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.

Today's Stories

Politics

• VIDEO: Despite government support, UN Human Rights Training Center excluded from next year's budget
• Discussing the Progress of Legislative Bills Aimed at Strengthening Corruption-Free Governance and Justice
• P.Delgerranar: All Equipment, Personnel, and Organization for Local Election Voting Are Ready
• Tomorrow, 2 Million Citizens Will Vote, 50% in Ulaanbaatar and 50% in Rural Areas
• Election Committee: All Voting Arrangements Ready for Local Elections
• P. Delgernaran: Preparation for Local Government Elections is Fully Completed

Economy

• Mongolians Should Benefit from Natural Resources!
• Inflation growth rate decreased by 3.4 percentage points in September compared to 2023
• "Domogt Khan Altai" LLC Successfully Participated in the International Mining Exhibition
• Millennium Challenge Account Mongolia: Announcement for Selection of Independent Consultant
• AUDIT: Budget Revenue at Risk
• Livestock Indexed Insurance Compensation Begins
• Order Your Credit Card via Khan Bank Application
• Livestock Indexed Insurance Payments Start Being Distributed
• What Risks Do Employees Face if Employers Don't Pay Social Insurance Contributions on Time?
• Prices for New Apartments Rise by 9.6%
• Tax Inspectors Allegedly Facilitated Tax Evasion

Diplomacy

• Conclusion to Be Made Regarding Why Putin Was Not Arrested in Mongolia
• Deputy Prime Minister S. Amarsaikhan to Attend Ministerial Conference on Disaster Issues in Asia Pacific
• The Prosecutor General of Mongolia Meets with the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Turkey
• 19 Emergency Officers to Serve in South Sudan

Infrastructure

• S. Odontuya Discusses Eg River Hydropower Project in Moscow
• Announcement of International Open Tender for Consultancy Services for the New Ring Road Project in the Capital City
• B. Byambasaihan: We will finish the flood embankments before it gets cold
• "New Ring Road" Project Consultancy Services International Open Tender Announced
• 129 remote areas without mobile network
• B. Tushig-Erdene: The Friendship Camp Road Will Be Opened by November 20

Society

• Legalizing violence committed using technology, such as monitoring every action with home cameras and tracking through applications, is necessary.
• The 'Year of Visiting Mongolia' to Continue Until 2028
• Hearing on Torture to be Held
• A hearing on the protection of human rights and freedoms will be held
• From today, alcohol sales prohibited for three days
• "Victims Being Monitored via Apps and Arriving at Shelters"

Environment

• The Need to Reduce Dependence on Coal Emphasized

Health

• Temporary Appointment of M. Narmandakh as Acting Director of the Health Insurance General Office
• Stress, Depression, and Workplace Environment Lead to Suicides, Says Ministry of Health
• STUDY: One in Three Children Aged 6 to 14 in Mongolia Suffer from Mental Health Problems
• L. Battör: One in Three Children Aged Six and 14 Have Mental Health Challenges
• National First Central Hospital to Collaborate with Turkish Hospital in Joint Surgery

Politics

VIDEO: Despite government support, UN Human Rights Training Center excluded from next year's budget

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

The United Nations (UN) Asia and Pacific Regional Human Rights Training and Advocacy Center was planned to be established in Sukhbaatar District's 11th subdistrict in Mongolia, for which 2645 square meters of land was allocated to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). However, since the issue was discussed last November, no progress has been made, and the foundation for the building has not been laid yet. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights launched the "Human Rights 75" initiative, calling on member countries and governments to "respect and protect human rights and make commitments to advance human rights." Within this framework, our National Human Rights Commission proposed establishing the UN regional center for human rights training and research, a proposal supported by the government. Subsequently, at the UN Human Rights Summit held last December, Foreign Minister B. Battsetseg attended and conveyed the government's commitment to building the UN Human Rights Training Center in Mongolia. Based on the mutual agreement, the UN Asia and Pacific Regional Human Rights Training and Advocacy Center was to be built in Mongolia, and the 2645 m2 land in the 11th subdistrict of Sukhbaatar District was transferred to NHRC. The NHRC prepared the building's design and created a budget estimate of 15 billion MNT, submitting it to the government. However, despite the government's support and commitment to establishing the UN center, it was reported that the government declined to include the 15 billion MNT budget necessary for the building in the upcoming 2025 budget. This raises the question of "why was it rejected?" The foundation for the building remains unlaid, and it is uncertain when construction will commence. If the budget for this building is not approved during the fall session of the parliament, Mongolia's commitment stated at the UN platform might appear unfulfilled at the international level. Interestingly, UN Special Rapporteur Margaret L. Satterthwaite, who recently visited Mongolia, stated that there are high expectations for establishing the UN Asia and Pacific Regional Human Rights Training and Advocacy Center in Mongolia. Additionally, establishing the UN Human Rights Training and Research Regional Center in Mongolia would bring various benefits, such as receiving UN support and expanding and strengthening international cooperation.

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Discussing the Progress of Legislative Bills Aimed at Strengthening Corruption-Free Governance and Justice

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Minister O. Altangerel of the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs presented the progress of legislative bills aimed at strengthening a corruption-free government and justice, while upholding human rights, during a meeting. The ministry has prepared several draft laws related to anti-corruption efforts, including: - Revised provisions of the Law on the Procedure of Organizing Demonstrations and Assemblies - Revised provisions of the Law on Freedom of the Press - Draft amendments to certain laws related to the protection of human rights and freedoms - Draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law These draft laws are planned to be submitted to the Parliament's autumn session. The Government has discussed these drafts and instructed N. Uchral, the Minister and Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat of Mongolia, to coordinate the Government's activities with the operations of the Working Group established by the Speaker of the Parliament to develop relevant legislative drafts. In this regard, Minister O. Altangerel presented the progress of legislative bills aimed at a corruption-free government and justice, while upholding human rights, during a meeting. The ministry has prepared several draft laws related to anti-corruption efforts, including: - Revised provisions of the Law on the Procedure of Organizing Demonstrations and Assemblies - Revised provisions of the Law on Freedom of the Press - Draft amendments to certain laws related to the protection of human rights and freedoms - Draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law These draft laws are planned to be submitted to the Parliament's autumn session. The Government has discussed these drafts and instructed N. Uchral, the Minister and Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat of Mongolia, to coordinate the Government's activities with the operations of the Working Group established by the Speaker of the Parliament to develop relevant legislative drafts.

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P.Delgerranar: All Equipment, Personnel, and Organization for Local Election Voting Are Ready

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The voting for the 2024 regular elections of the citizens' councils of aimag, capital, soum, and district will take place tomorrow, on October 11. In connection with this, the General Election Commission (GEC) provided information about the organization of election activities. P.Delgerranar, the head of the GEC, stated, "The work of voting via sealed portable boxes began today at 09:00. The voting for this regular election will be conducted on October 11 from 07:00 to 20:00. Nationwide, 20,600 public officials are working in 2,230 polling stations. In the local regular elections, 17,278 candidates from 10 parties and one coalition are competing for 8,031 mandates. Of the candidates, 32.3% are women. Additionally, 104,500 managers and senior aides from parties, coalitions, and independent candidates conducted campaign activities. According to the General Registry Office, 2,246,164 people are registered on the voter list as eligible to vote. Vote counting devices are being deployed in pairs at polling stations with more than 1,500 voters. For polling stations with fewer people, one vote counting device is placed. Nationwide, a total of 2,824 vote counting devices have been allotted to these polling stations. The operation to test the vote counting devices was successfully carried out on the 7th of this month. All equipment, personnel, organization, and locations for the local election voting are ready. There are 381 polling stations without internet connection, so satellite communication devices, specifically Starlink, will be used to transmit the results. The GEC's electronic guide, distributed to every household, provides all information about the voting and election process. If this electronic guide has not been received, it can be obtained from the polling stations or the respective bagh or khoroo. Note: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social Media, and Websites) must mention the original source (ikon.mn) when using our information fully or partially in any form.

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Tomorrow, 2 Million Citizens Will Vote, 50% in Ulaanbaatar and 50% in Rural Areas

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The General Election Commission and other relevant organizations, such as the Civil Registry and Information Center and the National Police Agency, provided information today about the organization of the 2024 Provincial, City, Soum, and District Citizens' Representatives Council regular elections. The head of the General Election Commission, P. Delgernaran, said, "There are 2230 polling committees nationwide. Two voting machines have been placed in polling districts with a population of over 1500. We are ready to organize the 2024 Citizens' Representatives Council elections. We have connected the Starlink network to polling committees without network access. We urge all citizens to participate actively in the elections." "38,000 citizens have requested to vote via mobile ballot boxes. The activity of voting via mobile ballot boxes has started in 7500 locations. In this election, 2 million 246 thousand people are eligible to vote. Fifty percent of these citizens will vote in the city, while the other 50% will vote in rural areas," he said. The head of the Civil Registry and Information Center, D. Delgersaikhan, stated, "We have established a working group and created a plan for the elections. We are organizing our activities based on this plan. Under the supervision of the intelligence agency, election equipment has been placed in the polling committees." "The election equipment has been updated so the attendance results are reported directly. We have met with representatives of political parties 4-5 times. There have been no complaints or information related to the voter list at the Civil Registry. Citizens can check their address information at burtgel.gov.mn," he said.

