montsame.mn

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Infrastructure

Was Their Announced Energy Reform Just Aimed at Raising Prices?

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The coalition government has been in place for nearly eight months. The main goal of forming the coalition government was announced by political party leaders as accelerating Mongolia's development, launching major projects, and reforming sectors that have reached bankruptcy with state subsidies. They named energy as the first sector to be reformed and established a large National Energy Commission consisting of the MPP, DP, and HUN parties. Unfortunately, after raising electricity prices by 30% at the end of the year, the National Energy Commission seemingly disappeared. In other words, it's as if they have piled the burden on consumers by raising prices under the name of reform and then vanished without a sound. As the main construction season begins, there is no announcement of new projects to be implemented in the energy sector. However, it has been announced that heating prices will be increased by 85% starting this fall. It's widely acknowledged that Mongolia's energy sector needs to overcome the source shortage first and foremost. An energy source is needed to meet the annual increase of 200 MW in consumption and to further accelerate development through major projects. However, the coalition government has not announced any policy in this direction, and nothing specific has been done. Although political parties in the coalition government promised to launch many renewable energy projects in their manifestos, very little has been realized in practice. This spring, "Bodi International's" II block of the Booroljuut power plant is under construction, and work on Erdeneburen's hydropower plant project with China's concessional loan seems to be progressing. Meanwhile, the Tavantolgoi power plant project that would supply energy to Oyu Tolgoi has been on hold. As of now, there is no news of any new energy projects starting this spring. In essence, Deputy Prime Minister T. Dorjkhand's announced energy reform was hoped to attract foreign and domestic investment, create multiple sources for electricity and heating, and reduce dependency through comprehensive policy reforms in the energy sector. However, today it leaves people doubting whether the grand title of energy reform was merely aimed at raising electricity and heating prices. With this pace, it is likely that by next winter, the "energy sector cannot bear losses" and the load will again be placed on citizens. Towards the end of the article, examples of successfully implemented energy reforms in other countries are addressed to the National Energy Commission. Sweden, Denmark, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Ethiopia's energy policies and state involvement, and innovation showcase the effective management of energy reforms. These countries have successfully implemented strategies such as investment in renewable energy, restructuring market mechanisms, improving energy efficiency, and ensuring extensive supply. Sweden is renowned for establishing one of the world's most efficient and environmentally friendly energy systems. The nation introduced one of the world's highest carbon taxes in 1991, significantly reducing reliance on coal and oil. Today, more than 75% of Sweden's electricity comes from renewable energy sources, primarily hydro and wind power. The use of biofuels and heat waste for heating offices and residences significantly contributes to reducing carbon emissions. The key to Sweden's success lies in its combination of incentive systems, tax policies, and technological advancements. Denmark leads the world in wind energy development. The energy policy reforms of 2012 and 2018 have set targets for 100% renewable energy by 2030 and a completely carbon-free economy by 2050. Public investment opportunities in wind farms and increased civic participation have been critical to success. High carbon taxes and stringent energy standards for buildings are among the policy measures implemented. As a result, wind energy now meets 50% of Denmark's electricity needs, and coal consumption has decreased by 75% since 2000. Denmark's experience shows that a clear energy transition is achievable with strong state involvement, public support, and firm energy policies. Costa Rica is an exemplary nation that provides 99% of its electricity needs with renewable energy. This achievement is based on government-controlled energy policies and investments in hydro, wind, and geothermal energy made by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE). The country also attracts foreign investment and develops the renewable energy sector. It has banned oil and gas exploration since 2011, focusing special attention on clean energy development. The government promotes electric buses and cars, making significant contributions to the sector's sustainable transport development. Having a cost-effective, sustainable energy system showcases that clean energy transitions are possible even for developing nations. Over the past two decades, Uruguay has substantially reformed its energy sector and is one of the world's fastest transitioning countries. While in 2000, hydropower accounted for 90% of its electricity supply; today's energy mix is more diversified, including wind (40%), hydro (30%), biomass (15%), and solar (5%). Active support for public-private partnerships and increased investments in wind and solar energy sectors have driven this success. The country also decentralized energy production, allowing households and businesses to generate their own energy, significantly enhancing energy security and reducing costs. Ethiopia shows significant progress in the renewable energy sector, particularly as a leader in hydropower. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is expected to be Africa's largest hydropower plant, aimed at supplying domestic needs while also exporting energy to neighboring countries. The state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) company is implementing off-grid solar systems and mini-grid projects to improve rural electrification. Currently, more than 90% of Ethiopia's electricity comes from renewable sources, with plans to increase energy exports. Lessons can be drawn from the experience of these countries. First, strong government involvement and a clear policy framework are foundational for successfully implementing renewable energy. Second, public-private partnerships help increase investment and introduce new technologies. Third, diversifying energy sources plays a crucial role in mitigating the risks of climate change. Lastly, public engagement, combined with policies to improve energy efficiency, significantly contributes to sustainability.

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Postponing the Increase in Heating Prices Will Cause a 118 Billion Tugrik Loss in the Sector

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

The government announced that starting November 15 of last year, electricity prices would increase by 30-85% depending on consumption, and they had stated that heating prices would increase in May 2025. However, the public expressed opposition to the decision to increase prices. Consequently, following the government meeting last week, it was announced that the increase in heating prices would be temporarily postponed. The relevant authorities provided information about the losses that would occur in the sector due to the lack of tariff updates. IF THE 118 BILLION IS NOT PROVIDED AS A SUBSIDY, THERE WILL BE A SHORTFALL IN RESOURCES. The Head of the Working Staff of the Energy Regulatory Commission, B. BOLOR-ERDENE: - Of course, because there are costly assets, the energy sector will face a certain level of capital shortage. The resulting shortage will create conditions that need to be financed by debt or loans, or it could lead to tax and social insurance debts. In terms of thermal energy tariffs, it is estimated that there will be a shortage of 118 billion tugriks. If this amount is not provided as a subsidy, there will be a resource shortfall, the sector's situation will worsen, and there is a risk of debt accumulation. THE NEED TO REDUCE PLANNED EXPENSES HAS ARISEN. Head of the Tariff Department of the ERC, B. ERDENEBULGAN: - Previously, the losses were financed through debt. We also worked by postponing necessary repairs and reducing work volumes. So what does reducing work volumes and repairs mean? It increases the risk of unexpected accidents and failures caused by outdated and aging equipment. The sector will bear a certain level of losses related to the decline in revenue. Additionally, there is a need and requirement to reduce planned expenses. Reducing expenses means we will be forced to delay payments on long-term loan installments beyond the planned schedule, in addition to the expenses for maintenance and repairs.

