Nov 14, 2024 76 min read Daily News Summaries

Mongolia News Summary for November 14, 2024

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 Mongolia Strategy Center or its members.

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Politics

Former Member of the Board of "Oyu Tolgoi" J. Tana Appointed as the Head of the National Committee's Office for Coordinating "Vision-2050" Intersectoral Relations

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: isee.mn

We previously reported that J. Tana, who became a member of the Board of Directors of "Oyu Tolgoi" company in place of former President N. Bagabandi, had stepped down from his position. J. Tana, who served as a member of the Board of Directors of "Oyu Tolgoi" LLC, is now appointed to lead the Office of the National Committee for coordinating intersectoral relations of "Vision-2050". J. Tana is the daughter of Ts. Jambaldorj, who works as the Director of the Foreign Relations Department of the Secretariat of the State Great Khural, and she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Economics and East Asian Studies from Harvard University.

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N. Uchral: Legal Reform of State-Owned Companies Will Be Implemented

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: itoim.mn

During the regular meeting of the Government, the responsibility for finalizing the draft law on state and local-owned companies was assigned to Cabinet Secretary N. Uchral. Cabinet Secretary N. Uchral stated: "In the government meeting, we presented the concept of the draft law on state and local-owned companies, and the legal reforms planned for state-owned companies in the future. We are preparing to present the state-owned company law to the Government next week, and then submit it to the Parliament. State and local-owned companies require unavoidable reforms. Simply put, they have high expenses, their directors constantly receive bonuses, and they operate outside strict budget controls. Necessary measures must be taken for these state-owned companies. Therefore, we are focusing on three main areas: Firstly, financial discipline and accountability. Secondly, transparent and open governance. Thirdly, conducting legal reforms to ensure the principle that the state does not compete with the private sector in the economy. Until today, there has been political dependency in terms of financial discipline and accountability. Budgets are unchecked. The lack of transparency and governance clarity has become an essential issue to be resolved. In Mongolia, there are 99 state-owned companies reporting to the State Property Committee. Including subsidiary and dependent companies, a total of 122 companies report to the State Property Committee. The number of locally owned companies has reached a point where they cannot be counted. According to the IMF's standard criteria, when evaluating state-owned companies based on their debt-to-asset ratios, 40% of the 99 companies are considered risky. Additionally, when evaluating based on asset return risks, 23% are considered medium risk and 20% high risk. State-owned companies contribute 5.8 trillion tugrik in revenue to the national budget through dividends, taxes, and fees. These companies have expenses equivalent to 75% of the state budget, totaling 16.9 trillion tugrik. They also receive 70 billion tugrik in subsidies from the budget. The National Audit Office's findings indicate that 158 measures, not included in the investment plan, were financed with 319.8 billion tugrik over the past year. Nine state-owned companies, which incurred losses during the year, awarded their leaders with performance bonuses totaling 971.9 million tugrik. This indicates a lack of adherence to rules and regulations and a weak legal framework. Unaccounted expenses by the government directly affect corporate governance and undermine efficient operations, as highlighted by the National Audit Office. Therefore, we will resolve several issues within the legal framework. We will strengthen internal control systems, conduct open selection for the management board members, and link them to the profitable operations of companies. Moreover, social responsibility projects and programs should be contingent on the company's profitability, as it is inappropriate for loss-making companies to undertake social responsibility tasks and reward outcomes. Additionally, within the next five years, the state must present its business involvement concept to the private sector. In terms of establishing transparent and open governance, an audit involving 70 companies showed that only 6 legal entities have implemented parts of the company's governance code in their operations. Including both state and locally-owned companies, 316 legal entities were assessed. None of these entities have made information publicly available. Therefore, as part of the Budget Law, the State-Owned Company Law mandates transparency in salaries, wages, bonuses, tenders, and all relevant information.

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The Need to Reduce State-Owned Companies and Make Them Public

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: news.mn

We spoke with economist D. Jargalsaikhan on current issues. - Last Friday, the Parliament approved the budget for the year 2025. It is said to be an expansionary budget with 35.8 trillion MNT in current expenses. What is your stance on this? - As the country's economy develops and grows, investment and operational costs increase. A country can expand normally when the economy accounts for about 30% of GDP. On the other hand, a large part of the current expenditures has arisen from the necessity of raising the salaries of public employees. There is also the issue of increasing the pension fund. The pension fund is almost like patching old clothes with new ones. If the pension fund does not become independent and starts investing, it causes significant difficulties in current expenses. This needs to be understood well. - There is criticism that the state's involvement in the budget is considerable. Do you think the recently approved budget indicates that the state has no choice but to increase current expenditure and investment? - As mentioned before, there is no choice but to allocate current expenses to subjects like teachers, doctors' salaries, and the pension fund. However, it is necessary to talk about SOEs. SOEs are not bankrupt even if they are operating at a loss. Even when wrong things are done, managers change and move on. Attention needs to be paid to this. The state should only be involved in what it needs to be involved in. We should reduce state-owned companies and make them public. If companies like UBTZ, MIAT, etc. are all made public with separate oversight, this would work in practice. However, it is not right to reduce current expenses by cutting teachers' salaries. - The government plans to implement 14 mega projects next year. Since it cannot be fully funded domestically, attracting foreign investment is the only option. Do you think it is possible to implement these projects? - We say 35.8 trillion MNT is a lot. But even the 14 mega projects cost at least 30 trillion MNT. This money is not available in Mongolia. Therefore, it must be done with foreign money. The money does not run out abroad, but there is none in Mongolia. Thus, investment should be raised, and work should proceed according to internationally recognized rules and principles. If they have the brains to implement projects with other people's money and then return the profits, they should move forward. Otherwise, the only option is to argue among themselves. - Looking at the existing legal environment in Mongolia, how is the potential to attract foreign investment? - It is very poor. One reason is that there are over 100 complaints regarding foreign investment issues, with 75% of them still unresolved. Foreign investors are being extorted. Land and assets are being confiscated. High-ranking officials do this and return to society like heroes. Therefore, it is necessary to establish justice and build trust. Secondly, the overturning of laws related to foreign investment must be corrected, or else why would anyone invest in Mongolia? It is important to understand why foreign investment takes place. Foreign investment and domestic investment differ significantly in principle. Foreign investment involves entering three things from outside: capital, technology, and market access. Investors do not come to invest to benefit only 3.5 million people. They aim to use Mongolia as a gateway to the world market. Mongolian companies lack this kind of strength. Therefore, it is time to select the big ones and attract the world's big players. Otherwise, we will be left arguing between two countries. - Today, the government addressed issues related to the law on foreign investment. Although it was discussed in the previous parliament for revision, it was not accomplished. What should be the focus of improvement this time? - The investment law should be one of principle. It should be unchanging, transparent, protective, and supportive. In the previous parliament, issues related to the scale of investment, land, and taxes were discussed. Unless these are regulated by their laws, an investment law cannot stand alone as a comprehensive law. This time, we all need to have a proper understanding from top to bottom. I’d like to mention something else. There is a tax called the resource use tax on mining. This is the only tax humankind has ever devised. However, the part of this tax meant for local people has never been given. As a result, pastures are deteriorating. The government needs to address this question. Otherwise, those who do not understand the reasons will rise. People who aim to exploit this, become famous, or turn into politicians fill the vacuum, leading to a comical, pitiful situation from outside observation.

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Decisions from the Government Meeting

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The regular meeting of the Government of Mongolia was held, where the following issues were discussed and decided. The task of finalizing the draft law on state-owned and local government-owned companies was given. The Minister of Mongolia and the Head of the Cabinet Secretariat, Mr. N. Uchral, presented the current situation and challenges of state-owned legal entities, and the measures to be implemented. He was tasked with finalizing the draft law on state-owned and local government-owned companies and submitting it to the Cabinet meeting for discussion. An Action Group, under the leadership of Minister and Head of the Cabinet Secretariat Mr. N. Uchral, was established by the mandate of the Prime Minister's Decree No. 44 of 2024, to draft the revised law on state and local government property and the initial draft law on state-owned and local government-owned companies. The working group is addressing issues related to the activities of state-owned legal entities, specifically improving financial discipline, increasing control and accountability, ensuring openness and transparency, developing corporate governance, defining the grounds and criteria for establishing state-owned companies, and solving the issue within the policy framework of expanding the operating environment for private sector business activities. Electronic operator service will be introduced at the government's 11-11 center. Minister and Head of the Cabinet Secretariat Mr. N. Uchral presented the issues of receiving, resolving, and improving the procedures for complaints from citizens related to healthcare services and prescriptions registered at the 11-11 center, as well as improving the center's operations to government members. Regarding the presentation, the following tasks were given: - Conduct weekly analysis on the issues mentioned in the complaints from citizens contacting the 11-11 center and take final action, reporting the results to the Cabinet meeting. - Collect and resolve citizens' suggestions regarding the operations and services of governmental agencies through social networks and other channels, and introduce electronic operator services. - Use the "E-Mongolia" system to notify citizens regarding the resolution of their complaints and petitions. In addition, authorities were instructed to organize training to improve the electronic registration of healthcare services, enable pharmacies not authorized to dispense discounted drugs on health insurance to serve electronic prescriptions, and undertake measures to address issues faced by citizens. A presentation was made on the Gashuunsukhait-Ganqmod cross-border railway. The Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Ts. Tuvaan, presented on the negotiations regarding the Gashuunsukhait-Ganqmod cross-border railway. In October of last year, Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene received representatives from China's "China Energy Group," including its Chairman. Following the Prime Minister's request, the "China Energy Group" company officially sent its position to Chairman of Mongolia's Working Group, Mr. Ts. Tuvaan, on October 28, 2024. This request included several specific proposals aiming to guarantee the conditions for effective cooperation and ensuring a stable legal environment, and discussed topics such as long-term trade agreements, increasing coal deposit capacity, and railway connections. The Gashuunsukhait-Ganqmod cross-border railway project is ranked first among the 14 mega projects included in the "Action Plan of the Mongolian Government for 2024-2028," and amendments to certain laws and regulations are required for its implementation. The working group is working on amending relevant laws and regulations. Once the project on the Gashuunsukhait-Ganqmod border connection railway is implemented, it will create opportunities for the implementation of projects such as the Khank-Mandal, Shiveehuren-Sehe, and Bichigt-Zuunhatavch railway projects and others, while also increasing Mongolia's coal exports to 120 million tons and achieving a GDP per capita of 10,000 USD. Foreign investment will be drawn to sectors identified as economic priorities. An Action Group led by Deputy Prime Minister T. Dorjkhank is responsible for drafting the revised law on Foreign Investment, presenting it to the cabinet, and submitting it to parliament. The draft law aims to ensure the stability of the investment environment, promote investments, protect the rights and lawful interests of investors, improve investment guarantees, and enhance state services while simplifying them. The law will work on: - Improving investment guarantees in line with international best practices, - Establishing a system for safeguarding investors' rights and interests or resolving complaints, - Securing the right to settle disputes between investors and the state through international arbitration procedures, - Making investment protection and promotion a core responsibility of all governmental entities, - Regulating tax incentives through tax law, - Eliminating duplicative planned inspections by the state, - Simplifying the criteria for issuing stabilization certificates and making it possible to receive them electronically. Once the law is implemented, a favorable investment environment would be created, attracting foreign direct investment, activating reinvestment, increasing capital flows, and ensuring sustainable economic growth. Attracting foreign investment in sectors identified as economic priorities would increase infrastructure development in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, boost exports of value-added products, expand foreign trade, introduce advanced technologies and know-how, and support innovation, thereby enhancing Mongolia's competitiveness. Furthermore, by increasing stable employment, household income will rise, and living standards will improve.