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Election Committee: All Voting Arrangements Ready for Local Elections

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The General Election Committee provided information to journalists today about the preparations for the upcoming 2024 elections of the Citizens' Representatives Khural of the provinces, capital, soums, and districts. The press conference was attended by the chairman of the General Election Committee P. Delgernaran, secretary D. Davaa-Ochir, office head D. Bat-Erdene, head of the State Registration and Immigration Agency D. Delgersaikhan, head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the General Police Agency Colonel P. Ochbadrah, and other relevant officials. Chairman of the General Election Committee P. Delgernaran provided the following information: "The organizational and preparatory work for the 2024 elections of the Citizens' Representatives Khural of the provinces, capital, soums, and districts have been completed in accordance with the schedule. The voting process is ready to begin. In total, 25,621 civil servants including 20,601 members of the province, capital, soum, and district election committees, 2,683 IT managers, 2,337 civil registration officers, and employees from the police and emergency services are fulfilling their legal duties to ensure your right to vote and be elected. In the 2024 elections of the Citizens' Representatives Khural of the provinces, capital, soums, and districts, 17,278 candidates from 10 parties, 1 coalition, and 268 independents have completed their campaigns within the legal timeframe, competing for 2,395 seats and 8,031 mandates. Among the candidates, 5,582 (32.3%) are women, and 11,696 (67.7%) are men, with the majority aged between 31-50. The campaign period started on September 26, 2024, and concluded at midnight on October 9. Nationwide, 104,505 managers, canvassers, and aides participated in the campaign activities. A total of 2,246,164 citizens registered on the voter list will vote. Of these, 1,146,158 are in the provinces, and 1,102,278 are in the capital. A total of 18,033 voters nationwide applied to vote using sealed mobile ballot boxes, and their votes are being collected by members of the polling station committees according to the approved schedule on October 10 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The voting and counting process is being monitored by over 17,800 observers nationwide. A total of 2,230 polling stations have been equipped with 2,824 vote counting devices to collect voter ballots. Polling station committees with more than 1,500 voters each have been given two vote counting machines. In remote areas, 381 internet devices (Starlink) have been installed to directly transmit voter turnout. All vote counting devices and ballots to be used throughout Mongolia were inspected, tested, and certified with the participation of political parties, coalitions, non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and the public on October 7 and 9. The General Election Committee is providing professional and methodological guidance to election committees at all levels for organizing the elections of the Citizens' Representatives Khural of the provinces, capital, soums, and districts effectively. Ten recommendations and guidelines have been delivered, including advice on maintaining transparency in the organization and conduct of elections for participants, observers, the public, and the media. Additionally, according to the law, a control count will be conducted in up to 50% of polling stations during this election. The election of the Citizens' Representatives Khural of the provinces, capital, soums, and districts is the primary method for Mongolian citizens to form local self-governing bodies with their representatives. Election Day for the creation of the self-governing body of your local area is on October 11, 2024, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. It has been declared a public holiday to facilitate voter participation. We urge you to act responsibly and understand that voters working on election day should be granted leave by their employers to enable them to vote. Exercise your constitutional right to vote and participate actively in the elections," he stated. Head of the State Registration and Immigration Agency D. Delgersaikhan stated, "The electronic version of the voter registration list has been available on the agency's website since July 13, 2024, for citizens to review. The list was also distributed to polling stations starting from September 13. The voter turnout registration system, with supporting hardware and software, has been handed over to the provincial registration departments and districts under the supervision of intelligence agencies. As of September 27, 2024, the total number of voters registered is 2,246,164, with 2,101,897 as primary voters. Of these, 1,002,278 are in the capital, and 1,099,619 are in the provinces. The State Registration Agency cross-referenced and verified the voter database stored under political party seals with the central database before the election day registered voters. No discrepancies or duplicate records were found in the central database, confirming that one voter is registered in only one polling station," he said. Head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the General Police Agency, Colonel P. Ochbadrakh stated that as of 8:30 AM on October 10, 725 complaints and reports with criminal or infraction nature have been registered. Of these, 385 are from the capital and 340 from the provinces. Out of 218 complaints with criminal characteristics, 4 were transferred based on jurisdiction, 2 cases were opened, 55 were rejected from being opened, and 156 are pending investigation. Classifying the 218 complaints, 57 are related to hindering a citizen's right to vote or obstructing the work of election committees (Criminal Code 14.5), and 111 are about spreading clearly false information during the election (Criminal Code 14.8). Of the 507 complaints with infraction characteristics, 15 cases have been opened, 8 transferred based on jurisdiction, 9 resolved through simplified procedures, 271 rejected, and 204 are pending investigation.

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P. Delgernaran: Preparation for Local Government Elections is Fully Completed

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

In connection with the official start of the 2024 regular election for local councils in aimags, the capital city, soums, and districts tomorrow, the General Election Commission, the State Registration Department, and the General Police Department held a joint briefing. President of the GEC, P. Delgernaran, stated that "Local council election voting will begin tomorrow at 7 a.m. and end at 8 p.m. As of today, all preparations for the election are fully completed." He added, "This election will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nationwide, more than 20,000 government employees will work in 2,230 polling station committees. A total of 2,683 employees in 169 information technology teams are preparing on this front. In addition, 2,337 authorized workers of the National Registration are involved. Moreover, to ensure election security, 10,600 officers from the police, emergency services, and other agencies, as well as 500 technical resources, are ready. In the local council election, 10 parties, one coalition fielding 17,278 candidates, and 268 independent candidates will compete for 8,031 seats. Of these, 5,582 or 32.3% are women. The law on local council elections sets the gender threshold at 20%, but this time parties and coalitions have fielded a significant number of women candidates. Across the country, 104,500 managers, deputy assistants, and promoters worked on election campaigns. 17,800 observers from parties, coalitions, NGOs, and ordinary citizens have obtained their observer credentials to monitor the election process tomorrow. As of today, voting with sealed mobile boxes is underway. According to the lists released by the General Election Commission and the State Registration Department, a total of 2,246,164 citizens are registered to vote. Of these, 1.1 million are in Ulaanbaatar, while the remainder are rural residents. Two vote counting machines have been placed in polling station committees with more than 1,500 residents, and one for those with less. In total, 2,824 voting machines will be used during the elections. Inspection and testing procedures have been carried out on time, and the devices have been placed at the polling stations. There are 381 polling station committees without internet access, and they have been connected to the "Starlink" network. In addition, an "Electronic Voter's Guide" handbook has been delivered to each household. It is possible to obtain detailed information by scanning the barcode in this guide. To all citizens, I appeal to actively participate in the elections," he said. Director of the SRD, D. Delgersaikhan stated, "The SRD has established a task force to plan and organize election-related work as per the plan. Citizen relocations were temporarily suspended from August 12 this year and will resume from October 12. From September 29 to October 6, relevant training was organized. Voter lists have been printed twice and sent to polling station committees. No complaints have been received by the SRD regarding voter lists. Through the General Election Commission, one citizen verified their address information. Citizens can check their information by visiting the burtgel.gov.mn website. As of now, 26,000 citizens have checked their information," he said. Colonel N. Ochgerel, head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the General Police Department, stated that the readiness of the staff assigned to work during the elections is ensured and complaints received from parties and coalitions are being registered and investigated.

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Economy

Mongolians Should Benefit from Natural Resources!

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: news.mn

With vast natural resources and a large territory despite a sparse population, Mongolia is well known not only in Asia but also internationally. Then why have Mongolians not been able to equally share from these natural resources in recent years? This is due to the legal framework being absent, limiting the distribution of natural resources to the hands of a few powerful individuals. However, now Mongolians are truly able to receive a genuine share from strategic mineral deposits and have authority over their management. Specifically, the implementation of the Wealth Fund Law has made it possible for citizens to receive tangible benefits from the accumulated wealth in the fund. In other words, the opportunity for Mongolians to truly benefit from strategic mineral deposits, or natural resources, was created five months ago. However, citizens are not fully aware, nor knowledgeable about the strategic deposits and the share they are entitled to, which is why the topic is not receiving much attention. The country's natural resources are essentially the wealth of its citizens. In short, national wealth consists of strategic deposits. A strategic deposit is one that produces, or has the potential to produce, more than five percent of Mongolia's gross domestic product annually. Therefore, it is only fair for every citizen to receive a share from the key units forming the national wealth fund. If citizens receive an equal share from the natural resources, they will have the right to spend on healthcare, education, and even housing services. In other words, by owning the wealth through the wealth fund, people can fully build a Mongolia where they own the resources. The Mongolian government has decided to determine the state or public share of nine privately-owned strategic mineral deposits, in line with the amendments made to the Constitution of Mongolia, the National Wealth Fund Law, and the Mining Law, and to conduct necessary negotiations. By having public ownership in these nine deposits, citizens can improve access to housing, healthcare, and education without any upfront payments, significantly addressing fundamental social development issues and giving citizens the opportunity to oversee their natural resources. The Mining Law provides that the state's ownership share in strategic mineral deposits should be established. According to the law: 5.4. The state can own up to 50% of the shares of a strategic deposit, or its satellite deposit, where the reserves were determined by the state budget, without any payment. The state ownership share can be determined based on the investment made by the state. 5.5. For strategic deposits, or their satellite deposits, where reserves were determined without the involvement of the state budget, the state can own a number of shares equivalent to up to 34% of the owner's investment in that deposit without any payment. The state ownership shares can be determined considering the state investment. Therefore, it is important for everyone to increase their knowledge and understanding of the National Wealth Fund, which provides an opportunity to be an owner of the nation's wealth and to exercise oversight while receiving a share.