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Expressed Intent to Collaborate in the Transportation Sector

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Minister of Roads and Transport, B. Delgersaikhan, received Aibek Artykbaev, the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Mongolia, to discuss cooperation. The parties highlighted the increased activity in bilateral relations, cooperation, and mutual visits in recent years, and expressed their attention to expanding cooperation in all sectors such as the economy, tourism, and trade between the two countries. In particular, they discussed expanding cooperation in the transportation sector, including automotive, air, and rail transport. Additionally, within the framework of high-level discussions between the two countries, they talked about updating and improving existing agreements and establishing new ones. This includes actively involving the Ministry of Transport and the transport logistics sector in the "International Transport Forum" organized by Kyrgyzstan, increasing the economic cooperation benefits of the transport logistics sector, facilitating cross-border transport, creating interconnectedness in the transport sector, developing transport corridors, and jointly addressing other pressing issues. Minister B. Delgersaikhan emphasized the government policies and ongoing activities, particularly focusing on major projects and programs and the establishment of cargo transportation terminals. Ambassador Aibek Artykbaev highlighted that the major economic sectors of the Kyrgyz Republic include agriculture, food production, the transport sector, and natural resources, and introduced opportunities to expand cooperation in the automotive and air transport sectors between the two countries. For instance, in the air transport sector, he proposed direct flight routes from Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and in the automotive transport sector, enabling citizens of the two countries to travel and conduct transit transport without obstacles. At the end of the meeting, the ministers expressed their intent to expand cooperation between Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan across multiple areas within the transport sector, as reported by the Ministry of Roads and Transport.

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Fraudulent Practices Involving State-Owned Housing Registrations

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Recently, incidents of fraud have emerged where individuals are deceived into believing they will be included in the registration for housing under the "State Housing Corporation" by misusing the name of the corporation and its employees. The "State Housing Corporation" has announced that it has not accepted any registrations or pre-orders for the "Solongo 1, 2" apartment complex projects or any other projects in the territory of the 21st khoroo of Khan-Uul district in Ulaanbaatar city. The same fraudulent practices, involving promises to include people in housing registrations under the guise of the "State Housing Corporation" and its employees, have been reported. The corporation reaffirmed that no registrations or pre-orders are being accepted for any ongoing projects.

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Society

Over 400 Australian Volunteer Programs Implemented in Mongolia

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

In Ulaanbaatar, as part of the "Australia Week" being held for the first time in our country, a training session was held dedicated to the lifestyle and communication of hearing-impaired and partially hearing individuals with organizations collaborating with the Australian Volunteer Program. Over 400 Australian volunteer programs have been implemented in Mongolia, with volunteers sharing their skills, innovative ideas, and extensive experience with the local communities where they live and work. They are involved in activities related to health, education, climate change, human rights, gender equality, disaster risk reduction, strengthening social capacity, participation of people with disabilities, sports, and teaching English.

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China to Spend Money to Solve Population Crisis

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The central and local governments in China are making efforts to increase birth rates, and recently, two Chinese cities have begun offering cash subsidies. China's birth rate in 2024 saw a slight increase, marking the first growth in eight years. However, the rapid decline in population has raised concerns about slowing the world's second-largest economy and leading to labor shortages. The health authorities of Hohhot, the capital of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, introduced a new cash benefit program to increase births. Parents who have children on or after March 1, 2025, will receive a one-time subsidy of 10,000 yuan, equivalent to $1,380. Those who welcome a second child will receive an annual reward of 50,000 yuan until the child is five years old. Approximately 3.5 million households that have a third child will be eligible to receive an annual subsidy of 10,000 yuan until the third child is ten years old. Additionally, the southeastern city of Shenzhen is taking steps to renew its incentives to support birth rates, such as expanding childcare services availability. The city will "actively and persistently implement" these policies according to national guidelines, officials told state media. According to official data, a 17% increase in births in 2024 was attributed to the subsidy program. Analysts note that major cities in China with a high cost of living may implement similar measures to achieve similar results. Although China is not currently offering national child subsidies, it is placing special emphasis on supporting birth rates, which was a main topic of the annual two sessions of Congress. In an interview with the "People's Day" newspaper of the Communist Party of China, Zhang Hongmin, Director of the Department of Family and Aging of Hohhot's Health Committee, said, "Previously, cash benefits were given to families with two or three children, creating difficulties in applying preferential policies to families who have a child for the first time, thus limiting their desire to have children." One of the measures introduced at this meeting was a slight increase in the minimum subsidy for rural and unemployed urban residents. The government also directed to "appropriately" increase the basic pension for retirees and expand elder care services "for the sake of public interest."

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966 people affected by disasters and accidents, causing damage worth 9.7 billion MNT

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

The National Statistics Office reported that 709 cases of disasters and accidents were recorded in the first two months of this year, which is a 23% or 218 cases decrease compared to the same period last year. A total of 966 people were affected by these incidents, resulting in damages amounting to 9.7 billion MNT. Examining the types of disasters and accidents, in the first two months, there were 9 hydrometeorological disasters, 9 geological disasters, 3 biological disasters, and 688 human activity-related accidents recorded.