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The Draft Law on State and Local Government-Owned Companies Will Be Finalized

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

At today's government meeting, N. Uchral, head of the Cabinet Secretariat, introduced the current situation and pressing issues related to state-owned legal entities, as well as measures to be implemented in the future. As a result, he has been tasked with finalizing the draft law on state and local government-owned companies and presenting it to the government meeting. Under Decree No. 44 of the Prime Minister of Mongolia, a working group headed by N. Uchral has been established to draft the revised law on state and local government property and the initial draft law on state and local government-owned companies. The working group is addressing issues related to the activities of state-owned legal entities, specifically: - Improving financial discipline - Increasing oversight and accountability - Ensuring openness and transparency - Establishing corporate governance - Defining the rationale and criteria for establishing state-owned companies - Resolving issues within the policy framework to expand the space for private sector business activities

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Budget Control 'Leak'

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

BOLD is said to be disciplined and frugal, making an effort to escape financial pressure. Although his household expenses and regular monthly bills have been increasing year by year, his income has not increased significantly, forcing him to consider saving. Despite his family's attempts to consistently monitor and smartly manage their household income and expenses, they have not achieved substantial improvement or results. The reason is that BOLD calculates his income and expenses in detail on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis but fails to analyze these and evaluate what mistakes or successes exist realistically. In other words, he does not sufficiently prioritize understanding what is most burdensome to the family budget, what factors have caused expenses to increase, whether his purchases and investments have been efficient, and if there were unnecessary, unplanned, or risk-related expenditures. Moreover, he has a major flaw in that he impulsively buys inefficient items through sudden decisions and tends to imitate others by comparing with them. He makes decisions based on emotions. Well-meaning friends and financial experts sincerely advise him. Many people have repeatedly reminded BOLD that merely planning and recording income and expenses is ineffective in achieving financial discipline and that detailed analysis is critical. Unfortunately, he pretends to maintain frugality and discipline while inwardly believing that 'the owner knows his belongings and the river banks manage the water' and behaves spontaneously. If we consider Mongolia as a family household, its budgetary and financial situation is exactly like BOLD's: lack of strategy, extravagance, and indiscipline. Though we speak of passing a deficit-free budget, reducing wasteful spending, starting savings from the government level, and prioritizing projects and programs funded by taxpayers' money, at the final moment, our government makes decisions contrary to these positions. It has been a considerable time since we talked about implementing a performance-based financial system. In Mongolia, the failure to ensure that the funding used from the budget leads to tangible progress in society and the economy is largely due to the inability to assess and monitor budget execution. Budget execution is the main indicator of how well the state's planned revenue and expenses are implemented. Specifically, it measures how much of the revenue planned for the year has been collected and how realistic, efficient, legal, and beneficial the expenditure was. One can also see here what to focus on in the future and identify any errors or shortcomings made. Performance evaluation is crucial for the efficiency of public finance, policy implementation, and economic stability. It is of particular importance in ensuring budget discipline and enhancing financial transparency. Therefore, it is legally required to constantly monitor, openly and transparently discuss, and assess the results of these processes. Regrettably, the system of realistically assessing, determining, controlling, and reporting on budget performance, and making policy and decision-making based on this, has been implemented formally only up until now. If laws and regulations were strictly enforced, there would be countless positions and organizations responsible for 'taking care' of budget execution. According to the Budget Law, the member of the government responsible for financial and budget issues, namely the Minister of Finance, is responsible for overseeing budget execution activities. The Ministry of Finance, as the main state administrative body for this area, monitors the budget implementation of the general controller, including the budget of the direct and centralized controllers. They prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports and submit them to their superior budget authority and state audit institution. Subsequently, the Ministry of Finance receives the audited financial statements from these authorities. After compiling the consolidated budget execution and government financial statements, the final version is sent to the central state audit institution by May 10 of each year. The audit institution conducts an audit and sends it to the government within one month. The government is required to report the consolidated budget execution to the State Great Khural (Parliament) within the legal time frame, and the parliament reviews and approves it. In other words, the budget execution goes through these 'layers of process' before reaching the legislative body. During the discussion stage, the Budget Standing Committee, state oversight, civil society organizations, and the public are involved to some extent. Primarily, the Ministry of Finance, its affiliated Budget Policy Department, and the National Audit Office play a leading role in this work. The question is, where in this process are the mistakes and 'leaks' originating from? Researcher Munkhbat says, 'In our country, when assessing budget performance, only the amount of money spent is taken into account. The most critical indicator, the investment efficiency rate, is neglected. If 95 billion out of the 100 billion planned for a project is spent, the execution is rated at 95%. Without evaluating investment efficiency, it is impossible to objectively assess budget execution. Without this information, determining which projects to invest in, and understanding the significance and benefits of these investments remains unresolved.' He states that the evaluation of the consolidated budget execution does not align with reality and produces overly optimistic results. The international standard for evaluating the budget performance of any organization, project, or program involves using KPI (Key Performance Indicators). This includes separate evaluations of financial, outcome, profit, and quality indicators. Furthermore, factors such as income and expenditure performance, overall investment efficiency, cost-saving, productivity, impact metrics, service quality, decision-making speed and outcomes, and actual influence on target groups are considered. In our country, as the researcher points out, everything is measured and evaluated based on just one indicator: the income and expenditure table. Information presented by the government and parliament regarding budget execution contains many 'numbers' divided by sector, referring to revenue, expenditure, debt, projects, and programs implemented with loans and assistance but little substantive information. They also report on discrepancies of millions or billions of MNT found during audits, issuing official demands and recommendations to the relevant organizations. In truth, every time this report is discussed, parliamentary and relevant standing committee members routinely highlight the need to evaluate and certify budget performance based on quality and results rather than funding. Auditors have also feigned issuing recommendations in this regard. When discussing the consolidated budget execution for 2023 and the government's financial statements, 'Budget execution of projects and programs implemented by general budget governors must be monitored and evaluated in connection with execution, quality, and quantitative measures,' 'Indicators and achievement levels of government operational and investment programs must be clarified and allow for realistic evaluation of projects and measures implemented at the state and local budget levels,' 'Revenue plans must be based on justification and control must be improved,' and 'Improving client and author oversight monitoring on project execution, ensuring internal audit units' oversight of investment by general budget governors,' were requirements emphasized by the Chief Auditor of Mongolia, Z.Bandar. He additionally warned that relevant organizations and officials are neglecting 'forgotten' and projects and programs dragged into multiple years, which has become a primary reason for poor budget execution and inefficient use of resources. Whether these warnings and recommendations reach the right people and whether they are received at a tangible level remain unclear. Even in developing the 2025 budget proposal, the same errors are being repeated. Consequently, organizations involved in assessing budget execution and those with oversight duties are irresponsible and incapable of doing their jobs effectively. Particularly, it seems that the Ministry of Finance, which coordinates this task, and the National Audit Office, are not fulfilling their duties adequately. Budget governors 'fudge' the data when preparing reports, leading the responsible organizations to unquestioningly accept these submissions, produce reports and recommendations, and leave it at that.

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N.Uchral: We will reform the legal framework for state-owned companies

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: itoim.mn

During the regular government meeting, the Cabinet Office's N.Uchral was assigned the task of finalizing the draft law on state and local government-owned companies. N.Uchral, the Head of the Cabinet Office, has introduced the government's concept for the draft law on state and local government-owned companies and the planned legal reforms for state-owned enterprises. Preparations are underway to present the state-owned company law to the government next week, after which it will be submitted to the State Great Khural (Parliament). State and local government-owned companies urgently require reforms. Essentially, state-owned companies, which incur high expenditures and whose directors continuously receive bonuses, must be properly managed and monitored, especially since they operate with unchecked budgets outside the state budget. Consequently, we are focusing on three main areas. These include: Firstly, financial discipline and accountability. Secondly, transparent and open governance. Thirdly, ensuring that the state's participation in the economy does not compete with the private sector by implementing legal reforms. As of today, financial discipline and accountability remain tied to political interests, with unchecked budgets. The lack of transparency and uncertain governance has become an unavoidable issue that must be addressed. There are 99 state-owned companies that report to the State Property Committee in Mongolia. Including subsidiary and dependent companies, a total of 122 companies report to the State Property Committee. The number of locally-owned companies is beyond our ability to count. According to assessment criteria set by the IMF, 40% of 99 companies are considered at risk when evaluated based on the debt-to-equity ratio. Furthermore, when assessed for return on assets risk, 23% are at medium risk and 20% are at high risk. State-owned companies generate 5.8 trillion MNT in revenue for the state budget in the form of dividends, taxes, and fees, accounting for 75% of expenditures relative to the state budget. State-owned companies have very high expenditures amounting to 16.9 trillion MNT and receive 70 billion MNT in subsidies from the budget. According to the National Audit Office's report, 158 measures not included in the investment plan were implemented last year at a cost of 319.8 billion MNT. Nine state-owned companies that operated at a loss over the year awarded 971.9 million MNT in performance bonuses to their management. Thus, there is a significant gap in following rules, regulations, and working within the legal framework. The government incurs unaccounted expenses, directly affecting corporate governance and adversely influencing efficient operations as highlighted by the National Audit Office. Hence, we will resolve several issues within the legal framework. The internal control system will be strengthened. The selection of the Board of Directors will be made transparently, linking it to the company's profitability. Social responsibility projects and programs must depend on whether the company is profitable; otherwise, it is inappropriate for loss-making companies to undertake social responsibility initiatives and give performance bonuses. Additionally, the state must outline which businesses it will engage in over the next five years and inform the private sector. In the field of establishing transparent and open governance, an audit survey involving 70 companies revealed that 6 entities implemented parts of the corporate governance code in their operations. A total of 316 entities, including local and state-owned companies, were considered. These entities have not made any information publicly available. Consequently, accompanying the budget law, the state-owned company law mandates transparency for salary, wages, bonuses, and tender information.

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According to "Vision 2050", a Trusted Parliament Will be Established by 2041-2050 That Ensures the People's Right to Govern