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Inflation growth rate decreased by 3.4 percentage points in September compared to 2023

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

In Ulaanbaatar, prices for meat and meat products rose by 12.1% in September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. This includes an 11.6% rise in beef prices, a 10.2% rise in horse meat prices, and a 13.7% increase in the price of sheep and goat meat. Additionally, prices in the bread, flour, and rice category rose by 5.4%, with flour prices up by 5.7%, bread and pastry prices up by 6.0%, and noodle prices increased by 14.4%. The inflation rate, or consumer price index for goods and services, in Ulaanbaatar was 10.2% in September 2023. However, in September 2024, it fell to 6.5%, indicating a decrease of 3.7 percentage points in the growth rate. Of the 404 types of goods and services in the consumer basket, 221 are imported goods. The average price of 1 kg of pure beef sold in Ulaanbaatar in September 2024 was 20,602 MNT, which marks a 29.9% increase from September 2022 and a 9.6% increase from September 2023. Consumer goods and services prices have risen nationwide in September 2024. Compared to the same period in 2023, prices increased by 6.7%, and since the end of 2023, they have increased by 5.3%. In September 2024, prices in various regions showed significant increases, with goods prices up by 7.5% in the Khangai region, services prices up by 13.1% in the Western region, food prices up by 9.1% in the Central region, and non-food products up by 7.5% in the Western region. The national inflation rate, or price of consumer goods and services, was 10.1% in September 2023. However, in September 2024, it fell to 6.7%, showing a decrease of 3.4 percentage points over the year. The inflation was affected by a 2.3 percentage point (34.1%) impact from the price of imported goods excluding gasoline and fuel, and a 3.3 percentage point (49.1%) impact from domestic goods excluding meat and solid fuels. Consumer goods and services prices increased by 6.7% in September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Food, beverages, and water categories increased by 7.7% overall (with the non-alcoholic beverages sub-category up by 8.0%), clothing and footwear by 8.2%, household furniture and items by 7.6%, hotel, restaurant, and accommodation services by 8.9%, and education services rose by 18.6%. The inflation rate in September 2024 was 6.7%, with 2.2 percentage points (32.2%) of that being attributed to the price increase of imported goods. The average price for 1st-grade flour in September 2024 was 2,363 MNT, up by 50.1% from September 2022 and down by 1.8% from September 2023. The average price of one liter of AI-92 gasoline in September 2024 was 2,390 MNT, unchanged since September 2022. Consumer goods and services prices rose by 2.9% in Uvs province in September, which was the smallest increase, while in Khovd province, the rise was 14.9%, the highest level observed. The consumer basket, as explained by the National Statistics Office, represents the list of goods and services consumed by households, used to calculate the average household consumption for price index determination.

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"Domogt Khan Altai" LLC Successfully Participated in the International Mining Exhibition

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

This year, "Domogt Khan Altai" LLC, a national company, successfully participated in the International Mining Exhibition held in Mongolia for the first time. The exhibition took place in the foothills of Taij Khairkhan, Nalaikh District, Ulaanbaatar. "Domogt Khan Altai" LLC is a fully nationally-funded company that has been operating since 2016 in the mining sector, specializing in trading and servicing quick-wear parts for heavy machinery. At this exhibition, they showcased OTR tires for heavy mining machinery from the HILO brand, which ranks 5th in terms of quality standards for rubber products. They also presented various ground engaging tools from the HFM brand, including excavator teeth, bucket guards, dozer grader blades, and tips. CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 77073344, 80873344, 80743344 Email: info@dka.mn Website: dka.mn Facebook page: Домогт Хан Алтай ХХК | Ulaanbaatar | Facebook

Miningweek2024 #MinePro2024 #DomogtKhanAltai #DKA Mongolia mining expo 2024

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Millennium Challenge Account Mongolia: Announcement for Selection of Independent Consultant

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT MONGOLIA INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT The independent consultant's service is to enhance the capacity of the Urban and Rural Water Supply and Sewerage Regulatory Commission, develop water social policies, and draft tariff and subsidy modeling for the evaluation of tender proposals. Contract number: MCA-M/ICS/040 The Government of Mongolia and the Millennium Challenge Corporation of the United States agreed on the Millennium Challenge Compact aimed at reducing poverty through economic growth amounting to $350 million USD, which was established on July 27, 2018. The Government, through the Millennium Challenge Account – Mongolia (MCA-Mongolia), intends to allocate a certain portion of the funds to finance this independent consultant contract. The use of funds regarding this agreement by MCA-Mongolia will comply fully with the restrictions and requirements outlined in the Compact agreement and its related documents. Entities other than the Government and MCA-Mongolia are not authorized to use the Compact funds. The Compact and related documents are available on the MCC website (www.mcc.gov) and the MCA-Mongolia website (mca-mongolia.gov.mn). The Compact aims to increase the overall water supply to meet Ulaanbaatar’s growing water demand through the following interconnected projects: 1. Groundwater Wells Upstream Activity, or project to establish new groundwater resources with related infrastructure, reservoirs, and an Advanced Water Purification Plant; 2. Wastewater Recycling Activity, or project to develop a new facility for recycling wastewater from the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant together with necessary infrastructure; 3. Water Sector Sustainability Activity, or projects to support policy and legal environment reform ensuring the sustainable long-term water supply of Ulaanbaatar. MCA-Mongolia invites individuals with professional skills and experience outlined in the consultant document to participate in the tender for Independent Consultant Services for the above activities. Proposals from organizations, companies, or business enterprises will not be accepted. The Independent Consultant must meet the following qualifications: - Master’s degree or higher in fields related to public policy, finance, economy, environmental engineering, or public utility regulation; - Experience of seven years or more working in organizations with tasks related to public utility regulation; - Experience in projects/programs involving institutional and regulatory reform would be an advantage; - Experience in setting public utility tariffs for five years or more; - Experience in developing tariff and subsidy modeling would be an advantage; - Experience working in at least one developing country to formulate or reform policies related to water affordability, consumer subsidies, or public utility tariff policies; - Experience in evaluating tender proposals; - Professional proficiency in English is required. Detailed Terms of Reference and Submission Documents are included in the Request for Application (RFA) Document available on the MCC website. Consultants interested must register their interest through email marked “Request for RFA for ICS to Evaluate Offers submitted for Consulting Services for Strengthening of the Water Services Regulatory Commission; Water Affordability and Customer Assistance Policy Development; and Tariff and Subsidy Modeling and Revision” with full contact details to PA-Mongolia@charleskendall.com, cc to procurement@mca-mongolia.gov.mn. Clarifications related to the RFA document must be submitted by October 14, 2024, at 14:00 hours Ulaanbaatar time. Responses to queries will be circulated by October 15, 2024. Applications must be submitted online through the submission link provided in the RFA no later than October 17, 2024, by 15:00 hours local time in Ulaanbaatar. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Late submissions will not be considered. MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT-MONGOLIA

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AUDIT: Budget Revenue at Risk

