BCM NewsWire 778 – 14 April 2023

   
 
 
NewsWire

Issue 778 –  14 April 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


Economy

Politics

Business

Global and Regional Trends

BCM Updates

Economic Indicators

 


Sponsors:

 


 


 





 


 

ECONOMY

FOREIGN TRADE TURNOVER UP OVER 55 PCT IN Q1

Mongolia's foreign trade turnover increased by 57 percent year on year to 5.7 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2023, Mongolian Customs General Administration said on Friday.
Mongolia registered a foreign trade surplus of about 1.8 billion dollars in the first quarter, mainly due to a significant increase in the exports of mining products, it said.
China, Switzerland and South Korea were the top three export destinations for Mongolia during the first quarter, accounting for over 97 percent of its total exports, it added.

Source: Xinhua

CHINA-MONGOLIA BORDER PORT SEES SURGING CARGO, PASSENGER VOLUMES IN Q1

Erenhot, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, registered robust year-on-year growth in its import and export cargo volume in the first quarter of 2023, according to the local frontier inspection department.
In the first quarter, the port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region handled an import and export cargo throughput of 4.58 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 72.3 percent.
Among them, the railway import and export cargo throughput neared 4.22 million tonnes, up 64.9 percent year on year, and the highway throughput totaled 369,000 tonnes, a surge of 250.1 percent.
During the same period, the port handled 156,000 exits and entries. "The average daily number of inbound and outbound visits totaled over 3,600, an increase from 800 in January, when China optimized its immigration administration policies and measures," said Liao Changhao, an official of the local frontier inspection department.

Source: Xinhua

MONGOLIA EXPORTS ALMOST 6 MT COAL TO CHINA IN MAR

Mongolia's coal exports totaled 13.78 million tonnes during January-March 2023, surging 11.26 million tonnes or 446.17% year on year, showed data from the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA).
The export amounts totaled $2.24 billion during the first three months, jumping 232.16% year on year.
MCGA didn't release the specific figure for March, and Sxcoal calculated the shipments at 5.95 million tonnes based on the overall exports published by the administration.
The volume surged 384.97% or 4.72 million tonnes year on year and increased 38.24% or 1.64 million tonnes month on month, data showed.
In March, the export amounts totaled $975 million, with the average price calculated at $164.05/t, down $120.7/t year on year but up $0.59/t month on month.
Mongolia exported 13.49 million tonnes of coal to China over January-March, soaring 476.45% year on year, taking up 98% of the total.

Source: sxcoal.com
See also: Mongolian Gashuunsukhait border port's coal exports hit record 260 Kt
Coal export rose by 2.5 million tons

FOREIGNERS CAN OBTAIN RESIDENCE PERMIT INQUIRIES ONLINE

In connection with the approval of "Procedures for Issuing, Possession, Storage, and Use of Residence Permit for Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons, and Travel Permit for Stateless Persons," the residence permit card of foreign citizens has been updated.
Specifically, the residence card conforming to international standards and meeting the structure and standards of travel documents with NFC technology, MRZone, QR code, F-register, or non-repeating 13-digit number issued to foreigners, has been issued since April 1.
Also, according to section 1.3 of the Procedure, " A reference for a residence permit can be issued from the Integrated Database  of Visa and Registration of Foreign Citizens to foreign citizens who have obtained a residence permit in Mongolia for official or personal purposes”, it has become possible to receive and use digital inquiries from the page  https://eimmigration.mn.

Source: Montsame

MONGOLIA IRON ORE EXPORTS SURGE 111.7 PCT ON YR

Mongolia exported 1.3 million tonnes of iron ore in January-March, jumping 111.66% or 688,000 tonnes from a year ago, showed latest data from the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA).
The total export value soared 90.53% on the year to $109 million during the first three months, data showed.
China was the only destination of Mongolian iron ore during the period.
MCGA didn't release the specific figure for last month, yet Sxcoal calculated the exports at 475,700 tonnes based on the overall exports published by the customs authority, up 54.79% year on year and 1.67% on the month.
The iron ore exports amounted to $44.42 million in March, with average price at $93.38/t, down $10.35/t from a year ago but up $9.76/t from a month earlier, data showed.