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

During yesterday’s meeting of the Standing Committee on State Structure of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia, the draft resolution "On Approval of the Strategic Plan of the State Great Khural of Mongolia for 2024-2028" was discussed. Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, H. Bulgantuya, who leads the working group tasked with developing this draft resolution, presented the proposal. She stated that according to the "Vision 2050" long-term development policy of Mongolia, approved by the State Great Khural’s 2020 resolution No. 52, the governance section’s goal is to establish smart, sustainable governance that supports human development, forms an efficient administrative structure and civil service, transitions fully to citizen-centered electronic government services, expands cooperation between government, private sector, and civil society in all areas, ensures full protection of human rights, and develops a corruption-free state with a justice system. In the long-term development policy under the "Smart Governance" objective for 2021-2030, it is stated that the legislative, policy-making, representation, and oversight capacity of the State Great Khural will be improved, and parliamentary governance will be strengthened. For 2031-2040, the objective is to establish a State Great Khural composed of responsible, professional, and ethical members. For 2041-2050, a Parliament that ensures the people's right to govern and is trusted will be established. Moreover, by 2041-2050, under the "Smart Structure" objective, state policy and activities will become citizen-centered, and a citizen-centered administrative structure will be formed. The objective "Society that Respects Human Rights" highlights that by 2030, a national system will be in place to develop, implement, and monitor policies and legislation that ensure human rights, thereby increasing their effectiveness. The changes made to the Constitution of Mongolia in 2023 increased the number of Parliament members to 126, introducing a mixed electoral system for the parliamentary elections. As a result, Mongolian citizens abroad can vote, enhancing the Parliament's representative capacity and increasing the participation and representation of women, youth, and other social groups, as emphasized in Deputy Speaker's presentation. The amendment to the law on the State Great Khural of Mongolia in 2024 established a new legal framework within which the State Great Khural must have a strategic plan, ensure its approval, and monitor its implementation under the purview of the Standing Committee on State Structure. Consequently, a working group led by Deputy Speaker H. Bulgantuya and including members L. Munkhbaatar, O. Tsogtgerel, B. Bayarbaatar, A. Ganbaatar, B. Jargalan, B. Naidalaa, M. Narantuya-Nara, O. Saranchuluun, B. Tuvshin, Kh. Temuujin, A. Undraa, Dav. Tsogtbaatar, D. Enkhtuvshin, S. Erdenebold, and Secretary General B. Baasandorj was established to develop the draft resolution. The working group leader, H. Bulgantuya, noted that in developing the draft strategic plan, they studied the strategic plans of the International Parliamentary Union and the parliaments of some foreign countries, aligning them with Mongolia's parliamentary specifics. Additionally, the working group considered the findings from the study on the implementation of the 2019-2024 strategic plan of the State Great Khural and reports from public opinion surveys about the Parliament's activities. Two discussions were held, and suggestions from the participants were incorporated into the strategic plan. The draft resolution was uploaded to the d.parliament system for feedback. The working group, established by the 2024 order No. 71 of the Speaker of the State Great Khural, includes a clear vision for the State Great Khural that prioritizes the overarching interests of the citizens, sustainable development based on innovation, and an open and pluralistic parliament, as defined in the draft resolution. Furthermore, the strategic plan underscores the principle of placing human-centered and human rights-focused viewpoints at the forefront throughout the entire legislative process, from drafting, proposal, discussion, adoption, to monitoring and reporting. It also emphasizes aligning legislative and state policy documents with national development objectives, refining laws based on impact assessments during legislative phases, supporting innovation and technological advancements, promoting pluralism in future parliamentary activities, and ensuring that legislators effectively execute their representative duties while safeguarding human rights and freedoms. The draft resolution mandates the strategic plan of the State Great Khural to be appended and approved, with the implementation measures’ plan considered and approved each year based on the suggestions of Standing and Sub-committees, further guaranteeing its implementation monitoring. Moreover, within respective issue areas, Standing Committees will be tasked to review and critique proposed legislative drafts before they are presented to the general parliamentary session, overseeing the implementation, and ensuring that human rights and freedoms are analyzed and directed accordingly. Furthermore, provisions are included for annual budget allocations required for implementing the strategic plan's goals and objectives and conducting annual monitoring and biennial effectiveness evaluations, with reports to be submitted to the Standing Committee on State Structure. The appendage, which will be approved, specifies the State Great Khural’s strategic plan draft, identifying the vision, mission, and core values, along with outlining five goals and sixteen objectives to be achieved. These include ensuring that the Parliament functions transparently, openly, and increases citizen participation and collaboration with civil society organizations and the private sector in legislative activities by enhancing partnerships. Objectives also highlight the State Great Khural’s focus on upholding national core interests, supporting sustainable development and competitiveness, considering demands and needs at both societal and timely levels, and strengthening systems for monitoring the implementation of laws and national development policies. Furthermore, it focuses on supporting advancements in science, innovation, and technology throughout all legislative phases, providing decisions based on scientific advances and data analytics, and fostering effective use of technology in decision-making. Under the objective to solidify a progressive, new-generation, pluralistic parliament, it aims to improve communication channels between citizens and Parliament Members, establish a system where members are publicly accountable for their performance and ethics, and reinforce an accessible, ethically responsible, enlightened, and progressive new-generation Parliament. The strategy also seeks to increase the State Great Khural’s operational effectiveness by utilizing advanced methods and tools that match public needs to raise awareness and promote its activities. Additionally, it aims to expand international parliamentary relations and strengthen a competent, high-performing office that meets parliamentary needs. Once approved, the draft resolution anticipates that the strategic plan's implementation budget will be resolved within relevant operational expense sources and potentially supported by national budget allocations, international organizations, and foreign country projects and programs. Parliament members asked questions and expressed views related to the draft resolution. Member S. Byambatsogt, for instance, inquired about the strategic plan's categorization within the policy documents specified by the Law on Development Policy, Planning, and its Management, and whether comparative evaluations had been conducted with past strategy plans. He also noted this Parliament's unique features, including representation from five parties, the formation of a coalition government, and the mix of members elected both from lists and constituencies, asking if specific policies and goals reflective of these features had been set. Secretary General B. Baasandorj responded that past Great Khurals had approved strategic plans for their tenures in 2002 and 2019, with the latter plan having been independently assessed. The working group, led by Deputy Speaker H. Bulgantuya, reviewed this assessment. Of the activities and measures from the 2019 strategic plan, about 65-70% were internally focused, while about 30% focused outwardly. The working group reviewed the 2002 and 2019 strategic plans, discussing their strengths and weaknesses in detail and outlined future measures to be continued. According to the Law on Development Policy, Planning, and its Management, medium-term strategies include the government’s operational program, a five-year national development plan, and a ten-year targeted program. However, the 2024-2028 strategic plan of the State Great Khural is not regulated by this law. According to Article 4.8 of the Law on the State Great Khural of Mongolia, "The State Great Khural shall approve and implement its strategic plan," thus the working group developed a strategic plan for the next four-year tenure. Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, H. Bulgantuya, highlighted that the parliamentary goals and objectives discussed by the Speaker at the session’s opening stressed criticisms of expanding state structure and authority, as expressed by the citizens, and emphasized ensuring citizen’s rights and freedoms through legislative measures. Additionally, the Parliament aims to address legislative backlogs, notably revising outdated business regulations affecting economic growth and current needs, which were highlighted by recent studies. Consequently, diverse party representations have been included in this Parliament session to address these issues. Moreover, procedures need streamlining, as laws have been surrounded by excessive regulations, thus reducing the procedural count and improving law coherence are among the advanced goals. After questions and statements from members, a vote was conducted on the principles reflecting differing stances from the members. Ultimately, the session majority supported presenting the draft resolution "On Approval of the Strategic Plan of the State Great Khural of Mongolia for 2024-2028" for discussion and approval by the Great Khural’s general session, as reported by the Parliament's Press Office. Notice: Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social and Web pages) are reminded to cite the source (ikon.mn) when using the information provided here, whether in full or partially.

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Economy

Attracting Foreign Investment in Key Economic Sectors

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

A working group led by Deputy Prime Minister T. Dorjhand is responsible for drafting the revised version of the Investment Law, presenting it to the Government, and submitting it to the Parliament (Great Khural). The draft law is aimed at ensuring the stability of the investment environment, promoting investments, protecting the rights and legitimate interests of investors, improving investment guarantees, and enhancing the support and government services provided to investors. It aims to include the following aspects: - Improve the guarantees provided to investors in accordance with international best practices; - Establish a dispute resolution system, or a council, to protect investor rights and interests; - Ensure the right to settle disputes between investors and the state through international arbitration procedures; - Make the protection and promotion of investments a responsibility of all government institutions; - Regulate tax incentives under tax law; - Eliminate duplication in planned government inspections and audits; - Simplify the criteria for issuing stabilization certificates and enable their electronic issuance. The implementation of the law will create a favorable investment environment, attract foreign direct investment, revitalize reinvestment, increase capital flows, and ensure stable economic growth conditions. By attracting foreign investment in economic sectors designated as priorities, the construction and development of sectors such as manufacturing and infrastructure will increase. This will lead to an increase in the export of high-value-added products, an expansion of foreign trade, the introduction of advanced technologies and know-how, and support for innovation. This is expected to enhance Mongolia's competitiveness. Furthermore, increasing stable employment will lead to higher household incomes and an improvement in quality of life, as reported by the Government Press and Communications Office.

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Factory with Capacity to Enrich 10 Million Tons of Coal Annually to Be Commissioned Next Year

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Today, at the meeting of the Standing Committee on Industrial Policy of the State Great Khural (Parliament), information was heard about the operation of "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" JSC's coal washing and enriching plant, and two resolutions to establish a working group were approved. According to "Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi" JSC, the project to build a coal enriching plant with a capacity to process 10 million tons of coal annually is 95 percent complete. The plant will cover an area of 133 hectares and consist of a total of 67 buildings and structures, including the main factory, raw coal, and product storage warehouses, and other industrial and civil facilities. The feasibility study for the plant was conducted in 2021. The plant requires a total workforce of 457, of which 198 people are currently employed. A trial and calibration ceremony was conducted in June this year, with plans to fully commission the plant by March 2025. The implementation of the project is expected to support the country's and region's social and economic growth, create new direct jobs, reduce environmental negative impacts, and increase the production of value-added products. Additionally, as per the resolution of the Standing Committee, a working group to oversee and inspect the construction progress of the oil refinery will be led by Member of Parliament L. Munkhbayasgalan, while the working group to oversee the production and technological operations of "Tavantolgoi Fuel" LLC will be led by Member of Parliament D. Enkhtuya.

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Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

In Ulaanbaatar, the high-level conference titled "Global Pension, Social Protection, and Wealth Fund Summit" has commenced in Hong Kong, the special administrative region of China. A delegation from our country, led by Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Protection L. Enkh-Amgalan, is participating and delivering speeches at the summit. This conference is organized by the Asia-Pacific Investment Cooperation Organization.

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"Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC to launch coal processing plant by March

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: isee.mn

In a meeting of the Standing Committee on Industrial Policy of the State Great Khural held today, information about the operations of the coal washing and processing plant of "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC was discussed, and two resolutions of the Standing Committee were approved to establish working groups. During this event, "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC announced that the project of the coal processing plant, with a capacity to process 10 million tons of coal annually, is 95% complete. It is planned to be commissioned by March next year. There is a need to have the state commission operate by the end of November. If everything proceeds according to plan, commissioning before March is possible. The coal processing plant will cover an area of 133 hectares and will consist of a total of 67 buildings and structures, including the main plant, raw coal, product storage, and various civil structures. A total of 457 employees are required for the plant, with 198 people currently employed. The feasibility study (FS) of the plant was conducted in 2021, and the plant trial operation and calibration were conducted in June of this year, with the aim of regular commissioning by March 2025. The project will support the social and economic growth of the country and region, generate new direct jobs, reduce environmental adverse effects, and increase the production of value-added products. Furthermore, in accordance with the Standing Committee's resolution, a taskforce responsible for monitoring and inspection during the construction of the oil refinery will be headed by MP L. Munkhbayasgalan, while the taskforce in charge of overseeing the production and technological operations of "Tavantolgoi Fuel" LLC will be led by MP D. Enkhtuya.

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To Align Investment Guarantees with International Best Practices and Establish a Dispute Resolution System

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The regular meeting of the Government of Mongolia was held, where the following issues were discussed and resolved. The Working Group led by Deputy Prime Minister T. Dorjkhand is responsible for drafting the revised version of the Investment Law, presenting it to the Government, and submitting it to the State Great Khural (Parliament). The draft law aims to ensure the stability of the investment environment, promote investment, protect the rights and legitimate interests of investors, improve investment guarantees, and enhance and simplify government support and services to investors. These objectives include: - Improving investment guarantees in accordance with international best practices; - Establishing a council or dispute resolution system to protect investor rights and interests; - Ensuring the right to resolve disputes between investors and the state through international arbitration procedures; - Making the protection and promotion of investments a duty of all state agencies; - Regulating tax incentives through the tax law; - Eliminating redundancies in planned state inspections; - Simplifying the criteria for granting stabilization certificates and enabling their electronic issuance. Implementing the law will create a favorable investment environment, attract foreign direct investment, stimulate reinvestment, increase capital flows, and ensure stable economic growth. Attracting foreign investment in sectors highlighted as economic priorities will boost production and infrastructure development, increase the export of value-added products, expand foreign trade, introduce advanced technology and know-how, and promote innovation, thereby enhancing Mongolia's competitiveness. Moreover, increasing sustainable jobs will raise household income and improve the quality of life. Source: Government Press Office Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when fully or partially using our information in any form.

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A plant with the capacity to enrich 10 million tons of coal annually will be operational by March next year

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Standing Committee on Industrialization Policy of the Parliament listened to information about the operations of the coal washing and enriching plant of 'Erdenes Tavantolgoi' JSC and approved two resolutions to establish a working group. According to 'Erdenes Tavantolgoi' JSC, the coal enriching plant project, with a capacity to process 10 million tons of coal annually, is 95% complete. The coal enriching plant will cover an area of 133 hectares and consist of 67 industrial and civil buildings and structures, including the main plant, raw coal, and product warehouses. The plant requires a total workforce of 457, with 198 people currently employed. The feasibility study of the plant was conducted in 2021, and trial operations and adjustments were initiated in June of this year, aiming for permanent operation by March 2025. The implementation of the project holds significance in supporting the socio-economic growth of the country and region, creating new jobs directly, reducing ecological impacts, and increasing the production of value-added products. Additionally, following the standing committee's resolution, a working group under the direction of Parliament member L. Munkhbayasgalan will oversee the progress of the oil refinery construction, while Parliament member D. Enkhtuya will lead a working group to conduct an inspection of the production and technology operations of 'Tavantolgoi Fuel' LLC. Notice: Media organizations (television, radio, social media, and websites) must mention their source (ikon.mn) when using our information in full or part in any format.

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Gobi Brand Collaborates with 'FC Barcelona' Club

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Gobi brand opens a new chapter in its history by signing a memorandum of understanding to establish an official exclusive partnership with the renowned 'FC Barcelona' club. This marks the first time that a Mongolian brand officially collaborates with a world-renowned sports club, setting the stage for future international cooperation. During his visit to Mongolia, Mr. Joan Laporta, the President of the 'FC Barcelona' club, visited the Gobi Galleria branch store, where the parties agreed on the directions for their collaboration. This partnership will provide significant support in promoting Gobi's high-quality cashmere products to the global market and conveying the value of Mongolian cashmere to international consumers. Soon, football enthusiasts and loyal fans of 'FC Barcelona' will be able to purchase exclusive cashmere designs featuring their favorite team's logo from all Gobi branch stores.