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A Seminar on Sending "Specially Skilled Workers"

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development, in collaboration with the General Authority for Labor and Welfare Services and the organizations organizing special skills tests, will host a seminar for exchanging information about the "Specially Skilled Worker" dispatch system and its implementation. At this seminar, experts from the authorized organizations will provide information about the system. When: Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 14:00 to 16:00 Where: Main Hall, Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development Number of participants to register: 70 people Fee: The seminar is free of charge and will be conducted in Mongolian. Interested participants are requested to access THIS link to pre-register.

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17 People Killed and 5 Injured in Fires

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Since the beginning of this year, there have been 992 reported cases of household fires, resulting in the deaths of 17 people, five of whom were children. Five others have been injured, including three children. Emergency services have saved the lives of six people from fires and evacuated 674 individuals from smoke-affected areas. Recently, emergency services have issued warnings due to the increasing number of forest, grassland, and household fire reports. More than ten household fire incidents are recorded daily. In the capital, reports have come in from Songino Khairkhan, Sukhbaatar, Baganuur, Bayanzurkh, and Nalaikh districts about homes, fences, and trash burning. For example, in the 5th khoroo of Baganuur district, residents extinguished a fire on one hectare of seabuckthorn belonging to a citizen named "Ch." Additionally, reports of burning roofs, fences, and trash have been recorded in Zavkhan, Dundgobi, and Umnugobi provinces. As of the 18th of this month, there have been 18 instances of forest and grassland fires in 15 soums across five provinces. In Khentii province's Bor-Undur soum, a grassland fire occurred the day before yesterday, burning two hectares of land and adding to the count. Emergency services have cautioned that the high-risk fire period is beginning. The periods from March 20th to June 10th and September 20th to November 10th are considered high-risk times. Therefore, citizens are advised to be cautious about igniting forest and grassland fires and to take preventive measures. It was also warned that discarded lighters and glass can pose a fire risk. Tuya Ch.

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Joint Online Meeting-Discussion on the Assessment of the State of Human Rights Begins

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

The joint online meeting-discussion on the assessment of the state of human rights organized by the State Great Khural of Mongolia and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is taking place today. The meeting-discussion is guided by D. Tsogtbaatar, Member of the State Great Khural and Chair of the Standing Committee on Law, and O. Nominchimeg, Member of the State Great Khural and Vice-President of the IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. During this event, the discussion will focus on the involvement of the State Great Khural of Mongolia in the process of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the implementation of recommendations received from member states, and ensuring the participation of parliament in their implementation. In his opening remarks, D. Tsogtbaatar emphasized that Mongolia prioritizes human rights in its Constitution, and it is possible to measure its implementation relative to international standards through open collaboration with the international community. He expressed his gratitude for the IPU's support in organizing this joint online meeting-discussion. He stressed the important role of civil society organizations in human rights issues and highlighted that the realization of press freedom is a real measure of the implementation of other human rights. D. Tsogtbaatar further noted that the 9th State Great Khural, which was formed based on the results of the regular elections, stands by the principles of creating a human-centered legal environment. He added that the Speaker of the State Great Khural, D. Amarbayasgalan, is showing leadership in implementing the foundational concepts of the Constitution, and will support such efforts at all levels. Additionally, he congratulated Member of the State Great Khural O. Nominchimeg for being elected during the 149th assembly of the IPU held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2024, where she competed for the election of 3 members to the IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians against 9 parliamentarians from 8 countries. The joint online meeting-discussion includes members of the State Great Khural, representatives of the IPU, members of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, representatives of the Mongolian government, staff and researchers from the Secretariat of the State Great Khural. IPU's Human Rights Program Manager, Rogier Huijzenga, delivered the opening remarks for the joint online meeting-discussion, expressing gratitude to the State Great Khural for its collaboration in organizing the discussion. He congratulated the State Great Khural on successfully approving a strategy to promote human rights and gender equality for 2024-2028. The extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Great Khural and the IPU reflects the strength of their cooperation and will serve as a solid foundation for future activities. Rogier Huijzenga highlighted that the UPR is a new mechanism that reviews the state of human rights in 192 UN member countries every four years, emphasizing the role of parliaments in protecting human rights. The discussion aims to highlight the involvement of the State Great Khural in the human rights situation in Mongolia, the results achieved, successes, and progress, as well as emphasize measures being undertaken to incorporate relevant recommendations into policy documents and legislation. Today's discussion will also feature best practices from the parliaments of other countries that have contributed to the UPR process, with the expectation that this discussion will provide valuable contributions to advancing and progressing human rights protection efforts in Mongolia. The online meeting-discussion started within the framework of the theme "Understanding the UPR Mechanism," where Rogier Huijzenga presented a lecture. He discussed the role of the UPR as an important mechanism for protecting human rights globally, the preparation and implementation of recommendations, Mongolia's involvement in the UPR process, and the basic stages, commitments, and review schedule of the next report, along with Mongolia's human rights progress and areas for further improvement. Rogier Huijzenga noted that Mongolia is preparing to submit its human rights situation report for the fourth time for review. Some countries first present and discuss their periodic human rights reports in their parliaments before international submission, and he highlighted the role parliament can play in participating in drafting and implementing relevant recommendations. The joint online meeting-discussion organized by the State Great Khural and the IPU continues under the themes "Mongolia and the UPR Process" and "The Role of Parliament in the UPR Process," as reported by the Press Center of the State Great Khural.

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"Nauryzyn Bayar-2025" will be held this Saturday at Sukhbaatar Square

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

On March 22, Nauryzyn Bayar will be held at Sukhbaatar Square on a larger scale than before, with a full introduction to the heritage and culture. This event will include: - Nauryz 2025 – A cultural and artistic super concert - "Kazakh Kures" – A Kazakh traditional wrestling tournament - Handicrafts exhibition – Presentation of Kazakh homes and artistic creations - Delicious food – Nauryz feast and traditional dishes - Traditional games and activities.