Source: sxcoal.com

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF MONGOLIA, CHINA, AND RUSSIA TO HOLD ECONOMIC FORUM

The Russian Federation is working to resolve the customs tax relief for Mongolian products including leather, wool, cashmere, meat and meat products that meet the standards. Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Mongolia Maksim Vasiliev spoke about it during a meeting with the officials of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The parties exchanged their opinions on the participation of representatives of both sides in the forthcoming XVI Joint Economic Forum of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Mongolia, China, and Russia to be held in Ulaanbaatar on June 8-10 of this year.
Relevant officials and enterprises of the Russian Federation have expressed their participation in the "SME Products, Services and Technologies-2023" International Trade Fair, which will be organized during the Economic Conference. Besides, they discussed involving young engineers from Mongolia in the International Technical and Scientific Exhibition of Young Engineers to be held in Krasnodar in April, and…

Source: Montsame

TOURISTS GENERATED INCOME WORTH 60 MILLION USD TO CAPITAL’S BUDGET

Since the beginning of this year, Mongolia received 102,528 tourists, an increase of 36 percent compared to the same period last year.
Winter Festival is one of the many events organized to promote Mongolia’s winter tourism, traditions, heritage, and unique culture. About 10,000 people participated in this event, including 26 tourists from Buryat Republic, Tuvan Republic, Kalmykia, and Inner Mongolia. More than 400 athletes from 21 provinces, 450 from the capital and 500 spectators participated in the competition. Moreover, Eagle Festival organized near Ulaanbaatar attracted 19 eagle hunters and about 8,000 people of which more than 600 were foreign tourists. About 60 percent of these tourists, who came mostly from Russia, Korea, and China, visited Ulaanbaatar and contributed 60 million USD to the Capital city budget.

Source: The UB Post

CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE RECYCLING PLANT TO BE COMPLETED IN 2024

A new Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) Recycling Plant and waste landfill are under construction in Ulaanbaatar. The Project, which is being implemented to improve the waste management and recycling practices of Ulaanbaatar city, is financed by the sovereign loan of EBRD.
According to the statistics, Ulaanbaatar city generates about 1.4 million solid waste per year, of which 20-30 percent is construction and demolition waste. The new plant will comprise of landfill facility with a capacity to recycle 150 thousand solid waste a month, an area for crushing and sorting construction and demolition waste, a garage, and an office building. Currently, the construction process is 40%.
J. Sandagsuren, the 1st Deputy Mayor of Ulaanbaatar city, in charge of economy and infrastructure, said, “The Ulaanchuluut landfill is full. So, it will be closed in 2024. As for the new waste landfill, it is expected to facilitate waste collection, transportation, recycling, and disposal services, and improve operational efficiency…”

Source: Montsame

NUMBER OF STOCKHOLDERS IN MONGOLIA REACHES 2.4 MILLION

In 2022, 595 organizations operated in the securities market, and the number of account holders had reached 2.4 million.
The 2022 report of the Financial Regulatory Commission is released and it showed that total securities trading decreased by 2.4 times from last year and reached 59 billion MNT. However, the market value increased by 15.2 percent, while the TOP-20 index decreased by 6,846.1 points.
There were 47 legal entities and 465 individuals trading in precious metals, precious stones and articles made from them operated with a special license and sold precious metals worth of 67 billion MNT and purchased precious metals worth of 700 billion MNT.
Furthermore, information on non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) was included in the compilation. Last year, 513 NBFIs operated, while the number of its customers decreased by 3.9 percent from the previous year, and 94.2 percent of the all customers were fintech customers.

Source: The UB Post

MONGOLIANS' JOURNEY TOWARDS MINING MASTERY - EDITORIAL

•Mongolians are in the process of recognizing the value an benefits of their natural resources.

•The construction of mining infrastructure that stalled for more than a decade has been completed.

•Mongolia is trying to keep up with the wave or critical minerals.

Mongolia wants to use its natural resources more efficiently and reap greater benefits. To reach this goal, the country needs to recognize the true value and benefits of its natural resources. The process of cognition is in full swing. It is related to governments and their agencies, local authorities, citizens, civil society organizations, and companies. The mining sector has been plagued by corruption, injustice, misunderstandings, political and social divisions, and populist decisions over the past decade. These problems have been hampering the country’s development. But the country is now trying to recognize, understand, and correct their past mistakes a little.