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Gobi Brand to Collaborate with FC Barcelona

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Gobi brand has turned a new page in its history by signing a memorandum of understanding to collaborate exclusively with the renowned “FC Barcelona” club. This is the first time in Mongolia that the Gobi brand has officially partnered with a globally prestigious sports club, marking a major step towards future international cooperation. During his visit to Mongolia, Mr. Joan Laporta, the president of FC Barcelona, visited the Galleria branch store of Gobi and the two sides agreed on their directions for collaboration. This partnership will significantly promote Gobi brand's high-quality cashmere products in the global market and help bring the value of Mongolian cashmere to international consumers in a comprehensive manner. Soon, football enthusiasts and loyal fans of the “FC Barcelona” team will be able to purchase officially licensed special designs featuring their favorite team's logo in all Gobi branch stores. Notice: We remind media organizations (Television, Radio, Social media, and Websites) that when using our information in any form, whether in full or in part, they must credit the source (ikon.mn).

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MAK Company Spends 60 Billion Tugriks on Oil Exploration and Extraction Activities

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: isee.mn

"Mongolian Alt" (MAK) LLC has invested a total of 17.2 million USD, or 60.4 billion tugriks, in oil exploration and extraction as well as mineral sector operations. This funding is allocated under the "Tukhem-X" oil product sharing agreement established with the Government of Mongolia in 2012. Of the total amount, 18 percent, or 11 billion tugriks, have been granted as incentives to support the operations of the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority, as well as for training and research work. The remaining funds have been used for exploration activities and to support local development and social responsibility. Specifically, in support of local development, funding of 405,000 USD, or 1.4 billion tugriks, has been allocated to the development of 8 soums in 3 aimags: Ölgii of Dundgovi, Mandakh, Saikhandulaan of Dornogovi, and Tsogt-Ovoo, Tsogttsetsii, Manlai, Khanbogd, Mandal-Ovoo of Ömnögovi. The company is conducting oil exploration and research work in the "Tukhem-X" field entirely with its own funds in a phased manner. Currently, geological baseline studies, magnetic surveys, gravity studies, two-dimensional seismic surveys, and oil well drilling in prospective depressions are being carried out. Source: Mining.mn

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Central Bank: The Exchange Rate Increase is Temporary

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

According to the official rate of the Mongolbank today, one US dollar is equivalent to 3410 tugriks. However, banks are selling it for 3426-3428 tugriks, and currency exchange outlets are selling it for 3432-3443 tugriks. Regarding the recent rapid weakening of the tugrik against the US dollar, the central bank clarified that "there is a common misconception among the public. People often think that after the parliamentary and local elections, the Mongolbank loosened its control over the exchange rate, leading to an increase in the price of the US dollar. That is not the case. Following the local elections, both individuals and businesses increased their purchase of US dollars, which led to the price rise. However, this increase is temporary in nature." The Mongolbank adheres to a floating exchange rate policy. This means the exchange rate can fluctuate and change according to supply and demand, but the central bank will intervene only in cases of sharp rises or falls.

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Mongolia Continues to Import 40% of Its Dairy Products Despite Having 64 Million Livestock

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Mongolia's dairy product imports have increased by more than 20% in the first 10 months of the year. Although Mongolia, with 64.7 million livestock, including 5.4 million cows, 29.4 million sheep, and 24.6 million goats, can fully meet its dairy needs domestically, it still imports over 40% of its dairy products. According to information from the General Customs Administration, Mongolia imported liquid milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, etc., worth $9.7 million in the first 10 months of the year, which is an increase of more than 20% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, just the import of powdered milk alone was worth $11.4 million. The annual consumption of dairy products by Mongolians is lower than the level recommended by the World Health Organization. Domestic producers need to focus on the quality and standards of their products and work to increase per capita dairy consumption, according to G. Bayarmagnai, CEO of "Apu Dairy" LLC. In fact, Mongolia should be exporting. To increase the supply of dairy products and support national production, the government provides a subsidy of 1000 tugriks per liter of raw milk delivered to factories and workshops in the winter by herders and intensive livestock operators. As a result of awarding a total of 28.5 billion tugriks in subsidies since 2020, the supply of milk has tripled, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry. Despite a liter of raw milk being priced at 3000 tugriks, which is not a cheap price, medium and larger farms and cooperatives need to ensure a continuous supply, emphasized the director of "Vitafit Milk" LLC. However, when comparing the numbers, the productivity of Mongolian animal husbandry remains low, and it is unfortunate that despite having such large numbers of livestock, Mongolia continues to import powdered milk, as expressed by Tapan Mishra, the UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the number of animals, focus on quality over quantity, make nomadic pastoralism more productive, and at least engage in intensive animal husbandry during the winter, he suggested. From the perspective of manufacturers, it is important to pay special attention to the quality and cleanliness of the raw materials coming from the first stage.

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We spent $1.2 billion traveling abroad, while foreign tourists brought in $489 million in revenue

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The balance of payments showed a deficit of $251 million in the first nine months of this year. The balance of payments depends on whether the current account, the trade account, and the service account are in surplus or deficit. For the first nine months of this year, the current account had a deficit of $1.3 billion. The reason is that we import education, health, private tourism, and transportation services, leading to an outflow of foreign currency. Specifically, we send our children to study abroad, receive health services from developed countries, and use transportation companies from neighboring countries to transport our coal. Additionally, we travel to countries like Turkey and Vietnam. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism launched the "One Sheep, One Tourist" campaign, inviting South Korean celebrities to visit Mongolia. However, the total expenses of Mongolian citizens traveling abroad remain twice as much as the revenue from tourists visiting our country. In the first three quarters of this year, foreign tourists generated $489 million in revenue in Mongolia, while domestic tourists spent $1.2 billion traveling abroad.

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Register as a Supplier with Unitel Group and Enhance Your Opportunities

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

Did you know that as a business owner, you have the opportunity to collaborate with Unitel Group and its subsidiaries within your business operations? We invite you to join us in the MCS Supplier Portal, the largest open supplier database accessible to everyone. By becoming a supplier for Unitel Group, you can: - Expand the scale of your business - Join fair competition - Initiate reliable cooperation - Access the desired information all in one place How can you become our supplier? The Supplier.mcs.mn platform is a comprehensive business system for organizations and individuals who have the opportunity to register as a domestic supplier for MCS Group. You can receive notifications via email, without delay, as soon as the procurement announcement from any of the group’s 31 companies is published and participate accordingly. You also have the advantage of submitting price quotes and monitoring the entire process of selection as a supplier through this platform. Register now as a supplier with Unitel Group and increase your business opportunities. Supplier.mcs.mn Notice: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, whether in full or in part.

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Exchanging Opinions on Improving the Benefits of the Agreement

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Business discussions were held regarding issues faced by entrepreneurs around the implementation of the economic partnership agreement between Mongolia and Japan. The Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) aims to compile opinions on difficulties encountered by businesses in implementing this agreement and opportunities for improvement to communicate to relevant authorities of both countries. Additionally, during the discussion, changes in foreign trade resulting from the economic partnership agreement were presented, and the opinions collected from participants will be introduced at the joint economic committee meeting of Japan and Mongolia on the 27th of this month. They plan to discuss the utilization of the agreement, prospects for improvement, and how to reduce trade and tariff barriers for enterprises. The "Economic Partnership Agreement" between Mongolia and Japan came into force in 2016 and has been implemented since 2017. Under the agreement, Mongolia initiated negotiations to reduce customs tariffs on approximately 5,700 types of goods in 97 categories, while Japan negotiated similar reductions on approximately 9,300 types of goods. As a result, from the agreement's effective date, tariffs on 59% (3,429 types) of Mongolia's imports and 86% (8,000 types) of Japan's imports were exempted. However, there has been little increase in the variety, value, and investment of Mongolia's exports. Ts. Tsendsayush, executive director of the Woolen Product Craft Support Center NGO, highlighted ongoing challenges, stating, "We have been exporting felt slippers to Japan for over 10 years, yet the market has not expanded. The main reason is the discrepancy in the Vitkus code. Although felt has been exempted, felt slippers are not viewed as footwear and thus not exempted. Addressing this coding issue would expand the market for felt products." Ch. Nergui, executive director of the Non-Mining Exporters Association, commented, "Substantial trade progress has not been made between the two countries. Eight years after the agreement, we are still exporting only a few types such as wool and woolen products. Analyzing this, MNCCI and the business community should be more critical. Instead of promoting sea buckthorn to a country with a rich tea tradition, we should develop tea products tailored to Japan's culture, incorporating distinct Mongolian features, which would be more intriguing."

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Diplomacy

State Inspection Conducted on 6 Ships Flying the Mongolian National Flag

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Ministry of Roads and Transport has reported that a state inspection was conducted on ships flying the Mongolian national flag. In accordance with the Law on the Use of the Sea by Mongolia, international maritime conventions, and the resolutions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), inspections of ships registered under Mongolia's ship registry are conducted by the Maritime Administration on behalf of the flag state. In this context, from October 28 to November 07, flag state inspectors conducted inspections at Kaohsiung Port, Taiwan, on six ships operating in international waters under the Mongolian flag. The main purpose of this inspection was to verify the technical integrity of the vessels at sea and to ensure they are operating in compliance with international legal standards. These inspections significantly contribute to preventing potential risks such as ship accidents, breakdowns, collisions, human casualties, and environmental pollution in open waters. Warning: Media outlets (TV, Radio, Social, and Websites) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using any part of this information, whether in full or in part.

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Inspection Conducted on Ship Flying the Mongolian State Flag

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

In accordance with the Law on the Use of the Sea of Mongolia, international conventions in the maritime sector, and resolutions and related regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), inspections are carried out by the Maritime Administration on ships registered under the Mongolian flag on behalf of the flag state. Within this framework, the flag state's national inspector conducted inspections from October 28 to November 7 on six ships flying the Mongolian state flag operating in international waters at the port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The main purpose of these inspections is to verify the technical integrity of the ships traveling on the high seas and to ensure their activities comply with international legal frameworks. This helps to significantly reduce potential risks such as shipwrecks, damage, collisions, loss of human life, and environmental pollution.

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Infrastructure

Collaborating with Korea on an Electronic Road Management Project

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport of the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with the Ministry of Road and Transport of Mongolia, is implementing the K-Smart road electronic management project aimed at improving the management of Mongolia's road maintenance. This project was signed and formalized during the "World Infrastructure Cooperation" conference. The project leaders, including H. Purevjargal, General Director of the Development Center of Road and Transport State-Owned Enterprise; and project leaders Jon Song Il and Lim Jae Kyu, have outlined the general plan of the project. Funded by a non-refundable aid of 6.5 billion won from Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the International Development Assistance Organization (ODA), the project will involve training technical staff from Mongolia's road sector in short-term programs in Korea. The project will also use artificial intelligence for road maintenance, provide maintenance equipment, digitally assess and monitor road damage, and make accurate asset management decisions. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport of the Republic of Korea and Mongolia's Ministry of Road and Transport have formally initiated this project, aimed at advancing Mongolia's road maintenance management with the use of K-Smart technology. Under this project, with the support of 6.5 billion won in non-refundable aid from Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the International Development Assistance Organization (ODA), Mongolian road engineering and technical personnel will undergo short-term training in Korea. This initiative includes leveraging artificial intelligence for road maintenance, supplying maintenance equipment, digitally measuring and monitoring road damage, and correctly determining asset management plans.

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Society

600 Foreign Workers at Oyu Tolgoi

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

At the Oyu Tolgoi company's mine, approximately 20,000 people are employed, 600 of whom are foreign workers. The expansion of the copper concentrator is being carried out by the Turkish company Enka Global Construction. Additionally, through the joint venture "Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi," there is a Canadian mining company called Entrée Resources that holds a mining license for the Oyu Tolgoi project. Meanwhile, about 200 young Mongolians have ventured abroad to work at Rio Tinto and other companies after gaining knowledge and experience at Oyu Tolgoi. They live and work with their families in Canada, Australia, and South Africa. In our country, the number and proportion of foreign workers allowed to work this year has been altered according to the government's 2024 resolution No. 149. When viewed by economic activities, it has been approved as follows. 1. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 2. Mining and extraction: 11,500 foreign workers. 3. Manufacturing: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 4. Electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 5. Water supply; sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 6. Construction: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 7. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 8. Transportation and storage: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 9. Accommodation and food service activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 10. Information and communication: 310 foreign workers. 11. Financial and insurance activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 12. Real estate activities: 70 foreign workers. 13. Professional, scientific, and technical activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 14. Administrative and support service activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 15. Public administration, defense, and compulsory social security: 110 foreign workers. 16. Education: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 17. Human health and social work activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 18. Arts, entertainment, and recreation: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 19. Other service activities: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 20. Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use: No limit on the number of foreign workers. 21. Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies: 450 foreign workers. Note: In Mongolia, in 2024, the number and proportion of foreign workers in all economic activities must comply with the legal regulations on the status of foreign citizens.