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Celebration of Nauryz at Sükhbaatar Square

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

In Ulaanbaatar, the traditional Nauryz celebration of the Kazakh nation, which is a part of the Mongolian people, is set to be celebrated at Sükhbaatar Square on the 22nd of this month. As part of this event, the "Nauryz 2025" cultural and artistic concert, "Kazakh Kures" or Kazakh traditional wrestling, an exhibition of handicrafts, presentations of Kazakh yurts, crafts, and artworks, as well as the Nauryz holiday meals, such as köje (soup), are planned to be showcased. This event is organized on the initiative of the Bayan-Ölgii Province Local Council, with support from the Mayor's Office and the City Tourism Department. In Kazakh culture, Nauryz is the day when nature awakens from winter, and the "Sun Festival" marks the equinox when day and night become equal. Kazakhs make up four percent of Mongolia's total population. It is said that Nauryz was banned in 1926 but was celebrated in Bayan-Ölgii until the late 1940s. However, after the 1990 democratic changes, national traditions and customs were revived, leading to a broad and celebrated observance with significant attention and importance given by the government. Around the world, over 300 million people in regions like the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, and the Caucasus widely celebrate this holiday. Starting from 2010, based on a proposal presented by representatives from countries such as Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Turkey, Nauryz was recognized as an International Holiday by the UN General Assembly during its 64th session. Additionally, UNESCO registered Nauryz as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage on September 30, 2012. The word "Nauryz" is of Persian origin, with "nau" meaning "new" and "ryz" meaning "day," thus translating to "new day."

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Environment

Saying Goodbye to the Smog, Greeted by a Foul Smell

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Since the beginning of this year, the capital has been constantly plagued with a foul odor. Just yesterday, areas in central and western Ulaanbaatar were affected by this smell. Some residents speculated that it was the smell of sulfur, while others guessed it was the stench from the central wastewater treatment facility. In particular, the areas around Sapporo, Urgu Cinema, Sukhbaatar Square, and the National Garden Park were frequently affected, according to citizens. As a result, people cannot open their windows and are forced to wear masks. Initially, the smell was limited to the outskirts of the city and locations near the treatment facility, but now it has spread to the city center as well. Consequently, symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and nausea have become common among the populace. Yet, the relevant authorities have failed to provide any information on the source of the smell. Furthermore, they question whether it is even an important issue. While people are breathing unknown foul air, how long will the authorities remain silent, deaf, and oblivious? Instead of addressing the problem, they continue to pass responsibility from one to another without resolving anything. Once again, no one is speaking about how to eliminate the city's stench. "The foul odor spreading in the capital is not related to air pollution" When asked about the cause of the foul odor in Ulaanbaatar, the city's Air Pollution and Environmental Protection Office responded that "so far, we have not received any complaints or information." Meanwhile, the Water and Sewerage Authority stated, "The sewage pipeline has not burst, and the treatment facility is operating normally." However, the Department of Environmental Pollution under the Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Agency mentioned that "Continuous air quality monitoring is being conducted at 19 locations in Ulaanbaatar 24 hours a day. Recently, the foul odor spreading in the capital has no connection to air pollution. For example, as of the 18th of this month, monitoring data showed sulfur dioxide at 16-102 micrograms per cubic meter, with the highest pollution around Tolgoit, which was twice the air quality standard. Nitrogen dioxide was measured at 18-136 micrograms. Around the first district, pollution was 2.7 times higher than the air quality standard. Compared to peak pollution levels in winter, these figures have significantly decreased. In general, it can be considered that there is no pollution now. Therefore, this smell is not related to air pollution, but it may likely come from the treatment facility. In Ulaanbaatar, when winds blow from the west and northwest, the smell from the central wastewater treatment facility is commonly detected." To add context, in January 2024, a smell similar to carbon monoxide spread in the capital, causing symptoms such as nausea and headaches among residents. At the time, officials stated that the smell was due to automotive oil and antifreeze being dumped openly. In March of the same year, a similar foul smell spread, but related agencies stated they did not know its source. We lack specific measuring equipment Environmental, light, and noise pollution are global issues we face today. Odor pollution is now making its way up this list. In modern times, advances in technology have been increasingly utilized in the study of measuring and evaluating odors. One of the most in-demand odor measuring devices globally is the Olfasense TO-Series olfactometer. It combines the latest scientific and technological advancements with years of practical experience, specifically designed for laboratory use. It is used to identify air-borne odorous substances, establish their concentration and composition. This device helps identify odors at the highest level and with precision. Additionally, it is compact, portable, and provides fast results. It can also distinguish between mixtures of very similar odors. While such devices are used internationally, unfortunately, we do not have equipment specifically to measure and determine odors in our country. Therefore, officials rely on data from stationary surveillance and relevant agencies' analyses, speculating that the odor widespread on certain days might come from the treatment facility. However, the team at the Central Wastewater Treatment Facility stated, "We treat approximately 120,000 cubic meters of water daily. Despite the high load, it is impossible for the treatment facility's odor to spread throughout Ulaanbaatar." The Central Wastewater Treatment Facility was initially commissioned in 1964 with a capacity to treat 45,000 cubic meters of domestic wastewater daily. It expanded three times between 1977 and 1986, increasing its capacity to 230,000 cubic meters per day. However, the amount of wastewater received has been increasing yearly, exceeding permissible levels. In other words, the pollution is 2-4 times above the standard, which puts high pressure on the system. Thus, a project to construct a new central wastewater treatment facility in Ulaanbaatar was commenced in 2020. At that time, the construction work was expected to be completed and operational by 2024, according to officials. However, it has not yet been put into operation. "Couldn't determine the source, so can't specify the health risks" Being exposed to unpleasant odors for prolonged periods commonly results in symptoms such as headache, nausea, and reduced appetite. Therefore, breathing foul air can adversely affect human health. Regarding how the center for Public Health is addressing this, they stated, "Recent days have seen numerous posts on social media about the foul odor spreading in the capital. Investigating this, we contacted relevant agencies, and they stated no reports of pipeline bursts had been recorded, confirming normal operations. On March 14th, a report was received about a sewage pipe burst near Yarmag, but immediate measures were taken, so there is currently no damage or malfunction. Together with the emergency department, we are working to identify the source of the smell. As the source has not been determined, we cannot provide information about the potential health risks." No reports registered Inquiring about where exactly this odor is coming from, the Rapid Response Center of Ulaanbaatar city stated, "Our center receives and responds swiftly to citizens' complaints. Currently, we have no registered reports about the foul odor." Most households living in ger districts use pit latrines. Moreover, throughout the year, residents of ger districts often discard waste, including excrement, liquid waste, and various trash into public streets, sewers, and rivers. Not long ago, residents would cover frozen waste in winter with ash to prevent slipping. Therefore, some speculate that this smell might originate from the sewage of ger district households. The Head of the Soil Science Department at the Geography and Geoecology Institute of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, G. Ganzorigt, was asked if the current smell could be due to soil pollution. He stated, "There are 144,000 pit latrines in the capital. Based on land measurement, around 200,000 families live in ger districts. Furthermore, the Central Wastewater Treatment Facility is located in the windward direction of the city. This facility receives sewage from approximately 400-500 thousand households. Naturally, it emits a significant odor. Generally, land pollutants include landfill waste, pit latrines, central treatment facilities, among others. These factors could potentially cause unpleasant odors.