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: news.mn

The government introduced the draft laws on the 2025 State Budget of Mongolia, the 2025 Social Insurance Fund Budget, the 2025 Health Insurance Fund Budget, and the 2025 National Wealth Fund Budget to the State Great Khural. The National Audit Office conducted an audit on these drafts and submitted their conclusions to the State Great Khural and the government. Therefore, the News Agency is presenting a series of reports on the notable issues related to the audit's conclusions. The draft of Mongolia's 2025 state budget plans for a consolidated budget revenue of 33.8 trillion MNT, or 35.6% of GDP, total expenditure and net lending of 35.7 trillion MNT, or 37.7% of GDP, and a primary surplus of 1.9 trillion MNT, or 2% of GDP, with an adjusted budget deficit of 1.9 trillion MNT, or 2.0% of GDP. CONSIDERATION REQUIRED FOR THE RISK OF BUDGET REVENUE SHORTFALL Mongolia's total revenue and aid for 2025 were increased by 6,190.9 billion MNT compared to the 2024 budget, planning to reach 36,830.5 billion MNT, which would account for 38.8% of GDP. This includes accumulating 608.9 billion MNT in the Stabilization Fund and 2,356.8 billion MNT in the National Wealth Fund, with projections to collect 31,939.9 billion MNT in tax revenue and 1,924.8 billion MNT in non-tax revenue. The consolidated budget revenue and aid are planned to increase by 4,992.3 billion MNT, reaching 33,864.7 billion MNT, which is related to plans to support trade turnover and exports, improve tax registration and coverage, and increase the export volume of key products in the mining sector. The tax revenue share in GDP is expected to decrease by 0.4 percentage points to 33.6% in 2025, with a collection projection of 31,939.9 billion MNT, increasing by 5,000.7 billion MNT from the previous year. The draft of Mongolia’s 2025 state budget plans to form 31.7% or 11,689.5 billion MNT of the total revenue from mining sector income. In the draft of Mongolia's 2025 state budget, the physical volume of key mining products is planned to increase by 0.2-5.2 points over the expected execution in 2024. The revenue planned from the mining sector for the 2025 budget is at risk of falling short due to external factors such as the economic situation in China, declining demand in the real estate sector and for coking coal, and potential decreases in market prices for major mining products. The possibility of compensating for budget revenue shortfalls with other sectors is limited. According to international analysts, in 2025, the average price of copper on the world market is expected to increase by 500 USD per ton from the previous year. In contrast, the price of gold is expected to decrease by 350 USD per ounce, iron ore by 20 USD per ton, coal by 35 USD per ton, and oil by 5 USD per barrel. The draft of the 2025 budget forecasts iron ore exports at 9 million tons, with a selling price of 65 USD. However, the expected execution for iron ore in 2024 is 8.4 million tons, and by August, 4.8 million tons were exported. Furthermore, a total of 83.3 million tons of coal is planned for export in 2025, with 37.9 million tons or 45.5% accounted for by Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC alone. Based on the actual performance of the eight months of 2024, Mongolia exported 55.4 million tons of coal, of which this company exported 21.6 million tons, indicating potential difficulties in reaching next year's target. The government of Mongolia plans to increase export volumes by expanding export markets, improving border port infrastructure, and facilitating cargo throughput. A performance audit by the National Audit Office in 2023 on the investments and results of the "Tavantolgoi-Gashuunsukhait, Tavantolgoi-Zuunbayan" railway projects concluded that due to insufficient handling and transport capacity and rolling stock, 18.6% of the installed capacity could be utilized, and the railway for the Tavantolgoi-Gashuunsukhait route could not transport goods due to uncompleted border crossing agreements. Under the "Implementation Program of the Government of Mongolia for 2024-2028," approved by the 21st resolution of 2024, one of the 14 mega projects is to construct a cross-border connection railway and cargo transshipment terminal at the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod, Khangi-Mandal, and Shiveekhuren-Sekhee ports by 2025. The implementation of this project is expected to increase the total export capacity by 40 million tons, with Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod port increasing by 20 million tons, Khangi-Mandal port by 10 million tons, and Shiveekhuren-Sekhee port by 10 million tons. These increases are projected to double export income, triple coal export capacity by rail, double passenger and cargo transport capacity, and facilitate faster crossing of vehicles at border points, providing more comfortable services for passengers. Therefore, it is crucial to expedite and oversee the completion of railway construction work to support the increase in coal sales. Within the framework of Mongolia's "Economic Security," steps are being taken to establish bilateral and trilateral long-term mutually beneficial agreements with neighboring countries to reduce dependence on transit conditions for foreign trade as a landlocked country. This includes obtaining access to seaports for exporting products to the global market and creating conditions to increase transit traffic through Mongolia. The government plans to continue port modernization in 2025 by digitizing port operations, increasing the number of vehicles crossing the border, accelerating cross-border railway construction activities, and improving mining product exchange operations. According to "Economic Security" policy 3.2.2.6, efforts are being made to update the ethics, knowledge, and skill requirements for public officials to meet international standards while increasing their salaries and benefits for stable and productive work. For this, measures include: - Increasing the salaries of 226.2 thousand public officials by 6.0% in 2025, aligned with inflation, bringing the minimum salary for general service public officials to 1,166,000 MNT (in soums 1,632,400 MNT, in remote districts of aimag centers and the capital city 1,399,200 MNT), and for public service officials to 954,000 MNT (in soums 1,335,600 MNT, in remote districts of aimag centers and the capital city 1,144,800 MNT), projecting a growth of 586.5 billion MNT or 25.2% in individual income tax revenue from this year's expected execution, reaching 2,918.3 billion MNT. REVENUE FORECASTS SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR The government is required under Article 10.1.210 of the Law on Fiscal Stability to prepare and ratify mid-term budget framework statements based on macroeconomic indicators and forecasts developed by the Fiscal Stability Council and to plan the state's annual budget projects in conformity with framework statements approved under Article 7.311. Some indicators of the 2025 state budget framework statement of Mongolia and the 2026-2027 budget projections approved by the law ratified on June 5, 2024, differ from those calculated by the Fiscal Stability Council due to the following: - The amount of consolidated budget revenue as proposed in the 2025 budget framework statement and the 2026-2027 budget projections approved by law increased by 3,229.9 billion MNT above the upper limit of revenue projected by the Fiscal Stability Council due to discrepancies in coal export volume estimates (FSC 50 million tons). Based on the actual performance of 2023, when Mongolia exported a total of 69.9 million tons of coal, future consolidated budget revenue calculations should take the previous year's performance into account. The increase in the upper limit of total consolidated budget expenditures by 3,5 billion MNT over the amount calculated by the FSC was due to the government planning to increase wages, pensions, and allowances gradually in line with inflation and productivity. Additionally, the overall government debt was approved at 47,5 billion MNT, reduced by 13 billion MNT compared to the FSC's estimate, as the government aims to improve credit ratings step by step and repay foreign securities without causing significant economic and budgetary pressure. Furthermore, following the amendments to the Law on Fiscal Stability, the remaining debt began to be calculated at nominal value. The government submitted to the State Great Khural an amendment to the law ratified on the 2025 budget framework statement and the 2026-2027 budget projection, not fully conforming with Article 7.312 and 7.413 of the Law on Fiscal Stability. ACTION NEEDED TO FULLY CAPTURE NON-TAX REVENUE The government needs to focus on fully capturing the non-tax revenue from ancillary minerals to make the most of the benefits generated by mining sector products. The tax agency's audit found unresolved court disputes regarding the enforcement of tax settlements: "Erdenet" SOE was to settle a total of 33.1 billion MNT for tax assignments and payments from 2016-2018, and "Oyu Tolgoi" LLC was to settle 62.5 billion MNT for 2013-2020 related to secondary element taxes. As the law on mining product exchange implementation has improved transparency and public scrutiny of exports, reducing the informal economy has had a positive effect on budget revenue collection. Moreover, in the draft of the 2025 budget, non-tax revenues are projected to decrease by 0.4% compared to the amount approved as revised for 2024, with 1,9 billion MNT planned. Comparing non-tax revenue to the previous year's performance, certain revenues are at risk of shortfall due to factors like the global COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war impacting aviation movement and navigation income, which dropped from 2019 to 2022, whereas in July 2024, 36,740 flights occurred, a 74% increase year-on-year, while costs rose, reducing budgeted revenue. A total of 607.1 billion MNT in dividends was planned to be collected from 44 state-owned and mixed-ownership legal entities, but looking at previous years' dividends, 26 entities paid 470.8 billion MNT in 2022 and 37 entities paid 422.0 billion MNT in 2023. Although the net profit of state-owned and mixed-ownership entities is increasing, risks remain that the planned dividend amounts transferred to the budget may not be met due to issues with working capital and investment costs.

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Livestock Indexed Insurance Compensation Begins

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Livestock Indexed Insurance compensation for 2023 has started being disbursed. The insurance process for 2023 was organized from January 1 to June 30 through seven companies including Ard Insurance JSC, Bodi Insurance JSC, MIG Insurance LLC, Mongol Insurance JSC, Mönkh Insurance LLC, Practical Insurance LLC, and Khaan Insurance JSC. Additionally, Khaan Bank and State Bank acted as intermediaries until August 30 of the same year. During this period, more than 7 million livestock from over 35,000 herder households across 330 soums, valued at 149 billion MNT, were insured, collecting a total premium of 4.9 billion MNT. According to the Mongolian Livestock Indexed Insurance Law, Article 6.1, the National Statistics Office provided official data from the first half-year livestock census on June 20, 2023. The census revealed that 14.1% or 9.1 million livestock across Mongolia had perished. The highest mortality rates were recorded in Sukhbaatar province at 48.1%, Govi-Sumber province at 40.1%, Dornogovi province at 28.9%, Khentii province at 27.3%, and Arkhangai province at 21.6%. Based on these official statistics, it was decided to distribute 16.8 billion MNT in compensation across 218 soums in Arkhangai, Bayan-Ulgii, Bayankhongor, Govi-Sumber, Bulgan, Govi-Altai, Dornogovi, Dornod, Dundgovi, Zavkhan, Uvurkhangai, Umnugovi, Sukhbaatar, Selenge, Tuv, Uvs, Khovd, Khuvsgul, Khentii, Darkhan-Uul, and Orkhon provinces, as well as 4 districts of Ulaanbaatar city, reaching over 22,000 herder households. About 62% of the insured herder households will receive compensation. Of these, 59% or 13,017 households will receive up to 500 thousand MNT, 18% or 3,983 households will receive between 500 thousand and 1.0 million MNT, 22% or 4,805 households will receive between 1.0 million and 5.0 million MNT, 203 households between 5.0 million and 10.0 million MNT, 15 households between 10.0 million and 15.0 million MNT, and 10 households between 15.0 million and 66.0 million MNT. The highest compensation amount is 83 million MNT, received by a herder household of Baruun-Urt soum, Sukhbaatar province. All compensation payments are expected to be completed by October. The Acting Executive Director of "National Reinsurance" JSC, B.Javkhlaant, highlighted that this year, the highest payout from Livestock Indexed Insurance is being issued. Due to the extensive snowfall and severe winter, over 10 provinces were affected, and "National Reinsurance" JSC actively worked in these areas. Since the introduction of the Livestock Indexed Insurance, over 35,000 herders participated in 2023, yet this corresponds to only a fraction of the country's over 183,000 herders. The lack of participation indicates a need for improved insurance uptake. Looking ahead to 2024, a total compensation of 16.8 billion MNT is planned, representing the largest payout among statewide insurance compensations to date. Notably, Otgon Enkhbayar, a herder from Baruun-Urt soum, Sukhbaatar province, is set to receive a compensation of 83 million MNT. The dissemination of indexed insurance funds to herders in Sukhbaatar province is underway. Observing the transition from a harsh winter and welcoming a pleasant summer, with herders enjoying a bountiful autumn, is heartwarming. Otgon Enkhbayar expressed contentment with the insurance benefits: "I received 6 million MNT last year, which prompted me to continue my coverage with the belief in insurance efficacy. Receiving 83 million MNT this year alleviates much of the burden caused by last year's challenging winter." Having insured since 2015, initially for a bank loan requirement, Enkhbayar quickly understood the protection it offered against calamities. Despite no prior claims, 2022 saw a premium of about 1 million MNT, leading to a substantial claim of 6 million MNT. This year, with a broader coverage, compensation rose substantially, demonstrating the program's protective influence. Reflecting on the past severe winter, Enkhbayar shared experiences of persistence through hazardous conditions, illustrating the vital support derived from national and local initiatives, which included logistics aid, material donations, and crucial financial relief, emphasizing an enduring communal spirit. A fellow herder, O.Azjargal, noted the challenging 2023 winter as a trial of fortitude for herders, underscoring community support as a lifeline. Benefiting from indexed insurance, Azjargal encouraged fellow herders to actively engage in the program, stating: "Indexed insurance offers distinct benefits compared to conventional policies, ensuring coverage and compensation aligned with deemed livestock impacts."