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Environment

B. Battsats Regzeb: Mongolia to Host Desertification COP17 in 2026

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

During the 29th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, we interviewed B. Battsats Regzeb, Mongolia's Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mongolia's President participated in the High-Level Meeting of COP29 and expressed Mongolia's stance. What is the significance of participating at the presidential level? President U. Khurelsukh of Mongolia delivered a speech at COP29's World Leaders' Summit. Since being elected, this marks the fourth year he has joined the initiatives for climate change and represented Mongolia at a high level, taking on commitments. Participating at the presidential level signifies that Mongolia is giving importance to combating climate change and contributing its share. This is a form of expressing our dedication to the initiatives conducted by the UN. Fulfilling our commitments, implementing the provisions in the final declaration of each COP meeting every year, and coordinating our negotiation activities carry significant importance. Additionally, by attending this conference, the President of Mongolia has the opportunity to meet with the heads of state and foreign ministers from over 100 countries, allowing for discussions and exchanges of ideas. State visits would require considerable expenses, but this conference provides a platform to meet and resolve issues. For example, today our President met with the Presidents of many countries. We aim to meet with the heads of state of some countries we have not yet developed cooperative relations with, and we will effectively use these two days for that purpose. We will organize meetings at all levels. The President mentioned in his speech that Mongolia will host the COP17 conference on desertification in 2026. Can you elaborate? President expressed that Mongolia will host the COP17 conference combating desertification in 2026, demonstrating significant initiative in this area. We plan to bring many desertified countries and international scientists to Mongolia, present research papers, and organize the preparation of the conference in collaboration with the UN. Mongolia is increasingly affected by climate change and desertification, especially our pastoral livestock economy. For developing countries, this poses significant challenges due to limited budgets for combating climate change, leading to greater losses. Therefore, the President emphasized that it would be beneficial for developed countries to allocate more budget for this effort, which aligns with the common interests of over 100 countries heavily impacted by climate change. Mongolia continues to express its tradition of living in harmony with nature and animals and calls on the world to maintain a respectful relationship with Mother Nature. What issues are other Presidents raising? Seventy to eighty Presidents are participating this year, with half of them being critical. They point out the limited real outcomes despite annual meetings and commitments. Poor and economically constrained countries have made little progress. Countries are being urged to ensure equal implementation of common decisions, which seems to be more focused on concrete results. Our country allocates only 1% of its GDP to climate change. The President mentioned the need to increase this to 50% in his speech. What is the necessity and possibility of increasing it? It is essential to increase it. Each country's budget allocation and spending present challenges. By expressing this, we refer to the need for political decisions to allocate specific budgets globally to combat climate change and contribute accordingly. Organizing the COP17 to combat desertification in 2026 will require significant financial expenses. A specific budget has already been allocated to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which we will distribute over two to three years for organizational expenses. This contributes to Mongolia's role in the global fight against climate change. We also increased our budget for major projects like the 'Billion Trees' and 'Food Revolution' projects, planting about 70 million trees. This is how developing countries like Mongolia are incrementally increasing their budgets and expressing their contributions internationally. Mongolia is a landlocked, developing country, which describes 32 countries. We strive for leadership and initiative within this status. There is no landlocked country unaffected by climate change. The third conference of landlocked developing countries will be organized in Botswana in December, with Mongolia participating, sharing experiences, and offering good practices. Therefore, it holds high significance for us to participate in this conference. You mentioned criticisms from other Presidents. On the other hand, how do you see this as having a positive impact? The criticisms from various perspectives arise from global security and geopolitical difficulties, with wars occurring. Therefore, attention toward the environment diminishes, and more resources are allocated to security and armaments, prevalent in many countries. Nonetheless, climate change cannot be ignored. Secondly, countries that pledged commitments are criticized for not allocating their budgets wisely, nor implementing initiatives, urging nations to reflect on this in subsequent years. Criticisms were limited in previous years, but it seems there will be more focus on fulfilling commitments and achieving outcomes next year. Hopefully, the UN will monitor this as well.

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Gonzalo Munoz: Countries are making efforts to address climate change, biodiversity, and desertification comprehensively

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

During COP29 in Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mongolia presented its policies, innovations, and cooperation solutions aimed at combating desertification and reducing the impacts of climate change with the discussion “Ensuring the coordination of issues of climate change, biodiversity, and desertification for a green and sustainable future in Mongolia.” Mongolia is a country with vast territory and a fragile ecosystem, facing interconnected issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification, which are crucial to address for the country’s future. These three issues not only pose challenges to sustainable development but also create risks for people, society, and the economy. The organizers emphasized the importance of protecting biodiversity, reducing and restoring land degradation, which is vital for adapting to climate change, implementing proper land management, and mitigating climate impacts. During the event, UN High Level Action Champion on Climate Change Gonzalo Munoz stated, "Countries worldwide are facing the most difficult conditions of the threefold environmental crisis. Nations and international communities are emphasizing not only on addressing climate change but also comprehensively solving the three issues of biodiversity, climate change, and desertification. There is tremendous effort being made by countries to address these issues in an integrated manner. It is not only about discussing but also implementing and operationalizing these efforts by adopting evidence-based approaches. Strengthening cooperation rather than just setting targets is the most important. In this context, it is crucial to hold the COP or conference of the parties of the three conventions, where the chairing countries are making partnerships and initiatives. From last year's Dubai COP, partnerships linking climate and biodiversity were established. This year’s Desertification COP is launching initiatives linking climate and desertification. The partnership and initiative-based approach ensures the integration of these issues, involving stakeholders is of high importance. It is crucial to enhance collaboration not only between state institutions and countries but also among private sectors, research institutions, and international financial organizations. Cooperation and partnership must be expanded to ensure tangible results, while enhancing evidence-based information and utilizing science-based research outcomes in policies. Since the three Rio Conventions were ratified in 1993, the year 2025 marks the 32nd anniversary of their implementation. Over this period, there is a need to evaluate what has been accomplished and shift towards more concrete and effective actions." Dr. Sandeep Sengupta, Senior Advisor on Global Climate Policy at IUCN, added, "Organizing the conference of the parties is related to three factors. First, there is a need to conduct negotiations and organize policy dialogues between countries within the scope of these issues. Second, logistical organization related to the conference needs to be ensured. Third, it is important to assess the implementation of initiatives and partnerships that emanate from this year's COP29. It can be understood that Mongolia will focus on three main issues. During this year’s 16th session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, many issues are planned to be discussed. Mongolia will undertake the responsibility of continuing and discussing these issues at an international level during the organization of the 17th session of the conference of the parties. The forthcoming session in Riyadh will focus not only on desertification, land degradation, and drought but also on the interconnected threefold crisis with biodiversity, which needs to be addressed at an international level." The discussion included representatives from UNCCD, UNFCCC, international development organizations, researchers working in climate change and land restoration, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector.

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Heat-Resistant Bacteria and Rods Discovered in the Water of the Tuul River

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

According to information provided by citizens, a working group composed of researchers from BOST and experts from the Administration of the Tuul River Basin collected water samples from four points around the Tuul River, at the Songin Bridge, Songino Valley, and Biocombinate. They measured some volatile compounds and physical parameters on site and sent the samples for detailed analysis. At the Central Water Laboratory under the Water Authority, general chemical and microbiological analyses were performed, and the results were shared. When compared to the maximum permissible concentrations of the quality indicators of the aquatic environment and general requirements MNS 4586:1998 standards: - The water samples from two points around the Songino Valley exceeded the permissible levels by 20-22.6 times for ammonium nitrogen (NH4), by 1.6 times for iron (Fe3+), and by 1.1 times for sulfate (SO42-). - The water sample from the Biocombinate area exceeded the permissible level for ammonium nitrogen (NH4) by 5.4 times. Intestinal rods, heat-resistant members of the intestinal group, and pathogenic bacteria of the intestinal group were found in the water samples of the Tuul River from Songino Valley and Biocombinate areas. The results of the analysis indicate that the water quality of the Tuul River has severely deteriorated downstream from where the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges its effluent, losing its natural pristine condition. Furthermore, nitrogen compounds, which are indicators of domestic pollution, exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations, and microbial contamination was also observed.

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Sandeep Sengupta: Mongolia Is Developing but Rapidly Desertifying

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29) is ongoing in Baku, Azerbaijan. Delegates from Mongolia have initiated a discussion on "Ensuring the integration of climate change, biodiversity, and desertification issues to create a green and sustainable future for Mongolia." Here we present the opinions and comments of the participants. Dr. Sandeep Sengupta, the Head of Global Policy on Climate Change at IUCN, stated, “Issues of desertification are not exclusive to Mongolia; many countries with similar problems are taking various actions to address them. Our organization's research suggests that countries facing similar challenges as Mongolia can explore nature-based solutions to find a way forward. We are studying nature-based solutions and expanding our collaborative efforts. A nature-based solution is a comprehensive approach that addresses climate change, protects biodiversity, and restores land degradation, including mitigating desertification. Countries like Mongolia, which are developing but experiencing rapid desertification, should lead by integrating conventions. The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in Mongolia in 2026. This presents an opportunity to introduce new initiatives to address these three issues comprehensively at an international level.” Gonzalo Muñoz, the High-Level Representative for Climate Change at the UN, stated, “Organizing a Conference of the Parties involves three key factors. Firstly, holding negotiations within the scope of the issue and organizing policy discussions where countries can reach mutual agreements. Secondly, ensuring the logistical arrangements for the conference. Thirdly, evaluating the implementation of the outcomes from the initiatives and partnerships proposed at this year's COP29. It can be understood that Mongolia will focus on these three issues in particular. During this year's COP 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, many issues are planned for discussion. Mongolia will be responsible for continuing the discussion of these issues at an international level when organizing the 17th Conference. During the COP in Riyadh, in addition to discussing desertification, land degradation, and drought issues, the conference will address the interconnected issues with biodiversity at an international level.”

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Sandeep Sengupta: For developing countries like Mongolia, it is crucial to lead in synchronizing conventions as rapid desertification accelerates

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP 29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22. During this event, Gonzalo Muñoz, High Level Climate Champion for the UN, and Dr. Sandeep Sengupta, Senior Director of Global Climate Policy at IUCN, provided the following information. High Level Climate Champion Gonzalo Muñoz stated, "The world is facing challenging times with the most difficult conditions of the triple environmental crisis. To address these issues, countries worldwide and the international community consider it important to solve three issues comprehensively. In other words, countries are making great efforts to integrate not only climate change but also biodiversity and desertification issues. Practical action is essential and must be implemented to a high standard. Evidence-based approaches have begun to be implemented by countries to ensure efforts are not only spoken about but acted on. Strengthening cooperation is crucial. Many partnerships and initiatives have been established by the host countries of the COP conferences. From last year’s COP in Dubai, a partnership linking climate change and biodiversity was initiated. This year's desertification COP is now offering such partnerships involving climate change and desertification. It is important to maintain coherence and engage all stakeholders in these partnerships and initiatives. Cooperation is not limited to government entities and countries but also includes private sectors, research institutions, and other business representatives, as well as international and national financial institutions, playing a vital role in strengthening cooperation. By expanding and developing partnerships and cooperation, significant and tangible results can be achieved. It is important to use evidence-based information and scientific research outcomes in policies. The three conventions of Rio were adopted in 1993, and the 32nd anniversary of implementing the conventions will be celebrated in 2025. It is needed to review what has been done and transition to more practical and effective steps." The COP 17 conference will be organized in Mongolia in 2026. Continuing, Dr. Sandeep Sengupta stated, "It involves three elements to organize such a conference. Firstly, it is necessary to conduct negotiations and facilitate policy agreements. Secondly, logistical arrangements for the conference must be addressed. Thirdly, it involves evaluating the implementation resulting from the initiatives and partnerships coming out of COP 29. Mongolia is expected to focus especially on these three issues. It plans to discuss many topics during the 16th conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this year. Mongolia will have the role of continuing discussions and progress on these issues at the international level during the 17th conference it will organize. During the conference in Riyadh, while discussing desertification, land degradation, and drought problems, it is crucial to also address them in connection with the biodiversity-related aspects, given the triple crisis context. Developing countries, like Mongolia, which are rapidly desertifying, need to lead efforts in coordinating the conventions. Mongolia will host the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2026. At this time, it has the full opportunity to promote new initiatives addressing these three issues comprehensively on an international scale."