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The Pipeline May Bring Not Energy, But "The Messenger of Death"!

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

The government recently introduced a new title of "Special Envoy" and appointed several individuals from the National Security Council to this position. One of them is former Chairman of the State Great Khural (Parliament) Z. Enkhbold, who is said to be responsible for the project to transport natural gas from Russia to China through Mongolia. Whether these appointments stem from a desire of the Mongolian government or are directives from the Kremlin remains unclear. However, it is common for the Mongolian government to contradict its own statements. There is often a conflict between what is promised and what is ultimately executed. They discuss government downsizing with one hand while making appointments with the other. Especially during the coalition government, new and odd titles such as Control Manager, Productivity Manager, Special Envoy, and Plenipotentiary Representative have been issued, rendering the trade of positions meaningless. Forget about 60 billion; the allocation of power is rumored to be calculated in trillions. This is often seen as political gossip from the so-called "smoking point." After all, the magpie would only chirp if there was something to crow about. The project to construct a gas pipeline from Russia through Mongolia to China raises significant security concerns for Mongolians, outweighing its importance. The situation serves as a strong warning, particularly in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war. The world has witnessed the falsehood of Tsakhia Elbegdorj's claims when he asserted that Russia has no ambitions to expand its territory. Moreover, the fear that armed Russian soldiers might enter Mongolia through the natural gas pipeline from the north, rather than military forces from the south, is very real. On the 9th of this month, the General Staff of Ukraine reported that Russian soldiers attempted to enter Ukraine through the pipeline that transports gas to Europe. The gas-invading Russian soldiers suffered from methane poisoning, and six days without water or air resulted in many fatalities. This information was broadcast worldwide, supported by evidence, as Ukrainians bombed them with cluster bombs upon receiving the information. For almost 30 years, there has been talk of transporting gas from Russia to China through Mongolian territory. Official reports indicate that after becoming President, Kh. Battulga's proposal at the 2018 Eastern Economic Forum was approved by V. Putin. In recent years, Deputy Prime Minister S. Amarsaikhan has headed the working group tasked with the "Power of Siberia-2" project, which connects Russia and China via a pipeline through Mongolia. During Putin's visit to Ulaanbaatar last September, he openly demonstrated a close relationship with S. Amarsaikhan, which has been documented with video evidence. The assignment of Z. Enkhbold to oversee the gas transport project suggests larger political discussions and negotiations may be underway. Concerns persist that, in exchange for allowing the gas pipeline through Mongolian territory, pressure may be exerted on Mongolia from Beijing and Moscow to join the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) and BRICS. During his tenure as the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office, Z. Enkhbold even suggested in an interview, "You can't develop your economy while sitting back from regional integration," implying the necessity for Mongolia to join the SCO. Thus, the natural gas pipeline project and Z. Enkhbold, responsible for it, may become a "knife at the throat" regarding Mongolia's national security. The "Power of Siberia-2" project aims to transport up to 50 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia's Arctic Yamal Peninsula to southern China via a 6000-kilometer pipeline through Mongolia. The divisions surrounding the natural gas project could create another political-social issue for Mongolia. This project entails significant financial stakes and interests. Both external and internal groups eyeing money and power may not hesitate to exploit Mongolia, reminiscent of the contentious Tavan Tolgoi situation. Mongolia imports 20 percent of its total energy consumption from Russia, and regarding gasoline and fuel, it is 90 percent dependent. If Russia were to cut off supply, it would severely disrupt Mongolia's economy. Meanwhile, if energy dependence increases under the pretense of reducing pollution, the nation's freedom would be jeopardized. Furthermore, with China yet to express a definitive position, what necessity is there for Mongolians to "act in place of someone else"?

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Discussion of the Draft Plan to Reduce Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Risks

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: montsame.mn

A discussion was held on the draft of the national action plan to reduce chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks. The discussion was opened by the Head of the Natural Resources Policy Implementation Department of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ts. Uranchimeg. She stated, "The Ministry of Environment and Tourism functions as the national coordinator for the Center for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Risk Mitigation Initiatives. Our country, despite being a party to many international conventions related to chemicals, biology, radiation, and nuclear matters, and creating a national legal environment, faces challenges due to a lack of integrated policy planning and a need to strengthen technical and human resource capacities. The greatest challenge is the structural organization of state agencies and the legal environment, where the four mentioned sectors belong to different institutions. Going forward, the 'National Action Plan' will contribute to aligning the policies of relevant ministries and state agencies and expanding cooperation." With funding from the European Union, three projects have been successfully implemented in collaboration with the International Science and Technology Center. Last year, the P101 project was launched, aiming to enhance the protection and security of critical infrastructure at risk of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, through the Counter-Terrorism Council's Office. Within this project, the national legal environment for reducing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks, biosafety, and defense was improved, and the management of chemical and biological waste was enhanced, as was the capacity building of sector experts and officials. For example, within the P53, P65, and P87 projects, necessary equipment was supplied, regional cooperation was expanded, experience was shared, and classroom, online, and practical training was organized, involving over 2,000 officials. Representatives from 24 organizations participated in the discussion of the National Action Plan project, as reported by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

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Wildfire in Sukhbaatar Province Affects 2200 Hectares

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

A report was received by the Emergency Management Agency about a wildfire occurring in the "Kabint" area of Jargalant bagh, Erdenetsagaan sum, Sukhbaatar province. Personnel from the 47th Firefighting and Rescue Unit of the province's Emergency Management Agency, along with professional teams and local citizens, worked to extinguish the wildfire, bringing it under control by 7:30 pm. The fire affected 2200 hectares of land.