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Order Your Credit Card via Khan Bank Application

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

In the past, you had to visit a bank branch to order a credit card, but starting today, you can order it via the Khan Bank application. This means you can use the Khan Bank app to apply for a credit card at your convenience, have it delivered for free to your location, and save time. Just ensure that you have no overdue loans or debt balance with Khan Bank, and that your credit information report classifies you under categories other than "normal". Then you can choose from the following two types of credit cards to order: 1. Credit Card Based on Salary Income - Must be at least 22 years old - Must be a citizen of Mongolia - Must have worked for at least 6 months at one organization - The credit card applicant's borrowing term must end before their retirement age You can click HERE for a detailed video guide. 2. Credit Card Secured by Savings - Must be at least 18 years old - Must be a citizen of Mongolia - Can secure the credit card with a time deposit account with Khaan Bank, either owned individually or jointly. You can click HERE for a detailed guide. By choosing one of the above two types of credit card and ordering it by October 2024, you'll have the opportunity to receive a direct discount of 50,000 MNT on your first purchase worth 100,000 MNT or more at the following establishments. The maximum discount a customer can receive during this promotional campaign is 50,000 MNT. Khan Bank regularly announces discounts and promotions for its credit card users, and you can find information on the Credit Card section of www.khanbank.com or in the "Loyalty" section of the Digi Pay application. Additionally, try to minimize cash withdrawals from your credit card, as it's more economical. Using an ATM to withdraw cash or transferring funds from your card account to another account are considered cash transactions, which have slightly higher interest rates than non-cash transactions. Therefore, the most economical usage is to swipe your card on a POS machine for purchases since the monthly interest rate is lower. Also, remember that if you pay off your total debt every month, no interest is charged on the purchases you made on POS machines in the previous month. By the way, if you are already using a credit card, we are pleased to announce that the interest rate on all types of credit cards has decreased since September. The changes to the base and premium interest rates apply to transactions made after 00:00 on September 29, 2024. However, for customers paying the minimum amount due (MAD), transactions made before September 29, 2024, will be calculated at the old interest rate until they are fully paid off. For more information, please click HERE. Khan Bank – Growing Together

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Livestock Indexed Insurance Payments Start Being Distributed

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The distribution of the 2023 Livestock Indexed Insurance (LII) payments has commenced. The 2023 insurance was organized through seven companies: Ard Insurance JSC, Bodi Insurance JSC, MIG Insurance LLC, Mongol Insurance JSC, Munkh Insurance LLC, Practical Insurance LLC, and Khaan Insurance JSC, from January 1 to June 30, 2023, using Khaan and State Banks as intermediaries until August 30, 2023. During this period, more than 35,000 herder households from 330 soums insured 7 million livestock valued at over 149 billion MNT, collecting 4.9 billion MNT in premiums. According to Article 6.1 of the Law on Livestock Indexed Insurance, the National Statistical Committee provided the official results of the first half-year livestock census data on June 20, 2023. The census indicated that 14.1% of the total livestock population in Mongolia, equivalent to 9.1 million animals, suffered mortality. The highest losses were recorded in Sukhbaatar aimag with 48.1%, Gobi-Sumber aimag with 40.1%, Dornogovi aimag with 28.9%, Khentii aimag with 27.3%, and Arkhangai aimag with 21.6%. Based on the official livestock census results, calculations for indemnity payments will be made, and 16.8 billion MNT in compensation will be distributed to over 22,000 herder households in 218 soums from the aimags of Arkhangai, Bayan-Ulgii, Bayankhongor, Gobi-Sumber, Bulgan, Gobi-Altai, Dornogovi, Dornod, Dundgovi, Zavkhan, Uvurkhangai, Umnugovi, Sukhbaatar, Selenge, Tuv, Uvs, Khovd, Khövsgöl, Khentii, Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon, and four districts of Ulaanbaatar. 62% of the insured households will receive indemnity payments, with 59% or 13,017 households receiving up to 500,000 MNT, 18% or 3,983 households receiving from 500,000 to 1 million MNT, 22% or 4,805 households receiving from 1 million to 5 million MNT, 203 households from 5 million to 10 million MNT, 15 households from 10 million to 15 million MNT, and 10 households receiving between 15 million to 66 million MNT. The highest payment goes to a herder household in Baruun-Urt soum, Sukhbaatar aimag, receiving a compensation of 83 million MNT. All LII payments will be fully distributed by October. B. Javkhlant, Acting General Director of "National Reinsurance" JSC stated, "This year we are providing the highest compensation from livestock indexed insurance." "Last winter, our organization worked in 10 aimags where heavy snowfall occurred. It was a very harsh winter, as we witnessed firsthand. Since the implementation of livestock indexed insurance, more than 35,000 herders participated in 2023, a significant number. However, Mongolia has over 183,000 herders, indicating insufficient participation in the insurance. In 2024, we are disbursing 16.8 billion MNT in LII compensation, marking the largest compensation disbursed from the insurance across Mongolia. The highest amount is awarded to O. Enkhbayar, a herder in Baruun-Urt soum, Sukhbaatar aimag, receiving 83 billion MNT. Compensation distribution for Sukhbaatar aimag herders is ongoing. The saying goes, 'A bad winter is predictable.' It's satisfying to see herders having a comfortable autumn after overcoming a harsh winter and spring." Champion herder O.Enkhbayar expressed, "I feel immensely grateful for the insurance benefits." "Thank you. Last year, I received 6 million MNT in compensation and reinvested it into the insurance. Now I'm receiving 83 million MNT. With last winter's heavy snows, it has allowed me to settle my debts." "How many years have you been insured? Only someone who truly understands the benefits of insurance would insure their precious livestock with 6 million MNT. Not a small amount, right?" "I started insuring in 2015, initially to secure a loan from the bank, and then I got used to it. In the early years, I didn't receive any compensation from the insurance. In 2022, I insured for about 1 million MNT and received 6 million in 2023, and insured my livestock for 6 million in various covers, receiving 83 million this year. It doesn’t bother me not to receive compensation. It's good if there's no disaster like zud or calamities. Many households in our area lost animals to the harsh winter. I expected funds from insurance but not this much. I want to deeply thank the staff at the insurance company." "Everyone knows last winter was tough. I hadn't heard of such a severe zud in Sukhbaatar aimag before." "In 2000, there was a zud. I was 15 years old and just starting as a herder. I didn't understand much then. In 2008, there was another zud. By then, I had married and was on my own. I went on a trip with fellow herders about 180-190 km to Matad for better pasture. That year was alright; not even a lamb died. But last winter was different. On the days of October 28 and 29, it rained, and by November 4, the temperature dropped, and snow came. Due to snow and lack of pasture, I moved my livestock with trucks, wrapping the truck floor with sheep hides, loaded them, and traveled. On one truck, around 200 sheep could fit. Standing on the trucks, I had to arrange the sheep, and it was freezing to go out with light clothes, but with thick ones, movement was difficult. Without the hides, the livestock’s limbs would freeze. It was exhausting digging snow for the big truck compared to smaller ones, but after several days and around 100 km, we reached Matad's pastures. Though initially abundant, it quickly became barren, indicating the pasture's carrying capacity was being exceeded by the growing livestock numbers." "A herder doesn't usually want to slaughter their livestock and store it just to survive a harsh winter, despite anticipating tough conditions, right?" "Well, there was a hint it might be a challenging winter. I thought about selling some cattle, but my wife was against it, so we went for otor. Watching your livestock die is heartbreaking, and it hurts when your partner disagrees with you. But you can't dwell on it. You can't change the past, and saying 'zud is predictable' is true. Receiving the insurance money lightens the burden." "How did your community support each other during the tough winter?" "Our local area set up temporary headquarters for people to stay while on the move, providing food and drink. Support from local and international organizations as flour and feed donations came, as well as donations from the Ulaanbaatar city community council, which greatly helped some herders." "Could you encourage other herders to consider livestock indexed insurance?" "To herders across Mongolia, I urge you to insure with livestock indexed insurance. It’s unlike any other insurance, and understanding it is crucial. Some think you can just call the insurance agent and collect money when your livestock dies. It's not like that. Insuring from January to June allows you to claim compensations by the following October, depending on your soum's loss rate, even if your own livestock doesn't perish. If losses don’t exceed the threshold, no compensation is given." Herdsman O.Azjargal from Baruun-Urt soum stated, "It was a winter that tested standards." "We are at the home of Champion Herder O.Azjargal from Baruun-Urt soum. It was a winter that tested standards. We have four children, all attending school. My partner stays with the children in the aimag center. I stayed home to care for the livestock. We couldn’t make migratory movements last winter, as our winter camp is 8 km from the aimag center. We heard stories of tough times from households on the move, and for those of us who stayed put, it was also harsh. Aid from local and Ulaanbaatar-based organizations came our way. Hard times are navigated with everyone’s help. Last year, we insured our livestock for 500,000 MNT and received 7.5 million MNT in compensation this year. I would tell all herders to fully engage in livestock indexed insurance, as its benefits become apparent over time."

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What Risks Do Employees Face if Employers Don't Pay Social Insurance Contributions on Time?

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Social Insurance General Office (NDEG) has urged employers to settle their social insurance contribution (NDŠ) debts. When employers fail to pay the NDŠ on time, it results in several risks for the insured individuals: - They may not qualify for pension entitlements. - They may not be eligible for maternity, childbirth, and disability benefits. - They may not be able to access healthcare services from state and private institutions. - They may be unable to receive loan services from banks and non-bank financial institutions. - They may not qualify for unemployment benefits. Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must cite their source (ikon.mn) in any form of use of our information in full or in part.

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Prices for New Apartments Rise by 9.6%

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

As of September 2024, the price of residential apartments in Ulaanbaatar has increased by 12.2% compared to the same period last year, and by 2.8% compared to the previous month. Looking at the age of the apartments, prices for new apartments have risen by 9.6% compared to the same period last year, and by 4.0% compared to the previous month. Prices for old apartments have increased by 13.8% compared to the same period last year, and by 2.1% compared to the previous month, according to the National Statistics Office.

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Tax Inspectors Allegedly Facilitated Tax Evasion

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

An employee of the General Department of Taxation is under investigation for allegedly collaborating with former employees of the organization to create opportunities for evading large amounts of taxes. This organized group, which allegedly conducted activities affecting Mongolia's state budget and economic security, was uncovered and is now being investigated by officers from the Economic Crimes Department of the Economic Crime Agency, according to reliable sources. The taxation department employee reportedly accessed the taxation system of their own accord to study businesses needing VAT receipts and provided this information to their associates. These associates then established fraudulent businesses and used the information to convince company leaders to pay less tax. By this method, they reportedly forged VAT receipts and issued fake financial documents totaling approximately 470 billion MNT to around 300 businesses. These individuals have been operating actively since 2018, obtaining large illegal profits, reducing the state's tax collection, evading taxes, and regularly committing money laundering offenses, according to sources from both the police and taxation authorities. The investigation authorities and the prosecutor’s office stated that due to ongoing investigative procedures, further information could not be disclosed. Initially, they are being investigated based on Article 18.3 of the Criminal Code for tax evasion.