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Bayan-Ulgii: Green Development Investment Project to be Implemented

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Mongolia's Bayan-Ulgii, Khovd, and Uvs aimags will implement the "Aimags and Soum Centers' Regional Green Development Investment Program" (ASDIP) from 2024 to 2029. The project funding amounts to 270 million USD, with contributions including 20.7 million from the Government of Mongolia, 93 million from the Asian Development Bank, 75.2 million from the Green Climate Fund, 63.4 million from the European Investment Bank, and 17.7 million from the banking sector and private sector contributions. The management team of the "Aimags and Soum Centers' Regional Green Development Investment Program" worked in Bayan-Ulgii aimag last Friday. Within the framework of the project, infrastructure developments such as roads, pipelines, networks, reservoirs, flood protection facilities, agroparks, community centers, dormitories, and sports complexes will be carried out in the 5th and 13th bags of the aimag center and in Deluun soum center. Pasture user groups will be established, and equipment investments will be made in small projects, with plans to establish cooperatives operating at inter-soum, aimag, and regional levels. Necessary equipment will be provided to veterinary service systems, and laboratories, quarantine facilities, and irrigation systems required for forage cultivation will be set up. In addition, efforts will be made to diversify the livestock business value chain by providing certified herders, herders' cooperatives, and other business partners with long-term investment loans from commercial banks, which feature low interest rates, repayment flexibility, and exemption from principal repayment. Improvements will also be made in energy-efficient housing and infrastructure service management, and financing will be increased for agribusiness to strengthen pasture, rural, and agricultural management with low carbon emissions and climate resilience.

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D. Dalaijargal: $320 Million Will Be Dedicated to Environmental Cleanup from the Uranium Project Over 33 Years

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: isee.mn

During today's meeting of the Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy, the initial discussion of the draft law to amend and supplement the Nuclear Energy Law, submitted by the government along with other related bills, was held. In connection with the issue under discussion, Members of Parliament asked questions and received answers. For example, MP G. Damdinyam inquired, "The uranium project will be implemented over 34 years. After 34 years, how much money will remain in the reclamation fund? When concluding contracts and managing closures, will the money be retained in the form of products or cash? If it is retained as money, will it be kept in Mongolia or in a foreign account? When will the project recoup its investment? There should be periodic evaluations and reviews of the contract. The Oyu Tolgoi investment agreement is locked for review only once in 30 years, which restricts us from making changes. At least after recouping the investment, there should be an initial contract review. The uranium project involves deep water issues. Are we able to protect the groundwater? Is it necessary to take 10% from the contract? What about letting them bear the costs and increasing the royalty?" Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Ts. Tuvaan responded, "Reclamation will be carried out. This is a matter of prime concern. Financial guarantees are being discussed, and this money will be placed into a government account as outlined in the project." “Mon Atom” LLC's CEO D. Dalaijargal stated, "This project will recoup its expenses in 13 years, so the contract will be reviewed after 13 years. Over the entire 33-year period, $320 million will be directed to environmental reclamation. Each year, 3.7% of the total revenue is calculated, amounting to $320 million overall. There seems to be a misunderstanding regarding the water. Uranium is located 140-170 meters below ground in clay and wet sand. The structure consists of 10% water, 20% sand, and clay. Of that, 99% is water, and 1% is sulfuric acid, which is injected. The process extracts uranium from the water." MP G. Damdinyam commented, "We are depleting our pension fund. By international standards, the funds are stored in foreign banks or taken in the form of products. Closure management truly becomes a national security issue. If we are starting mining projects, we must clearly define how we will close them."

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U.Khurelsukh: Focusing on the protection of mountain ecosystem balance

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

During a high-level summit of world leaders on climate change taking place in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, Mongolia and the Republic of Kyrgyzstan jointly organized a high-level discussion on advancing mountain goals and programs within the framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and addressing issues related to mountains and climate. The high-level discussion was attended by Mongolian President U.Khurelsukh, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal President Ram Chandra Poudel, and Republic of Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. The discussion focused on protecting high mountain ecosystems, adapting measures to this region, defending the interests of mountainous countries in the process of discussions and decision-making on climate change, and exploring solutions and opportunities to address the challenges faced. In his speech, President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh expressed gratitude to those who accepted the invitation to this high-level discussion organized jointly by Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. He noted that Mongolia has consistently supported the importance given to mountain ecosystems by stakeholders in the "Mountain Partnership," which play a crucial role in the natural landscape, biodiversity, and favorable climatic conditions. The Himalayas, Alps, Andes, Rockies, Caucasus, Tien Shan, and Altai represent vast regions spanning many countries, serving as habitats for rare plants and animals and the source of thousands of rivers, thus creating conditions for humans to live comfortably. The mountain ecosystem, which covers one quarter of the world's land area, is experiencing extreme weather events, forest loss, land degradation, and natural disasters due to climate change and global warming, with glaciers and snow melting rapidly. This results in changes in habitats and ranges for mountain animals and plants, leading to migration, relocation, or risk of extinction for various species. Moreover, the frequency of natural disasters like floods and landslides is increasing, posing threats to local residents. Reduced water resources negatively impact agriculture, food security, and tourism, as highlighted by international research. More than 10% of the world's population depends on natural resources from mountains. This high-level discussion aims to urge the international community to protect mountain ecosystems and is organized in support of Kyrgyzstan's initiative. Mountainous countries played a key role in passing UN General Assembly resolutions on "Sustainable Mountain Development," approving a "5-year program for mountain regions," and declaring 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. These efforts contribute to meeting Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 15. The collective voice and unique needs of mountainous countries should receive the attention of the international community, and collaboration between landlocked developing countries and mountain partnership groups is crucial to expressing positions in UNFCCC discussions. For Mongolia, which has seen a 40% reduction in the area of glaciers and permanent snow of the Altai mountains over the past 80 years according to scientists, we focus on protecting the balance of mountain ecosystems. Mongolia supports proposals and initiatives to accelerate sustainable development in mountainous areas, combat climate change, and enhance resilience, and actively collaborates in these efforts. In December, the UN Third Conference on landlocked developing countries in Botswana will approve a 10-year action plan for 2024-2034. The draft includes objectives to mitigate, adapt to, and improve resilience to the adverse effects of climate change for landlocked mountain regions, increase related funding, and contribute to mountain region development and ecosystem protection. I am confident this discussion will result in practical proposals and solutions for protecting mountain ecosystems supporting millions of people and adapting to climate change. May the eternal blue sky be with humanity and may the world have peace. Thank you for your attention.

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The President of Mongolia Speaks at the Global Leaders' Summit on Climate Change

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The President of Mongolia delivered a speech at the high-level summit of world leaders on climate change. Follow @montsame.mn

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The Need to Increase Climate Financing

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: news.mn

The President of Mongolia, U. Khurelsukh, delivered a speech at the world leaders' summit on climate change issues. PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA, UKHNAA KHURELSUKH: "Honorable President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Distinguished Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, Honorable guests, representatives, ladies and gentlemen, I express heartfelt gratitude to the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan for successfully organizing the 29th conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and wish the summit and conference great success. At a time when global climate change, prompted by natural factors and adverse human activities, is proceeding rapidly and negatively affecting the sustainable development and life of mankind worldwide, it is imperative that we, through political leadership and collective efforts, intensify our actions. The UN continues to warn that nations are increasingly failing to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted the emergence of a 'leadership gap and a chasm due to unmet commitments and opportunities' which we must take special note of. Thus, today, humans must unite for a shared future, under a common goal not to dominate nature but to respect it. Every country is required to strengthen national consensus, unified policies, and mutual understanding that encompass state, private sectors, and civil society for achieving more tangible results. If humanity does not resolutely combat climate change, land degradation, and loss of biodiversity promptly, Earth will choose to exist without us. We must never forget that living in harmony with nature is the foundation of human existence. Particularly for developing and climate-vulnerable countries with high levels of debt, limited domestic funding, and financial resources, financial risks are a barrier to fully and successfully fulfilling commitments under the Paris Agreement. Therefore, at this 29th conference, world leaders and countries should endorse and establish a 'Unified New Goal of Climate Financing', considering the prime priorities and needs of developing countries and significantly increase climate financing. For Mongolia, fulfilling its commitments under the Paris Agreement successfully requires financing equivalent to over 50% of its GDP. In this regard, our nation is enacting comprehensive reforms in legal, business, and environmental areas to increase financing and investment in renewable energy, green agriculture, and the forest sector. For example, Mongolia, within the framework of the 'Billion Trees' national movement, is increasing international cooperation and investment, establishing a sustainable financial system for 'Eternal Mongolia' conservation efforts. The UN Women’s Organization’s study warns that if the global target to mitigate climate change is not achieved, around 160 million women and girls may fall into poverty by 2050, and 240 million might face food security risks. In response, Mongolia, in collaboration with the UN, successfully organized the 'Global Women's Summit' in August under the slogan 'For a Green Future', and launched the 'Ulaanbaatar Declaration for a Sustainable Future', appealing to the world's nations to enhance the participation and leadership of women in combating climate change. Moreover, at a time when climate change is adversely impacting countries reliant on traditional pastoralism, Mongolia is proposing an initiative to establish an 'International Alliance for Sustainable Pasture and Land for the Future'. Supporting this initiative will enhance investment and finance directed towards over 100 nations worldwide with traditional pastoralism, genuinely protecting and improving the health and livelihoods of around 500 million people. Additionally, this initiative will contribute significantly to implementing the UN General Assembly’s resolutions to proclaim 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives and 2026 the International Year of Pasture and Nomadic Livestock. This would also support preparations for convening the 17th conference of the party to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in 2026 in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia also fully supports the international community's efforts to reduce and sequester greenhouse gases, pledging to fulfill its obligations under the Paris Agreement by marshaling all available resources. May the everlasting blue sky eternally bless humanity, and may the world be peaceful. Thank you for your attention," he said.