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Innovation

O.Tulga: AI is the next big technological revolution

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The "Management Forum" event was held where leaders from over 100 top companies in Mongolia gathered to share their best practices. This time, organizations exchanged their opinions and experiences on the challenges Mongolia faces regarding Artificial Intelligence and Human Resources. We present an interview with O. Tulga, Director of the Information Technology Department at Unitel Group, on the topic of "The Use of Artificial Intelligence." - Artificial intelligence, or AI, has become a trending topic globally. Where is the advantage and efficiency of this technology most felt? - According to a study presented by McKinsey, which conducts detailed research on the world's largest business, economic, and technological developments in more than 60 countries, artificial intelligence (AI) will create an additional value of 13 trillion USD in the world economy by 2030. This is evidence that AI and automation are increasing business efficiency and accelerating innovative solutions. Our country should also focus on making the right transition in this revolution, with attention from government policies, organizations, and employees at all levels. "AI will increase global GDP by 13 trillion USD by 2030." - On the one hand, there are concerns that jobs will disappear with the introduction of AI. On the other hand, it is also seen as a huge opportunity. What is your position on this? - Major revolutions and changes in the world, which used to be measured in hundreds of years, are now being reduced to 50, 60, or perhaps even 20 or 30 years. Artificial intelligence is the next big technological revolution. Due to the rapid changes in technology, it cannot be ruled out that this period might be measured in just two or three years. Therefore, it will be advantageous for humanity to be ready for change, to have a mindset of creativity, acceptance of innovation, and adaptability in uncertain conditions. When and if the next level of AI, Super Intelligence (SI), is introduced, we will still be doing what we do and solving problems. However, it is important to learn and prepare with an open mind that introduces creativity and new things. Training programs should also focus on developing skills and acquiring new levels of abilities. The things learned now may become questionable in a few years. Therefore, we should foster an open mindset to adapt to uncertain conditions. By doing so, anyone can overcome waves of change and revolution. This applies to top-level managers, financial experts, and call center operators alike. Organizations are also starting to pay attention to having short-term business plans and being able to quickly adapt to changes. - In Mongolia, there is a great desire among young people to work and live abroad, leading to a labor shortage. In this situation, what is the advantage of replacing with AI? - Global company directors predict that the next 10 years will be years of unprecedented productivity in world history, regardless of whether the number of employees in these organizations decreases. "...in the next 10 years, there will be unprecedented productivity years regardless of whether the number of employees grows." Our country is facing a shortage of human resources. However, we must find solutions with efficient processes and technological assistance. For Unitel Group, productivity has increased by over 20% annually over the past 3 years regardless of the number of employees. This is directly related to the introduction of AI and automation in our operations. Thus, we need to find solutions and work even when labor resources are scarce. In this regard, by introducing AI to increase work productivity and by being ready as an organization to improve employee skills and transition to a new revolution, we see a need to focus on capacity building. - You seem to be constantly linking AI with productivity? - High productivity brings positive indicators to society at any level. Therefore, using and introducing AI for high productivity is important. Let me explain in more detail. First, efficiency and productivity increase. By using AI in our daily lives, we automate many repetitive tasks and time-consuming jobs, reducing the costs associated with them. Examples include automated responders in call centers, camera surveillance systems, and automation in the healthcare sector. A person running a store can use AI to automate time-consuming tasks like inventory planning, allowing people to focus their attention and time on more valuable work. Second, AI analyzes large volumes of data, offering optimal solutions to businesses and shortening product development times. Third, it reduces costs. By utilizing AI, businesses can predict market demand in advance, optimize supply chain management, and reduce unnecessary waste and time expenses. This results in more savings and opportunities for businesses to reinvest. All these advantages are aimed at offering customized services to each consumer. Nowadays, consumers want AI-based, personalized services. For example, video streaming platforms offer content tailored to a user's interests using AI, and when shopping online, users prefer to see styles and designs they are interested in. This is made possible by offering users these services through AI. - From your speech, I understand that businesses should pay attention and implement this? - At a time when AI has already entered, consumers and businesses, regardless of their size, have the opportunity to use it in any part of their operations. Especially, AI accelerates decision-making by analyzing consumers' purchasing history and behavior and offering the most suitable product. For example, Amazon reportedly earns 35% of its revenue from AI-recommended products. Additionally, AI provides recommendations for improving the quality of new products and conducting market research. - How should other organizations prepare for the AI revolution? Do you have any advice or experiences to share as a major technology company? - Organizations should start by organizing and protecting their data to effectively introduce AI into their business operations and consumption. The foundation of AI is data. Then, they should ensure cybersecurity. According to statistics, 89% of cyberattacks in Mongolia succeed annually. Therefore, we recommend working with professional technology companies on this matter. By doing so, it is completely possible to implement low-cost, low-risk, high-efficiency solutions. Unitel Group is ready to share its experiences with the solutions implemented with our customers and partners. - How is Unitel Group introducing AI into its operations, products, and services? - Unitel Group has introduced AI-based automated chatbots and voice responders into its services. This allows automatic responses to the most common questions from customers, with 20% of the 1 million monthly inquiries transferred to chatbots, achieving a 95% success rate. As a result, call center representatives have more opportunities to focus on solving urgent and critical customer issues and increasing sales. Customers can now receive services from AI chatbots 24/7. In other sectors, some clinics, for example, are introducing integrated call systems. This increases service accessibility and consumer-centeredness by scheduling appointments, prioritizing, and automatically calling each consumer back with information and appointment confirmations. AI is not limited to services and products; we are also automating many internal operations using AI. For instance, approximately 2,000 Unitel Group employees can quickly exchange information and resolve issues. With the help of AI, we can offer more than 100 types of products and services tailored to each consumer. To deliver our services nationwide, by integrating the information of many systems operating simultaneously and automating the necessary monitoring and maintenance, we have reduced the time to resolve consumer issues by 60%. AI and automation not only change the processes of businesses but also bring significant changes to consumer expectations, job organization, business decision-making, and innovation trends. - Thank you for taking the time to talk with us.