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Diplomacy

Conclusion to Be Made Regarding Why Putin Was Not Arrested in Mongolia

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: news.mn

Russian President Putin visited Mongolia last month. During this visit, Ukraine requested Mongolia to arrest Putin in compliance with the order of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March last year, accusing him of war crimes for unlawfully deporting hundreds of children from Ukrainian territory. According to this order, member states of the ICC, totaling 124, are required to arrest Putin if he steps onto their territory. However, the ICC has not yet reached a conclusion regarding why Putin was not arrested in Mongolia, as stated by the court’s spokesperson, Fadi El-Abdallah, on Wednesday. The proceedings related to this matter are ongoing, and the results are not yet ready to be publicly disclosed. As a member state of the Rome Statute, Mongolia is obligated to arrest Putin upon his arrival. Refusal to fulfill this obligation could lead the ICC to make a conclusion and inform the Assembly of States Parties, which would then take appropriate measures. El-Abdallah noted that general information about the arrest warrant has been provided, but specifics regarding Mongolia cannot be discussed. Putin’s visit was reportedly the first to a country that had ratified the Rome Statute since the issuance of the arrest warrant. According to "Ukrinform," Mongolia attributed its decision not to arrest Putin to its energy dependency. SOURCE: UKRINFORM

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Deputy Prime Minister S. Amarsaikhan to Attend Ministerial Conference on Disaster Issues in Asia Pacific

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Mongolia's Deputy Prime Minister, S. Amarsaikhan, will participate in the Ministerial Conference on Disaster Issues for Asia Pacific Countries, which will be held in Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines, from October 14-18, 2024. This ministerial conference, which focuses on reducing disaster risk and increasing initiatives in the Asia Pacific region by 2030, will bring together ministers responsible for disaster issues. During the conference, Deputy Prime Minister S. Amarsaikhan will meet with Mr. Kamal Kishore, the United Nations Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Mrs. June Kunugi, the Director of UNICEF for Asia Pacific. Additionally, he will attend a roundtable discussion with other ministers. Moreover, there will be meetings with the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines, ministers responsible for disaster and regional development issues, and representatives of investors to discuss reducing disaster risk and expanding cooperation. This conference is significant as it is the first such meeting organized since the high-level meeting on disaster risk reduction, held under the auspices of the UN General Assembly in May 2023. It is being held prior to the review of the "Sydney Framework for Action" document in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2025, allowing countries to share achievements and innovative approaches in reducing disaster risk, particularly in this high-risk region. Organizers emphasize the importance of government participation, initiative, and effort in discussing and resolving measures to intensify risk reduction efforts. The Asia Pacific conference aims to create, strengthen, and enhance national capacities for disaster prevention, preparedness, and risk reduction, involving government agencies, private sector players, and civil society organizations. It will also focus on implementing political commitments, sharing successes, advancements, innovative solutions, lessons learned, and supporting the execution of risk reduction measures through expanding regional cooperation, aiming to reduce disaster risks and potential losses. The ministerial conference on disaster issues for Asia Pacific countries was last held in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, in 2018.

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The Prosecutor General of Mongolia Meets with the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Turkey

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

The Prosecutor General of Mongolia, B. Jargalsaikhan, met with the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Turkey, Muhsin Şentürk, during the 29th General Assembly of the International Association of Prosecutors. During the meeting, the Prosecutor General of Mongolia congratulated Muhsin Şentürk on his new appointment as the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Turkey. He also highlighted the long-standing and expanding cooperation between the prosecutorial bodies of Mongolia and Turkey, noting the effective collaboration in high-level visits and meetings, training prosecutors, and exchanging experiences within the framework of memoranda and agreements. Furthermore, they discussed enhancing cooperation in protecting the rights and interests of citizens traveling between the two countries, which is growing due to increasing numbers of travelers and the rapid development of the tourism sector. They also exchanged views on expanding cooperation to promptly carry out legal assistance operations and counter organized transnational crime, with the aim of preventing crime and violations.

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19 Emergency Officers to Serve in South Sudan

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Nineteen officers from the Emergency Management Department are set to participate in the UN peacekeeping mission "UNMISS" in South Sudan, as part of the 14th motorized infantry battalion of the Mongolian Armed Forces. These officers were seen off by the leadership of the Emergency Management Agency. During the event, the flag of the Emergency Management Organization was handed over to Lieutenant D. Tuvshintugs, the automobile mechanic of the Khan-Uul District's Emergency Management Division, who is heading the 14th team. Additionally, the officers were provided with essential equipment required for their mission, which includes specialized clothing and gear for fighting fires, as well as health packages to boost immunity. The 19-member team from the Emergency Management Department consists of firefighters, rescuers, and three officer and non-commissioned officer cadre from various central and local emergency services.

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Infrastructure

S. Odontuya Discusses Eg River Hydropower Project in Moscow

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Member of Parliament and Minister of Environment and Climate Change S. Odontuya is currently visiting Moscow at the invitation of A.A. Kozlov, Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation. Minister S. Odontuya met with representatives from the government and scientific community, including G.Ya. Krasnikov, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and A.A. Kozlov, to discuss unresolved issues. Lake Baikal contains 20% of the world's fresh water reserves. Since 50% of the water flowing into the lake comes from the Selenga River, water resource management and utilization are not issues for just the two countries involved; they need to be addressed cooperatively. Therefore, regarding the impact of the planned Eg River Hydropower Project on Lake Baikal and the environmental impact assessment, the scientific communities of both countries agreed to promptly initiate research work and decided to detail the procedures, work plans, responsibilities, and timelines. Implementing the research projects together with the academies of sciences of both countries will serve as a real example of utilizing scientific solutions to transboundary water issues. Both parties agreed on the importance of addressing any environmental issues in the context of climate change processes and impacts. Joint meetings between the governments and scientific organizations of Mongolia and Russia are ongoing, and efforts are being made to finalize a detailed plan. Source: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

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Announcement of International Open Tender for Consultancy Services for the New Ring Road Project in the Capital City

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The main street of the Great Ring of Ulaanbaatar is located in a crucial part of the city center and suffers from heavy traffic congestion, road density, quality issues, and a need for improved traffic management. Therefore, an international open tender for consultancy services to build a new 13 km long ring road on the Great Ring street has been announced. The new ring road will have 4-6 lanes and will be a 'Complete Street' including pedestrian sidewalks, bicycle paths, and green areas. Building the new ring road will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the city, improve the throughput capacity for international transit transportation, and increase the speed of road traffic. Experts predict that the throughput capacity of the Great Mongolian Street will increase by 10%, the Bayangol Roundabout by 14%, the Eastern Four Roads by 23%, and the Western Four Roads by 21%. Additionally, it will connect the subcenters of Ulaanbaatar, becoming an intersection road of international standard. The company providing consultancy services for the "New Ring Road" project will undertake the responsibility of providing professional and technical support throughout all stages of the project. Furthermore, they will bring advanced practices to address issues in Ulaanbaatar's public transportation and road sectors, and assist in ensuring the interconnectedness of the city's public transport and road network systems. Source: Press Information and Public Relations Department of the Mayor's Office Warning: Media outlets (Television, Radio, Social, and Websites) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information wholly or partially.

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B. Byambasaihan: We will finish the flood embankments before it gets cold

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

Due to the flood of 2023 and the heavy rains this summer, some flood protection embankments in Ulaanbaatar city were damaged. Therefore, it was reported that the flood protection embankments in nine locations in the capital are being repaired in stages. Regarding this, the head of the Department of Geodesy and Water Construction Facilities (GUBBG), B. Byambasaihan, stated: "The vertical retaining wall of the flood protection behind 'Sunjin Grand' in the 13th khoroo of Bayanzurkh district collapsed due to the summer flood. A vertical retaining wall, 40 meters high, 30 meters wide, and 20 cm thick, is being constructed at this section, with work continuing at 90% completion." In Ulaanbaatar this year, flood protection embankments are being repaired and in some locations newly constructed across nine sites. The work on the embankments is being done quickly and is planned to be completed before it gets cold, specifically before November 10th. If the flood facility work is not fully completed this year, there is a risk of additional damage during the spring floods next year. Therefore, to prevent any risks and to avoid high costs in maintenance and repair, it is planned to complete the work within this year. Additionally, renovations and updates are being made to the flood embankments behind the Soyombo statue, under the Peace Bridge, north of the 25th pharmacy, Gants Hudag, and near the Bombogor shopping center. Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must mention the source (ikon.mn) whenever using our information in full or in part in any form.