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"Special Attention is Given to Protect the Balance of Mountain Ecosystems"

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

During the high-level summit on climate change held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, Mongolia and the Republic of Kyrgyzstan jointly organized a high-level discussion titled "Advancing Mountain Goals and Programs within the Framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Addressing Mountain and Climate Issues." The high-level discussion included representatives such as the President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Ram Chandra Paudel, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov. During the discussion, they talked about protecting high-altitude mountain ecosystems, implementing adaptation measures in this region, engaging in dialogue on climate change challenges, safeguarding the interests of countries in mountainous regions, and finding solutions and opportunities to address these challenges. The President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, stated: "President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Honorable Sadyr Japarov,
President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Honorable Ram Chandra Paudel,
Esteemed guests, representatives, ladies and gentlemen, Thank you for accepting our invitation and participating in this high-level discussion jointly organized by Mongolia and the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Mongolia has always welcomed and supported the efforts of the 'Mountain Partnership' stakeholders, who consider and focus on the issue of mountain ecosystems that play a vital role in natural beauty, biodiversity, and favorable climatic conditions. High mountains like the Himalayas, Alps, Andes, Rockies, Caucasus, Tien Shan, and Altai straddle the vast territories and spaces of many countries around the world, providing habitats for rare animals and plants, serving as the source of many thousands of rivers, and creating conditions for human comfort and well-being. The ecosystem of mountainous regions, which covers a quarter of the world’s land area, is being impacted by extreme weather events due to climate change and global warming, deforestation, land degradation, natural disasters, and the rapid reduction of glaciers and permafrost. As a result, the living and growing conditions of animals and plants in high mountains are changing, their habitats are shrinking, and species are facing the threat of migration, displacement, or extinction. Furthermore, the number of natural disasters such as floods, snowfalls, and landslides is increasing, posing dangers to local residents. Additionally, the shortage of water resources is adversely affecting agriculture, farming, and food security, and beautiful natural areas in high mountain regions are shrinking and negatively impacting the tourism sector, as shown by international research. More than 10% of the world’s population depends on mountain natural resources for their livelihood, and it is with the aim of calling on the international community to protect high mountain ecosystems that this high-level discussion was organized with the support of Kyrgyzstan’s initiative. Countries in mountainous regions played a key role in the adoption of the 'Sustainable Mountain Development,' '5-Year Program for Mountainous Region Development,' and 'Declaration of 2026 as the International Year of Pastoralists and Pastoralist Livelihoods' resolutions at the UN General Assembly and have contributed significantly to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 15. Additionally, it is important to highlight the vital cooperation between the group of landlocked developing countries and the mountain partnership to articulate their positions within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations and bring the voice and special needs of mountainous countries to the attention of the international community. In Mongolia, the areas of everlasting snow and glaciers, which constitute 10.5% of the total water resources, have been declining. Based on scientific assessments indicating that the area covered by perennial snow and glaciers in Mongolia’s Altai mountains has been reduced by approximately 40% in the last 80 years, we are paying special attention to protecting the balance of mountain ecosystems. Mongolia has supported and collaborated in all respects with the proposals and initiatives aimed at intensifying sustainable development in mountainous countries, combating climate change, and improving resilience, as put forward by UN member states. At the third UN conference on landlocked developing countries to be held in Botswana this December, the 10-year action program for 2024-2034 will be approved. The draft of this program includes many important objectives aimed at reducing the negative impact of climate change on landlocked countries belonging to mountainous regions, increasing resilience, improving adaptability, and increasing related funding, thereby making a substantial contribution to promoting the development of mountainous regions and protecting ecosystems. I am confident that today’s discussion will result in many real proposals and solutions to protect the ecosystems of high mountains, where hundreds of millions of people live, and to adapt to climate change. May the eternal blue sky forever protect humanity, and may peace prevail on earth. Thank you for your attention."

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Innovation

Investing in Cybersecurity is Crucial to Protect Citizen Data

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

"If cybersecurity investments are not made, citizen data will continue to be lost." The Ministry of Digital Development and Communications and the "Public Center for Combatting Cyber Threats and Violations" organized a discussion entitled "Cybersecurity of Healthcare Organizations," providing information on how to assess risks and ways to prevent attacks. Director of the Public Center for Combatting Cyber Threats and Violations, S. Javkhlan, urged private sector organizations to immediately call 113 if they encounter a cybersecurity risk. A professional will quickly provide advice and information following the call, and specialists can work thereafter. He mentioned that a legal framework is in place to operate, urging organizations to make significant investments in ensuring cybersecurity, employ manpower, innovate with technology, and habitually use paid programs. Last week, it became public knowledge that "Intermed" hospital's information system suffered a cyberattack, where the organization's data was hacked using malware called "ransomware." CEO of Intermed Hospital, Ya. Nyamtogtokh, stated that their organization promptly informed the relevant legal authority and the Public Center for Combatting Cyber Threats once the situation arose. They did not wish to hide anything. As cyberattacks are common, it's possible they may occur at other hospitals. Several swift measures have been taken. We've improved our protective system, renovated our network infrastructure, and isolated infectious disease servers, among other actions. The hospital is operating normally. However, we cannot access the blocked data, and the hacker is also unable to access the blocked data. The healthcare sector collects, stores, and provides highly sensitive health information services, making it a critical information infrastructure. Any compromise in cybersecurity at institutions with critical information infrastructure can disrupt normal operations and cause substantial damage to Mongolia's national security, society, and economy. Specialist in cybersecurity at the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, B. Undral, mentioned that if citizen data is lost, individuals must first be informed, saying, "Our organization has lost your data, so please protect yourself in this way." If this duty is not fulfilled, they will be held accountable under the Violations Law. A transnational group has emerged in over 150 countries using such malicious codes to hack information. In particular, ransomware attacks have been developing since 1989, gaining significant strength today, reaching a warning level from the World Health Organization. These attacks have targeted the health sector in our country, and "Intermed" hospital was affected. There is no guarantee that such malicious code activity will not reoccur as criminals plan and target their next victims. Last year, over 317 million ransomware attack attempts were made, with 4500-5000 being successful. The amount demanded each year has grown, averaging USD 1.85 million in 2023 and reaching USD 2.73 million. As of 2023, the sectors most affected by these attacks are health services and consumer services. The impact of hacker attacks is not only measured by financial loss but also by occurrences involving loss of life. Notably, in 2020, Düsseldorf University Hospital in Germany lost a patient due to system failures caused by an attack, as they could not provide timely assistance to the patient. To prevent such unfortunate situations, organizations must first conduct cybersecurity risk assessments and information security audits. During its autumn 2021 session, the Parliament enacted the Cybersecurity Law, providing a legal environment. Subsequently, the government's Resolution No. 493 in 2022 approved the "National Strategy for Cybersecurity." According to the Cybersecurity Index published in 2024 by the International Telecommunication Union, Mongolia ranked 103rd. While it scored well on legal criteria, its technical and technological updates and human resource capacity were notably lacking.

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Investment in Cybersecurity Needed to Protect Citizens' Information

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, in collaboration with the "Public Center for Combating Cyber Crime" NGO, organized a discussion on "Cybersecurity of Healthcare Institutions," providing information on how to assess risks and prevent attacks. Additionally, they urged serious investment in cybersecurity, setting up special budgets, updating technology, and using licensed software. During the discussion, it was emphasized that organizations must conduct cybersecurity risk assessments and informational security audits. This follows an incident where the "Intermed" hospital's information system was targeted by a cyber attack, resulting in the public disclosure of information. The attackers used a malicious code known as "ransomware" to encrypt the organization's data. The healthcare sector collects and stores personal information and provides essential services, making any disruption due to compromised cybersecurity a risk to national security and social and economic stability, according to the Ministry. Globally, over 150 countries have experienced cross-border cybercriminal activity involving such malware, with ransomware attacks gaining momentum since 1989, reaching a level that prompted warnings from WHO. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee against future occurrences of such attacks, as noted during the discussion. Last year alone, there were over 317 million ransomware attempts, with 4,500-5,000 being successful and ransom demands increasing annually, reaching an average of 2.73 million USD in 2023. Healthcare and consumer services sectors are the most affected industries, even resulting in fatal outcomes. Notably, in 2020, the University Hospital of Düsseldorf in Germany suffered a system outage, leading to the death of a patient who could not receive timely assistance due to a cyber attack. In the 2021 autumn session, the State Great Khural passed the Cybersecurity Law, establishing a legal framework, while the government approved the National Cyber Security Strategy in 2022. According to the International Telecommunication Union's Cybersecurity Index released in 2024, Mongolia ranks 103rd. Despite scoring high in legal regulations, it was noted that updates in technology and human resource capabilities are insufficient.

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The Hacking Group That Held Hostage Nine Servers of Intermed Hospital Has Been Holding Files of Hospitals in European Countries

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

At the regular meeting of the Government, a decision was made to protect Mongolia's cyber security and combat breaches. Regarding this decision, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mr. Ts. Baatarkhuu, provided information. He stated, “It is essential to create a system to ensure the cyber security of organizations with critical information infrastructure at a national level, rather than broadcasting the issue of one hospital for a few days and moving on. Mongolia ranks 103rd out of 193 countries according to the UN's cyber security index. The weakest points for our country are technical skills and international cooperation. Therefore, we have begun to work with Oxford University to assess the level of cyber security risks. The government meeting decided on directions to ensure that organizations with critical information infrastructure employ cyber security specialists. Also, when the national budget and organization budgets are approved, there will be a specific item for Cyber Security expenses, rather than a generic IT expense category. This will make it possible to ensure that cyber security technology is up-to-date and the technology being used has official licenses. Three official centers are operating in our country to combat cyber breaches and attacks. There is the National Cyber Security Center under the General Intelligence Agency, and another operating for defense under the Ministry of Defense. Meanwhile, the public center works to prevent this type of attack affecting citizens and private sectors,” he said. “The issue of the hacking group demanding $50,000 from Intermed Hospital is being investigated by the General Intelligence Agency,” he continued regarding the issue related to Intermed Hospital. “Today we are discussing the issue of Intermed Hospital. More than blaming the organization that was subjected to the cyber attack, it is most appropriate to urgently create a system to prevent such attacks from occurring again. If someone blames a person or organization that was subjected to a cyber attack, the next organization tends to hide the fact it was attacked. Therefore, the process of finding out where intrusions are coming from and how they occurred slows down. At Intermed Hospital, four specialists are working to fully open and restore the nine servers that were held hostage. The hacking group that held these nine servers hostage has been holding files of many other hospitals in European countries hostage. Currently, the files of the held servers of this hospital are beginning to be restored. It is too early to make a conclusion about how many people's information has been leaked. An official conclusion will be made next week. However, operations have returned to normal, and the servers have started working. The issue of the hacking group demanding $50,000 from Intermed Hospital is being investigated by the General Intelligence Agency. I am aware of the situation, but sharing information according to the law is not possible. We thought cyber attacks were far from our country. The time is here where we must face the reality of employing cyber security specialists rather than relying on 2-3 IT professionals using traditional methods," he stated. Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must always cite the source (ikon.mn) if they use our information in any form, completely or partially.

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Juha Jormakka: The Number of Mongolian Students Studying in Finland Is Increasing