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T.Battulga: Mongolia Mining 2025 Exhibition to be Organized under the Motto 'Smarter Technology - Stronger Mines'

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The 14th Mongolia Mining 2025 international exhibition, which is the largest mining event in Mongolia, is set to take place this spring from April 17 to 19 at the Buyant-Ukhaa Sports Palace. We interviewed T. Battulga, the General Director of the organizing company "Minex Mongolia," regarding this event. "Hello, how are you? Almost everyone knows about the Mongolia Mining exhibition, and it is considered one of the most anticipated events of the autumn season. But why is this year's event being announced for the spring? Will it continue to be held in the spring in the future?" "Hello, hello! The Mongolia Mining international mining exhibition is being organized for the 14th year. Generally, our exhibition used to be held in the spring, but due to the pandemic, it skipped a year and then another spring was missed. Therefore, to organize it as soon as possible to meet the needs of the industry, it was held in the autumn for a while. Starting this year, we are reviving the tradition of hosting it in April to align with the busy mining work season." "Since last year, an event called MinePro has been organized. How do you view this event? Can you explain the advantages and unique aspects of the Mongolia Mining exhibition?" "I used to think of the Mongolian National Mining Association as an organization aimed at contributing to the development of the mining sector and protecting the interests of various businesses operating in this field. However, when the sector’s association, in conjunction with the government, attempts to eliminate an event that serves as a crucial bridge connecting international technology with the domestic mining sector and suppliers to mines, it certainly doesn’t represent the sector’s interests. They announced the MinePro exhibition to coincide exactly with the previously announced dates for ours, a year in advance, for October 2024. It seems this is more about serving the interests of some individuals working in the sector rather than the mining industry's broader benefits." "In contrast, Mongolia Mining is a long-term project. It continues to be the most important technology supplier and commerce and marketing environment for Mongolia’s mining industry, never stepping back from its initial mission to be a technological bridge and promote sustainable mining development." "Organizing major events in the mining sector at the busiest time, the spring, is likely a good choice. Has there been any change in the participation of major organizations in this year's Mongolia Mining 2025 exhibition? What are the expectations for the exhibition?" "Our participants attend with higher expectations than before. Meeting those expectations is our duty. This year, as the previously dormant process of granting mining exploration permits resumes and new investment opportunities arise in this sector, mining industry professionals are eagerly preparing for the Mongolia Mining 2025 exhibition days." "Every year, not only major international organizations but also embassies collaborate with the Mongolia Mining exhibition. Could you tell us about this year's prominent participants and major partnerships?" "Our exhibition is attended by suppliers and investors from more than 10 countries, including long-term partners like Australia, Canada, the USA, and Kazakhstan. Sponsors include major suppliers like Tavan Bogd Construction Machinery LLC, the distributor of the Hitachi brand, and Hera Equipment, the distributor for brands like Wirtgen, Tonly, Shantui, Weichai. Grand Mining Equipment, the distributor for the SANY brand, is also participating. In addition, major organizations in the sector will participate as exhibitors." "The programs, training, and B2B events organized during the Mongolia Mining exhibition have become noteworthy for their importance and outcomes, attracting attention from industry professionals. Could you provide information about this year’s events and their organization?" "The events organized during the exhibition provide an environment to obtain knowledge and information meeting the sector's demand, create connections, and test skills, comparable to the exhibition itself. Following tradition, we will organize the following events in collaboration with the Mongolian professional mining association council NGOs, which serve as the overarching organizations in Mongolia’s mining sector." "The programs and training organized within the framework of the exhibition are important for ensuring the sustainable development of the mining sector, introducing new technologies, discussing legal and policy issues in mining, listening to expert presentations and discussions, and obtaining information for expanding business relations. Additionally, the exhibition hosts B2B meetings to explore business cooperation and investment opportunities, bringing together international and domestic investors to discuss project financing and investment possibilities, highlighting a significant advantage of the exhibition." "We mentioned the advantages of the Mongolia Mining brand earlier. What is the highlight of this year's Mongolia Mining 2025 exhibition?" "Mongolia Mining 2025 will be organized under the motto 'Smarter Technology - Stronger Mines.' Technological advancement will enhance the competitive edge of Mongolia's mining sector and increase economic benefits. New technology will eliminate any adverse environmental impact of mining and support the development of sustainable mines. Since its inception, Mongolia Mining has advertised as 'World Technology at Your Doorstep.' Now, Mongolia Mining will continue to present only the best and most modern technologies worldwide." Notice: When using this information in any form (Television, Radio, Social media, or Websites), media organizations must always cite the source (ikon.mn).

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D. Amarbayasgalan Meets with Young Mongolians Working at a British Technology Company

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: news.mn

During an official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mongolia's Speaker of Parliament, D. Amarbayasgalan, met with representatives of young Mongolians working at British technology companies to exchange views. During the meeting, Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan emphasized the importance of the experience and knowledge of young people working at leading global technology companies in advancing the development of the country and wished them success. The young Mongolians shared their work experiences and discussed their views on the role of the private sector and the coordination of government support in creating internationally competitive technology systems, according to the Parliamentary Press Office.