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"New Ring Road" Project Consultancy Services International Open Tender Announced

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The main thoroughfare of Ulaanbaatar city is heavily congested and located in a critical area of the city center. There is an urgent need to improve road density, quality, and traffic management. Therefore, an international open tender for consultancy services has been announced today to build a new ring road along the main thoroughfare. The new ring road will extend 13 km and consist of 4 to 6 lanes, forming a "Complete Street" with pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes, and green spaces. Constructing the new ring road is of high importance to reduce traffic congestion in the capital, improve international transit transport capacity, and increase traffic flow speed. Experts estimate that the traffic capacity of the West Four Roads will increase by 21%, the Great Mongolia Street's capacity by 10%, the Bayangol Ring by 14%, the East Four Roads by 23%, and the West Four Roads by 21%. Additionally, it will serve as an international level intersection linking Ulaanbaatar city's sub-centers. The company providing consultancy services for the "New Ring Road" project will be responsible for offering professional and technical support throughout all project phases. Moreover, it aims to introduce advanced practices to address issues in Ulaanbaatar city's public transport and road sectors, ensuring the interconnection and coordination of the public transport and road network systems. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION

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129 remote areas without mobile network

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

In today's rapidly advancing technological era, not only is the use of the internet widespread, but many areas in our country still lack connection even to the mobile network. Specifically, 129 remote areas in Mongolia have yet to be integrated into mobile phone networks. Residents and herders in these areas travel to neighboring towns or climb high mountains where there is network reception to communicate with their loved ones and manage their tasks. For instance, 10 areas in Altai, Bulgan, Üench, Darvi, and Duut of Khovd province are not connected to the mobile network. Similarly, seven areas in Tögrög, Khaliun, and Tonkhil of Govi-Altai province are also not connected to the phone network. However, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Communication has announced plans to introduce mobile networks to 129 remote areas during 2024-2025. As part of this, work will be done to expand and introduce the network at 10 locations in eight districts of Khovd, five in four districts of Bayankhongor, seven in Govi-Altai, one in Govisümber, and at two locations in Dornogovi, covering remote areas in 16 provinces. As a result, all 941,547 households of Mongolia will be fully connected to the mobile network.

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B. Tushig-Erdene: The Friendship Camp Road Will Be Opened by November 20

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The work to renovate the road from the Takhilt intersection to the Friendship camp in the 22nd and 34th subdistricts of Songinokhairkhan district is proceeding at 44% completion. This road is a 16 km long, two-lane road. B. Tushig-Erdene, a senior specialist from the Road and Transport Development Department's Road Construction and Engineering Structures Control Division of the capital city, provided an update about the progress of the work: "The 16 km long road to the Friendship camp, which is a two-lane road, is being paved with a nine-centimeter thick layer. It has its own drainage system and structures for water drainage. A bicycle path will be constructed in front of the road. So far, four kilometers of the road have been fully repaired and reopened to traffic. Over the upcoming weekend, we are preparing to work on the inside of the motorways within the Friendship camp. The remaining eight kilometers of the road have structural damage, and their foundation needs to be replaced. We are currently replacing and compacting for the first two locations. Once the road work is entirely completed, the pedestrian path work will begin. It is planned to complete the renovation of the Friendship camp road by November 20," he reported. Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must cite their source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, fully or partially.

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Society

Legalizing violence committed using technology, such as monitoring every action with home cameras and tracking through applications, is necessary.

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

A discussion on "Expanding intersectoral cooperation on the situation of gender-based violence committed using technology" is taking place today. Gender-based violence refers to unwanted economic, sexual, physical, or psychological harm inflicted on a victim, originating from power imbalances based on societal perceptions of men and women. N. Arvintaria, director of the National Center Against Violence, said: "Violence committed using technology includes, for example, installing cameras in a home to monitor every action. It can involve following someone through surveillance footage until reaching their home and entering their protective space. Even if they come to us, they are constantly tracked and followed by mobile applications. Our organization serves about 2,000 people annually, and about 50% of these have encountered violence in the digital sphere or violence supported by technology. Therefore, it is crucial to include types of violence committed with technological support in laws such as the Law to Combat Domestic Violence, the Law on Violations, and the Criminal Law. If new types of crimes and violations are not legalized, they can worsen and lead to more severe forms. 92% of the Mongolian population is active on social networks. As digital usage increases, the number of technology-based violence cases has risen annually, showing a 77.5% increase, growing from 4,825 cases in 2021 to 8,563 in 2022. Furthermore, 3 out of every 10 children regularly encounter content that promotes pornography. Common forms of violence perpetrated using technology include: - Cyberbullying - Provoking and insulting others anonymously online - Coercing passwords for personal digital access to monitor, restrict, and track communications - Threatening and intimidating using images. Secretly taking sexual images of the victim without consent for sharing or threatening to share them - Establishing contact with children for sexual purposes, preparing for abuse - Distributing personal information publicly without permission. Publishing revenge-driven personal information such as addresses, emails, phone numbers, work and family details, children's photos, and school data in public domains - Stalking online. Monitoring and attempting to establish unwanted contact or communicate past or current actions, behavior, and lifestyle with threatening repetition. (Note: Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social, and Web pages) must cite their source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form fully or partially.)

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The 'Year of Visiting Mongolia' to Continue Until 2028

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

During yesterday's government meeting, the decision was made to continue the "Year of Visiting Mongolia" until 2028. Within this framework, a resolution regarding certain measures to promote Mongolia internationally was discussed and approved. Also, the progress of draft laws aimed at upholding human rights, creating a corruption-free government, and strengthening justice was reviewed. Specifically, the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs introduced several draft laws related to combating corruption, including a revised draft of the Law on Public Assemblies and Demonstrations, the Law on Freedom of the Press, amendments to certain laws ensuring human rights and freedoms, and proposed changes to the Criminal Procedure Law. These are planned to be submitted to the autumn session of the State Great Khural, presented by the sector minister O. Altangerel. Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Ts. Tuvaan provided information on the research and locations of 14 mega projects and processing plants included in the Joint Government's 2024-2028 action program. In terms of developing the industry, he announced plans to utilize factories for primary processing of raw materials and products, including coal, coke-chemicals, copper, steel manufacturing, and fluorite concentrate processing complexes. Additionally, in the next four years, they aim to produce products with added value, increase gold extraction, build refining plants, acquire coal-chemical technology, train human resources, establish small-scale pilot and testing plants, and extract gaseous fuels, synthetic materials, and hydrogen.

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Hearing on Torture to be Held

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: news.mn

This July, a tragic incident occurred where a 21-year-old inmate at Prison 461, who had filed a complaint about being subjected to torture, lost his life. Meanwhile, there was also a shocking case where a conscripted soldier was subjected to hazing. In response to these issues, Member of Parliament J. Bayarmaa and 22 other members submitted a request to the Speaker of the State Great Hural to conduct a hearing regarding the protection of human rights and freedoms. Accordingly, the Legal Standing Committee of the State Great Hural decided to hold an open hearing on the topic of "Prevention of Torture and Implementation of Human Rights Free from Inhumane and Cruel Treatment" on November 20. Member of Parliament P. Saizorig will preside over the hearing. Individuals, legal entities, media organizations, and public bodies interested in participating in the hearing must fill out the "Participant Registration Form for the Hearing" and submit it to the email address sonsgol@parliament.mn by 5:00 PM on November 15, 2024. To recall, the State Great Hural's Subcommittee on Human Rights discussed the case of the 21-year-old inmate who died at Prison 461 last July. The chair of the National Human Rights Commission, D. Sunjid, who participated in this subcommittee meeting, stated that the victim who was unconscious and receiving medical treatment had been restrained, which constituted inhumane and cruel treatment.

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A hearing on the protection of human rights and freedoms will be held

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Standing Committee on Legal Affairs of the State Great Khural will organize a monitoring hearing on the topic "Protection of human rights against torture, inhumane, and cruel treatment" on the 20th of next month. Member of Parliament P. Sainzorig will chair the hearing. Citizens, legal entities, media organizations, and representatives of public organizations wishing to participate must fill out the participant registration form and send it to the email sonsgol@parliament.mn before 5:00 PM on the 15th of next month. Member of Parliament J. Bayarmaa and 22 other members submitted a request to the Speaker of the State Great Khural on August 6 of this year to organize a monitoring hearing related to the protection of human rights and freedoms.

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From today, alcohol sales prohibited for three days

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Provincial and city residents' representative council elections for 2024 will be held tomorrow. In connection with this, the city mayor has issued an order to stop the sale and service of alcoholic beverages in the city from October 10-12. Additionally, no cultural, artistic, entertainment, or sports events that draw large crowds will be organized. According to the law, on election day, selling and serving alcoholic beverages is prohibited, as well as organizing cultural, artistic, entertainment, sports, or any mass gatherings. Commercial and service centers operating outdoors or indoors will not be open.

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"Victims Being Monitored via Apps and Arriving at Shelters"

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (HRCM), the Asia Foundation, and the General Police Department organized a discussion on "The Situation and Collaboration on Gender-Based Violence Using Technology." Violence arising from gender differences is increasingly integrated with online and technological environments, making detection difficult. The discussion highlighted the need to specifically address this issue in legislation and explore possible solutions going forward. "Some cases widespread online seem like mere domestic issues but have severe social consequences." Director of the National Center Against Violence, N. Arvintaria:
- Gender-based violence is often understood as domestic or sexual violence, but it has different characteristics and forms. For example, sexual harassment in the workplace, human trafficking crimes, sexual exploitation, and domestic violence are categorized as different forms. The frequency of crimes committed using the internet or technology has increased, as found in a recent study conducted with the Asia Foundation. In the past, physical violence cases were predominant, but recently, victims have been seeking help for issues like online defamation, damage to reputation, and stalking. Unfortunately, detailed statistical information is scarce because these concerns are not specifically included in the law or some concepts are still new. Although the methods and forms are present, they are not officially included in the law, making it difficult to obtain detailed statistics. Such crimes are rising in society. Monitoring, harassment, and offensive actions online are evident every day. Although they seem like personal domestic issues, they have severe social implications. Some cases provoke division by justifying one party and blaming another, strengthening negative gender-based violence attitudes further. In some instances, these issues are even transnational. We are engaging with various professionals to find solutions to where issues lie and what we can improve. Daily, 5-7 people seek help and services at the National Center Against Violence. While physical violence predominates, recently, alongside online defamation, damage to reputation, and stalking, there are more sophisticated forms like fraud, compelling a family member to take loans through apps, putting them in debt, and labor exploitation. However, sufficient legal and regulatory measures are questionable. Addressing and stopping these issues requires collaboration across many sectors. Cases exist where technology, such as home-installed cameras, is used to monitor every action of a person. Victims have sometimes been monitored via apps to the point they arrive at our shelters. While this is a preventive measure against crime, it also violates human rights. Thus, we need to focus on where human rights are being violated and discuss the necessary actions moving forward. "A girl committed suicide after her schoolmates spread the news of her pregnancy online." Member of HRCM, Kh. Munkhzul:
- With technology advancing in recent years, there are both advantages and disadvantages. The range of crimes committed using technology is increasing. Gender-based violence, rooted in gender differences, involves physical, emotional, and economic violence towards victims, which is a severe human rights violation and crime. Gender-based violence often remains hidden and worsens with repetition, harming a person's dignity. Technology makes such crimes harder to detect. Recently, there was a case where a girl committed suicide after news of her pregnancy was spread in the school environment and online by her peers. We are discussing whether relevant governmental agencies are capable of registering such issues, whether there are human resource challenges, and what solutions exist within the current legal framework. "Let's Be Correct Online" trainings are being conducted nationwide. Head of Systems Integration and Training Development at the Government's Electronic Services Regulatory Agency, B. Otbayar:
- People with disabilities, rural residents, elderly, girls, and women are commonly victims of cybercrime, which is related to their limited computer skills. Therefore, our agency, along with the Nationwide Cyber Attack and Incident Response Center, is conducting "Let's Be Correct Online" training nationwide. These trainings teach citizens, the elderly, and children how to protect their personal information online and how civil servants can work within the rules and maintain safety online, aiming to reduce instances of falling victim to risky links. The most effective way to prevent online fraud is through educating citizens. We are conducting these trainings in 9 districts of 21 provinces. Government organizations can access these trainings from our agency free of charge.