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Republic of Finland is one of the Scandinavian countries located in the northern part of Europe, famous for leading in many world indices and offering a chance to see the famous Northern Lights. We know Finland for its political policies, social equality, and leading quality of air and water, among other advantages. This time, we'd like to introduce a key figure who has been instrumental since 2022 in facilitating the enrollment of Mongolian students in Finnish universities. - Can you introduce yourself to us? How did you first connect with Mongolia?
Hello. My name is Juha Jormakka, and I work as the Admission Manager responsible for international students at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk). Before working here, I worked at Seinäjoki University and LUT University, where I admitted my first Mongolian students. About 15,000 international students from over 90 countries come to our country each year to study in over 600 English-taught programs. I first connected with a Mongolian student in 2022 while working at LUT University, and my first student received an invitation to study mechanical engineering. Since then, over 20 Mongolian students and their family members have arrived. - Have you visited Mongolia?
We first visited Ulaanbaatar City in May 2024, held meetings with high schools and institutes to develop cooperation, and had the opportunity to introduce Finnish programs to Mongolian students interested in Finland. My first impression was very positive. Mongolian students have good English skills, high mathematical thinking, and an open demeanor, indicating that your education system is good and entry into Finnish universities would not be a problem. During the last two days of our trip, we visited the Chinggis Khaan Museum and had the chance to learn about Mongolian history and culture. We were impressed by your country's vast lands and rich history and culture, and the views of the plains, multi-layered mountains, and herds of freely grazing animals left a strong impression. Similarities between Finland and Mongolia were observed. Both countries have large neighbors, similar populations, cold climates, and similar mentalities. I plan to visit your beautiful country again with my family. - I'm glad you had a positive impression. How would you assess Mongolian students?
As I've mentioned, Mongolian students' strong mathematical thinking and communication skills left a strong impression on me. Monitoring the education process and interacting with students in Finnish universities is part of my job. Compared to other international students, Mongolian students show high academic activity and learning efforts. Our technology and information systems, and engineering programs, are well-suited for Mongolian students, as we provide high-quality education. Moreover, in the last year, we've had Mongolian students with 2 or 3 children coming to study with their families. Their efforts to study while managing family life have shown me that Mongolians are capable, hardworking individuals who can simultaneously pursue education and manage their lives. - Returning to the Finnish education system, what advantages would you highlight for studying at Finnish universities?
The Finnish education system has its distinct advantages compared to other countries. Universities only provide higher education because we are legally required to offer education at the national university level. In Finland, we don't have private universities. The 27 state universities are non-profit, basing tuition fees on actual costs spent on students rather than profit margins. Also, our teaching methodology and education system differ slightly, focusing on project-based learning and practical experience rather than just theory and lectures. Students work in teams to solve issues from different perspectives, resulting in a low-stress learning environment. In global university education rankings, we are ranked 8th for higher education, and 1st for primary and preschool education. Highly developed countries sell their education for high prices, making it a major sector for generating income, leading to tendencies for schools to make students pay again by failing them. For us, understanding the coursework is more important than retaking classes, providing advantages like allowing students to retake final exams up to three times. The Finnish government's policy aims to attract foreign students, offering them free Finnish language courses while studying, scholarships for good performance, and preparing them for the Finnish job market upon graduation. Some schools offer additional scholarships of 3000-4000 euros for each completed level of Finnish language, increasing opportunities for international students to pursue jobs in their fields. - What can you share about the cost of living for foreign students, in terms of housing and food? Can international students work while studying in your country?
We maintain standardized costs for housing and food for international students, regardless of the city or school. For example, students can have lunch and dinner at the university buffet for 2.95 euros, while staff pay 6-9 euros. As winters are cold, consuming good food is a government policy, allowing students to eat tea, snacks, salads, and main courses at the buffet, reducing home food preparation costs. In housing, we support a one-student-per-room system, emphasizing personal space and safety. The monthly rent for a single room starts at 290 euros, which is considerably cheaper than in many other countries. The student visa allows international students to work 30 hours per week. However, finding part-time work can be competitive, and it's advised to first focus on learning Finnish. If financial difficulties arise after moving to Finland with your family, we also offer unemployment benefits for international student families and children. One advantage for foreign students studying in Europe is the opportunity to study a semester or 6 months at one of the 20+ EU countries, with an Erasmus scholarship of up to 600 euros a month. As one of the 29 Schengen Area countries, our students have the right to travel to many countries during their holidays. - Could you tell us about the living environment and climate? How cold does it get in winter, for example?
Similar to Mongolia, Finland has four distinct seasons. We have over 250,000 small and large lakes, and most of the land is forested, which international students appreciate for the clean air. Our cities are spread across the northern parts of the Baltic Sea, so it doesn't get too cold. The aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights, can be seen in the northern parts of our country, and their winters are similar to Mongolia's harsh and cold conditions. Finns are somewhat introverted and shy, initially taking time to get to know others, but once friendship is established, they maintain lifelong friendships, which I believe is also a trait found in Mongolians. In terms of food, unlike Mongolians, it's rare to find good quality and affordable meat in Finland. One of my favorite things was the quality, flavor, and affordability of Mongolian meat. Finnish people tend to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, and among young people, there's a growing trend of becoming vegetarian, whereas Mongolians have a meat-centric diet. - For young people interested in pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in Finland, what fields of study would you recommend?
In Finland, all programs except for Medicine and Psychology can be fully studied in English. We offer over 600 programs across 27 state universities. Most of these are focused on engineering and business. Currently, Finland is in need of professionals in engineering, IT, nursing, and hospitality. Additionally, our programs in nuclear, electric, and cold-region engineering, construction, and technology manufacturing offer excellent education. The field of Information Systems, including web development and application development, provides strong educational opportunities. One program offered at my current university is Game Design since Finland hosts many well-known companies in the mobile and computer game development field. Famous games like Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Angry Birds were developed by graduates of our universities. There is a high demand for healthcare jobs, but they require proficiency in the Finnish language. International students are expected to complete one level of Finnish per semester and graduate with a C1 level proficiency after three years, enabling immediate entry to the workforce. - Thank you for providing us with this helpful information. How should Mongolian students prepare for admissions into Finnish universities?
We have a unique way of handling university admissions. Each university has specific days for opening admissions, so applying requires careful planning. We recommend working with our only representative organization in Mongolia to get detailed information about when and what materials to prepare for admissions. We have been collaborating with ICMA Education Agency in Mongolia for two years. Students should submit their applications through our official representatives in Mongolia. The earliest university admissions open in November, while the peak period is January, with some admissions closing in February and March. Besides focusing on IELTS scores and high school grades, SAT scores are required by some universities for specific fields. For undergraduate admissions, an IELTS score of 6.0 is required, while master's programs require a 6.5 score. Universities offer scholarships ranging from 30% to 70%, and to secure a scholarship, students should maintain good academic results and write strong letters requesting scholarships. After receiving a letter of acceptance, we advise quickly paying the stated fees and proceeding with the visa process. For Mongolian students, visa interviews are conducted at the Finnish Embassy in Beijing. We are pleased to inform you that, so far, no Mongolian students have faced visa rejections. - Thank you again for sharing insightful information about studying in Finland. Is there anything else you'd like to say to our readers?
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about Finland's education system. For students planning to study in Finland, it's important to thoroughly research and prepare. Our tuition offerings are much cheaper than the US or Australia, and we have substantial support and scholarships for international students. However, foreign students often face initial difficulties finding part-time work and settling down. I hope many students from Mongolia will come to study, gain the benefits of our education and social advancements, and return as skilled professionals to help develop their home country. Thank you. Official representative for Finnish universities in Mongolia: ICMA Education Agency.
Contact: 75094499, 99101466, 99107914
Address: Sukhbaatar District, 1st Khoroo, in front of Blue Sky Hotel, Meru Office, Room 903. Warning
Media outlets (TV, Radio, Social and Websites) must credit the source (ikon.mn) when using our information either fully or partially.

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Investing in Cyber Security to Protect Citizens' Information

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: news.mn

Last week, news emerged that the information system of "Intermed" hospital was subjected to a cyber attack. It was hacked using a ransomware called "Ransomware," a type of malicious code, which encrypted the organization's data. The healthcare sector is an essential information infrastructure that collects, stores, and provides critical health services with sensitive personal information. An "organization with a key information infrastructure" is one whose normal operations are disrupted by a cyber security breach, potentially harming national security, society, and the economy of Mongolia. Globally, a transnational group that hacks information using this type of malicious code has emerged in over 150 countries. Especially, "Ransomware" attacks have been developing since 1989, and today they have reached a level where the WHO is issuing warnings. This type of attack targeted our country's healthcare sector, and "Intermed" hospital has been affected. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that similar malicious activities to obtain information will not occur again, as these types of criminals always have their next target planned and aimed. Last year, over 317 million "Ransomware" attack attempts were made, with 4,500-5,000 being successful. Consequently, the amount of money demanded has been increasing annually, from an average of 1.85 million in 2023 to 2.73 million dollars. As of 2023, the sectors most affected by these attacks are healthcare and consumer services. Hackers' attacks are measured not only in monetary terms but also in human life impact. Specifically, in 2020, the University Hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany, suffered an attack that shut down its systems, resulting in the death of a patient. This was because urgent help could not be administered due to the attack. To avoid such regrettable situations, organizations are required to conduct a cyber security risk assessment and an information security audit first. The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Communication, in cooperation with the "Center for Countering Cyber-Attacks and Violations," National Data Center, recently organized a discussion on "Cyber Security of Healthcare Organizations," providing information on how to assess risk and preventive measures against attacks. Additionally, they urged significant investment in ensuring cyber security, creating a special budget, updating technological equipment, and adapting to using paid programs. In the fall session of 2021, the State Great Khural enacted the Cyber Security Law, providing its legal framework. Subsequently, the Government's Resolution No. 493 of 2022 approved the "National Cyber Security Strategy." According to the Cyber Security Index issued by the International Telecommunication Union in 2024, Mongolia ranked 103rd. It scored high on legal aspects, but weaknesses in technological updating and human resource capacity remain evident.

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Health

Exchange of Ideas for Improving Tobacco Control System with Australia

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Health Minister T. Munkhsaikhan received Katie Smith, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Australia to Mongolia, to discuss issues on bilateral relations, particularly cooperation in the health sector, between the two countries. Minister T. Munkhsaikhan emphasized his focus on decentralization, increasing accessibility of health services, and introducing treatments for diseases not yet treated in Mongolia. He expressed interest in training doctors and specialists in Australia's health sector. He also expressed a desire to study experiences in the tobacco control system and HPV vaccination. Ambassador Katie Smith noted the expansion of cooperation in the health sector between the two countries and stated that Australia has effectively implemented campaigns to improve tobacco control. She mentioned that improving control systems requires multiple simultaneous measures, such as significantly increasing taxes and organizing public health measures. Additionally, Australian scientists have played a crucial role in developing the HPV vaccine. There is a particular focus on immunization against HPV infection, aiming to halt the spread of the virus by 2035. Ambassador Smith stated that there is full potential for cooperation with Mongolia in this area. Source: Ministry of Health

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An Anthrax Case Reported in Zuungovi, Uvs Province

Published: 2024-11-13 | Translated from: isee.mn

A case of human anthrax infection has been registered in Zuungovi soum, Uvs province, and the patient is currently receiving treatment at the provincial general hospital. Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by bacteria, leading to specific ulcers or septicemia, characterized by bloody inflammation of the skin, lymph nodes, and internal organs. This registered case was confirmed to have been contracted during the slaughter of a cow infected with anthrax, according to molecular biological (PCR) testing conducted at the Uvs Province ZDEDC. Additionally, in the outbreak area where the infection was registered, a response team led by the ZDEDC, comprising the veterinary service, emergency service, and the soum emergency committee, is organizing inter-sectoral response measures to address the situation. Source: ZDEDC (Zuungovi Disease Emergency and Control Center)

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Today's Stories

Politics

Economy

Diplomacy

Infrastructure

Society

Environment

Innovation

Health

Politics

Former Member of the Board of "Oyu Tolgoi" J. Tana Appointed as the Head of the National Committee's Office for Coordinating "Vision-2050" Intersectoral Relations

N. Uchral: Legal Reform of State-Owned Companies Will Be Implemented

The Need to Reduce State-Owned Companies and Make Them Public

Decisions from the Government Meeting

The Draft Law on State and Local Government-Owned Companies Will Be Finalized

Budget Control 'Leak'

N.Uchral: We will reform the legal framework for state-owned companies

According to "Vision 2050", a Trusted Parliament Will be Established by 2041-2050 That Ensures the People's Right to Govern

Economy

Attracting Foreign Investment in Key Economic Sectors

Factory with Capacity to Enrich 10 Million Tons of Coal Annually to Be Commissioned Next Year

Global Pension, Social Protection, and Wealth Fund Summit Begins

"Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC to launch coal processing plant by March

To Align Investment Guarantees with International Best Practices and Establish a Dispute Resolution System

A plant with the capacity to enrich 10 million tons of coal annually will be operational by March next year

Gobi Brand Collaborates with 'FC Barcelona' Club

Gobi Brand to Collaborate with FC Barcelona

MAK Company Spends 60 Billion Tugriks on Oil Exploration and Extraction Activities

Central Bank: The Exchange Rate Increase is Temporary

Mongolia Continues to Import 40% of Its Dairy Products Despite Having 64 Million Livestock

We spent $1.2 billion traveling abroad, while foreign tourists brought in $489 million in revenue

Register as a Supplier with Unitel Group and Enhance Your Opportunities

Exchanging Opinions on Improving the Benefits of the Agreement

Diplomacy

State Inspection Conducted on 6 Ships Flying the Mongolian National Flag

Inspection Conducted on Ship Flying the Mongolian State Flag

Infrastructure

Collaborating with Korea on an Electronic Road Management Project

Society

600 Foreign Workers at Oyu Tolgoi

Environment

B. Battsats Regzeb: Mongolia to Host Desertification COP17 in 2026

Gonzalo Munoz: Countries are making efforts to address climate change, biodiversity, and desertification comprehensively

Heat-Resistant Bacteria and Rods Discovered in the Water of the Tuul River

Sandeep Sengupta: Mongolia Is Developing but Rapidly Desertifying

Sandeep Sengupta: For developing countries like Mongolia, it is crucial to lead in synchronizing conventions as rapid desertification accelerates

Bayan-Ulgii: Green Development Investment Project to be Implemented

D. Dalaijargal: $320 Million Will Be Dedicated to Environmental Cleanup from the Uranium Project Over 33 Years

U.Khurelsukh: Focusing on the protection of mountain ecosystem balance

The President of Mongolia Speaks at the Global Leaders' Summit on Climate Change

The Need to Increase Climate Financing

"Special Attention is Given to Protect the Balance of Mountain Ecosystems"

Innovation

Investing in Cybersecurity is Crucial to Protect Citizen Data

Investment in Cybersecurity Needed to Protect Citizens' Information

The Hacking Group That Held Hostage Nine Servers of Intermed Hospital Has Been Holding Files of Hospitals in European Countries

Juha Jormakka: The Number of Mongolian Students Studying in Finland Is Increasing

Investing in Cyber Security to Protect Citizens' Information

Health

Exchange of Ideas for Improving Tobacco Control System with Australia

An Anthrax Case Reported in Zuungovi, Uvs Province

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