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Health

The Board of "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" is holding an emergency meeting regarding food poisoning of 70 employees

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: isee.mn

More than 70 employees of "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" JSC have suffered from food poisoning and are being treated at the Center for Communicable Diseases. This is the second time in six months that such a widespread food poisoning incident has occurred at the company. "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" JSC stated, "More than 70 employees have shown symptoms of food poisoning. Some have been transported to the Center for Communicable Diseases. Their condition has stabilized. There have been no further cases of poisoning. Moreover, the professional organization in the Umnugovi province is working on the issue, providing recommendations and information." Due to the frequent occurrence of food poisoning, the company's Board of Directors is currently holding an emergency meeting. The "Red Rock" company, which operates the public catering service at the mine base of "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" JSC, belongs to the company's Administration and Management Department. Many questions arise, such as whether the Administration and Management Department influenced "Red Rock" company's selection in the tender, and whether the department's head, Anun, will be held accountable for these recurring incidents. In any case, this issue is likely to be discussed at the Board of Directors meeting.

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WHO Suggests Increasing Tobacco Tax by Up to 75%

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Today, a working group established by the order of the Speaker of the State Great Khural of Mongolia met to familiarize themselves with the implementation of the "Law on Tobacco Control" and to study and provide recommendations on whether changes are necessary regarding electronic cigarettes and related issues, and if required, to draft relevant legislative proposals. During the meeting, the head of the working group, Member of Parliament O. Nominchimeg, introduced the agenda, which included discussing the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations on improving tobacco excise tax policy and regulation in Mongolia, as well as the report evaluating the impact of certain provisions of the Tobacco Control Law and the draft report of the working group. The meeting was attended by members of parliament D. Batbayar, D. Ganmaa, G. Damdinyam, B. Munkhtsogol, and O. Saranchuluun. At the start, T. Ankhbayar, a specialist from the Tax Policy Department of the Ministry of Finance, presented a brief overview of discussions held with the WHO during a two-day workshop on improving the excise tax policy and regulation on tobacco in Mongolia. They discussed modeling the tax for cigarettes and electronic cigarettes and conveyed that the WHO suggested the possibility of increasing this type of tax by up to 75%. Members of parliament asked questions and exchanged opinions related to the presentation. They inquired about the international comparison of the tax rates on cigarettes and electronic cigarettes and whether there exists any international precedent for increasing excise tax on tobacco up to 75% as recommended by the WHO. They also discussed budget formation and expenditure from excise tax revenues. Additionally, they emphasized the need to clarify the objectives of the law and to specify the criteria and measurement units for imposing tobacco taxes. They also inquired if any studies had been conducted on the negative health effects of secondhand exposure to electronic cigarette vapor. Further, G. Bilgee, a consultant from the Parliamentary Research Development Institute's Research Department, presented the findings of the impact evaluation on the implementation of certain provisions of the Tobacco Control Law. The evaluation covered sections 6.7.7, 6.7.8, 6.7.12, 6.7.14, and 9.1, along with Article 11 of the existing law. The evaluation report concluded that state control implementation is insufficient, coordination among responsible organizations is weak, businesses' responsibilities are lax, business interests prevail, and public oversight is inadequate. Moreover, it was noted that requirements imposed on tobacco operations are frequently violated, and violations regarding smoking in public places remain high. At the conclusion of the meeting, the media office of the State Great Khural announced that the meeting decided to discuss and resolve the draft report of the working group tasked with familiarizing themselves with the implementation of the "Law on Tobacco Control" and determining whether it is necessary to amend related laws concerning electronic cigarettes and associated issues, and if needed, to draft corresponding legislative proposals.

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Sports

JOINING FORCES WITH SPEED, STRENGTH, AND TRUST: KHAN Bank Partners with the "Bishrelt Metal" Team

Published: 2025-03-20 | Translated from: ikon.mn

This year, KHAN Bank has officially announced that it will sponsor and collaborate with one of the two Mongolian teams, “Bishrelt Metal,” which has earned the right to represent Mongolia in the Asian Basketball League's Champions League. “Bishrelt Metal,” one of the top teams in Mongolia's national top league, has consistently performed well in league competitions and was the runner-up in the national top league last year. By partnering with this team, KHAN Bank, a supporter of sports growth, aims to contribute significantly to the development of basketball sports in Mongolia, the creation of future continental and world champions, and the promotion and dissemination of this sport among children and young people. D. Buyan-Ölzii, the owner of the “Bishrelt Metal” team, highlighted, “Our team has become one of the top teams in Mongolia's top basketball league by continuously striving and participating in youth national championships and amateur 'Sprite' leagues. We aim to make a positive impact and serve as a role model for young people through basketball and help them fulfill their dreams. Partnering with KHAN Bank will support our team in achieving our goals and advancing our success.” Additionally, Y. Törmönkh, Deputy Director of Strategy at KHAN Bank, shared, “KHAN Bank initiated this partnership with the goal of supporting young people, helping them develop positively through sports, and creating a positive impact on society. We believe that as a result of our collaboration, young people will develop a love for sports and choose a healthier, more active lifestyle.” KHAN Bank, as the leading national bank, has continually supported the development of basketball sports in Mongolia as part of its social responsibility. Since 2015, the bank has been a sponsor of NBA broadcasts to Mongolian audiences and has established 33 standard 3x3 basketball courts across 21 provinces, organizing annual competitions for children and youth nationwide. Additionally, KHAN Bank is collaborating as a sponsor for the 2024-2025 season of the University League. This season's league features 700 athletes and students from 32 universities and colleges testing their speed, strength, and agility. Notably, in the Asian Basketball League's Champions League, which will be held in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Mongolia, the “Bishrelt Metal” team will be in Group A together with the national teams of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Their first match will be against Malaysia's league champion, “NS Matrix Deers,” on March 25 in Kuala Lumpur. This marks the first time in the 30-year history of Mongolian basketball that a national league team will compete in a full international league, a remarkable achievement for our athletes. Thus, we join forces with "Bishrelt Metal," a top basketball team, with trust, speed, and strength for mutual growth. Supporter of sports growth - KHAN Bank Warning: Media organizations (television, radio, social media, and websites) must mention the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, whether in full or in part, as a reminder.

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