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Environment

The Need to Reduce Dependence on Coal Emphasized

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Mongolia is facing unique challenges and difficulties as it transitions to a low-carbon economy to combat climate change. It is crucial to take significant steps to strengthen resilience to climate change and reduce dependency on coal economically. Without measures to adapt to climate change, a significant portion of the economy could be affected by these shocks, increasing unemployment and reducing income, potentially pushing more people into poverty, as highlighted in a new report from the World Bank Group. The "Climate and Development" report emphasizes the integration of environmental issues with economic growth and provides a comprehensive reform strategy supporting Mongolia's climate and development policies. It particularly highlights Mongolia's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 22.7% by 2030, noting this will result in a 122% increase in emissions compared to 2010 levels. Currently, Mongolia ranks 9th in the world in terms of per capita greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is necessary to further reduce this and focus on building carbon sinks based on nature, and strengthening the resilience of ecosystems, populations, and the economy to shocks and disasters. The report suggests implementing short- and medium-term policies that align climate change mitigation with economic development goals. Specific recommendations include optimizing natural capital management, reforming agricultural subsidies, incentives, and tax systems, enhancing forest management and restoration, improving agricultural water use efficiency, and increasing local climate resilience. Additionally, it is noted that efforts to decarbonize by 2040 could reduce coal demand, posing risks to Mongolia's economy, but could increase demand for copper and other minerals, creating new opportunities. Implementing activities and development goals aimed at mitigating climate change in Mongolia over the next 25 years will require over 10 billion USD in additional investment. Implementing the necessary budget and policy reforms is crucial for energy transition and attracting private sector investment. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), through innovative tools and programs, will support Mongolia's sustainable financing, stated Ricardo Puliti, IFC Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, during the report presentation. G. Naranchuluun, Head of the Livestock Policy Implementation Coordination Department of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, noted that the government is taking significant steps and implementing various programs to address risks stemming from climate change, specifically for herders. Naranchuluun stated, "We are implementing a project to verify whether the 70 million livestock in our country's pasture-based livestock sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. This will initially involve studying and verifying the accuracy of greenhouse gas emission estimates." Although activities related to climate change will not be easy, they offer Mongolia significant potential developmental benefits. Manuela V. Ferro, Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific at the World Bank, noted that effective strategic policies aligning climate change issues with economic development goals will help Mongolia achieve more diversified, inclusive, and resilient growth.

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Health

Temporary Appointment of M. Narmandakh as Acting Director of the Health Insurance General Office

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

The former director of the Health Insurance General Office, L. Byambasuren, who is implicated in a corruption case, has been replaced by M. Narmandakh, who will serve as the acting director. The Anti-Corruption Agency arrested and detained L. Byambasuren, director of the Health Insurance General Office, and A. Tuvshin, head of the Claims Monitoring Department of the same office. The investigation into their case is still ongoing. As a result, the government decided to release L. Byambasuren from her duties. M. Narmandakh, head of the Administrative Department of the Health Insurance General Office, has been appointed as the temporary acting director in her place.

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Stress, Depression, and Workplace Environment Lead to Suicides, Says Ministry of Health

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

In observance of World Mental Health Day, relevant personnel held a briefing today addressing current issues. This year's focus is on "Mental Health in the Workplace." S. Bolormaa, a specialist from the WHO Country Office focusing on noncommunicable diseases, stated, "Since 1992, October 10th has been marked annually as Mental Health Protection Day. The status of mental health is dependent on workplace support, a healthy and safe environment, atmosphere, and interpersonal relationships. In 2022, the WHO released guidelines and directives to promote workplace mental health." L. Battur, head of the Social Health Policy Department of the Ministry of Health, remarked, "Employers must create environments that ensure and protect the health of their workers. Specifically, we urge for evaluations and studies on employee satisfaction and active support. External causes, such as accidents and suicides, rank as the third leading cause of death in Mongolia. Annually, approximately 500 suicides occur. The primary causes of this are stress, depression, and influences from the workplace environment." Studies have also found that one in three children aged 6 to 14 suffers from mental health issues. SEMUT Director G. Ankhbold stated, "According to the 2022 WHO estimates, one in eight people, around 970 million individuals, suffer from mental illnesses. Research conducted between 2013-2019 found anxiety disorders in 18.3% of the population, sleep disorders in 17.5%, chronic fatigue in 16.2%, and other issues in 11.9%." L. Lhambuud added further details.

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STUDY: One in Three Children Aged 6 to 14 in Mongolia Suffer from Mental Health Problems

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Today marks "World Mental Health Day." This year, the theme is "Make Mental Health a Priority in the Workplace." On this occasion, the National Center for Mental Health and related organizations shared information. L. Battör, director of the Policy Division of the Public Health sector at the Ministry of Health, said: Employers should provide an environment that protects the health of their employees. For instance, they should support efforts to assess and enhance workplace satisfaction. One of the leading causes of death in Mongolia is suicide, with an average of about 500 cases annually. Research indicates that the primary causes are stress, depression, and notably the impact of the workplace environment. Additionally, when assessing the mental health of children aged 6 to 14, it was found that one in three suffers from mental health problems. Globally, about 970 million people suffer from mental and behavioral disorders, with over 80% residing in low- and middle-income countries. A study conducted in Mongolia between 2013 and 2019 found that: - Anxiety disorders were at 18.4% - Sleep disorders at 17.5% - Chronic fatigue at 16.2% - Unexplained physical distress at 11.9% In Ulaanbaatar, stress-related mental health disorders were particularly high. The World Health Organization believes that supporting mental health in the workplace can significantly contribute to the overall mental health of the population. D. Oyunsuren, a lecturer at the Department of Mental Health of the National University of Medical Sciences, stated: The number of suicides recorded in our country is not decreasing. Most of these cases involve young people of working age. According to 2022 data, one in five people aged 20-24 and one in four people aged 15-19 died by suicide, indicating that protecting the mental health of the working-age population is a critical issue.

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L. Battör: One in Three Children Aged Six and 14 Have Mental Health Challenges

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the Ministry of Health (MOH) held a press conference today. During this event, L. Battör, the head of the MOH Public Health Department, presented some findings from studies conducted in Mongolia related to mental health. He stated, "October 10th of each year is celebrated as World Mental Health Day. This year, the World Health Organization has proposed the theme 'Make Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority.' Creating a safe workplace environment and focusing on mental health is important for employers, as it enhances productivity. Organizations prioritize the safety of their clients, but by paying more attention to the safety and mental health of their employees, they can achieve significant benefits. This not only ensures the health of their employees but also ensures the safety and satisfaction of clients served by the organization. Attention to mental health in the workplace depends largely on employer leadership, organizational culture, and climate, which is why it is essential to continuously evaluate employee satisfaction and create a favorable working environment conducive to mental health." Continuing, he noted, "Accidents, injuries, and suicides are the third leading cause of death.” "We have studied and evaluated aspects of mental health. Over the past two to three years, we have conducted early detection and preventive screening among the population. Findings show that when evaluating the mental health of children aged six and 14, one in three children is found to have mental health challenges. Among the leading causes of death in Mongolia are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and external causes such as accidents, injuries, and suicides being the third leading cause. Approximately 500 people commit suicide annually in our country. This data shows the necessity of addressing urgent mental health issues," he said.

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National First Central Hospital to Collaborate with Turkish Hospital in Joint Surgery

Published: 2024-10-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The National First Central Hospital (NFCH) has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Turkish “Acibadem” hospital. Gülru Kartal, the general manager responsible for Central Asia from the International Department of “Acibadem” hospital, and joint surgeon Professor Arel Gereli visited NFCH, agreeing to collaborate. The hospital's general director, Doctor L. Byambasüren, stated: "The two hospitals will collaborate to train doctors and specialists in the field of joint surgery, conduct experience exchanges, organize workplace training, introduce new technology in upper limb, hand, and wrist surgeries, as well as collaborate in research." Additionally, NFCH has mentioned that they have been focusing on developing international relations in recent years. As part of this effort, they have recently begun collaborative work with the Mackay Medical College and its affiliated hospital in Taiwan. They are working to empower their physicians and specialists by introducing treatments such as multi-faceted diagnostics for coronary artery diseases and pulmonary artery examinations. Within the scope of this cooperation, they also organized the “Mongolia-Taiwan Joint Symposium II - Multi-faceted Diagnostics of Coronary Artery Disease,” an international meeting and training session.

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