Source: Mining Insight

POLITICS

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY OF FRANCE PAYS VISIT

The two Ministers worked towards boosting the cooperation in the following three directions: 

  • Bilateral cooperation between the Ministries – livestock identification, genetics, quality marking, and geographical indications (access to the EU markets, increase in farmer’s income,  better information for consumers), coordination and establishment of cooperation between professional institutions (livestock, crop production, forestry), improving a value chain of agricultural products as well as the increasing capacity building of experts, exchange of expertise, technique, and technology, know-how; 

  • Bilateral cooperation in the field of Veterinary Services – livestock and animal health, vaccination, exchange of experts, expertise, participation in international events and training courses;

  • Business-to-business collaboration – cooperation in both directions: Mongolia – import of high-breed livestock, agricultural, and food products from France; France – import of cashmere for the luxury industry, organic and natural food products (geographically indicated) from Mongolia. French Cooperatives as a model for agricultural production and exports as well as supporting start-up businesses and SMEs.

Source: Montsame

TWO PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION BILLS SUBMITTED

On April 5, a working group established by order No. 45 of the speaker of Parliament of March 7, submitted two draft amendments to the Law on Parliamentary Elections.

Headed by Chairman of the Standing Committee on State Structure N.Enkhbold, the working group consists of parliamentarians T.Dorjkhand, L.Munkhbaatar, S.Odontuya, D.Togtokhsuren and O.Tsogtgerel.

At the request of Chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) caucus in Parliament O.Tsogtgerel to submit a separate bill, they handed over two draft amendments to the law to Speaker of Parliament G.Zandanshatar.

  • 50:50 mixed electoral system proposed

  • DD suggests 48:28 mixed system

Source: The UB Post

THE GOVERNMENT ASKS FOR FEEDBACK FROM BUSINESS OWNERS

The Government of Mongolia seeks feedback from business owners on issues such as difficulties caused by government organizations, bribery and bureaucracy, ambiguity of the legal environment, and inappropriate regulations.

The policy documents, such as the Government’s Action Program 2020-2024, Vision-2050 Long-Term Development Policy, and the New Revival Policy, have included goals for improving state productivity.

Within the framework of those objectives, the Government of Mongolia is working to optimize the structure, organization, and functions of state administrative institutions. It is also intended to create a system that ensures the participation of civil society, listens to citizens, and cooperates with the private sector.

In addition, the Government is focusing on transferring some government functions to the private sector and NGOs, reducing the number of permits issued by the Government, and creating a business-friendly legal environment.

Therefore, to improve state productivity, the Government attaches importance to listening to the opinions of citizens and businesses regarding the activities of government institutions.

Source: Government of Mongolia

THE GOVERNMENT IS TO EXTEND THE PERIOD OF THE SPECIAL REGIME IMPOSED ON ERDENES TAVAN TOLGOI FOR SIX MONTHS

The cabinet decided to submit the draft resolution to extend the period of the special regime imposed on Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC for six months to the Parliament. On October 26, 2022, the cabinet established a six-month special regime on Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC, appointing the Government representative for the company.
Despite the improvement in the company's financial situation and increased inflow of foreign currency since the establishment of the special regime, the government believes that Erdenes Tavantolgoi JSC should be a company that meets international standards.
During the last six months;
The company mined 10.2 million tons of coal, sold 13.0 million tons of coal, earned 4.3 trillion MNT, and paid 1.5 trillion in taxes to the state budget.
Erdenes Mongol LLC sold 416,000 tons of coal for USD 53.9 million in seven trades through the Mongolian Stock Exchange, increasing the company's income by 20.9 million US dollars.

Source: Mining Insight

NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY ON CHINA-MONGOLIA-RUSSIA PIPELINE

Chinese and Russian companies are now actively negotiating on a new China-Mongolia-Russia natural gas pipeline project, the National Energy Administration said on Wednesday.

China will continue to support companies in carrying out research and consultations in accordance with commercial principles, said Zhang Jianhua, head of the NEA, at a news conference in Beijing.

The project is designed to carry 50 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia to China per year upon completion, which will bring Russia's annual gas supply to China to 100 billion per year according to Gazprom, a Russian state-owned energy enterprise and one of the project's undertakers.

Zhang said energy is the foundation of pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia, adding the two will build a closer energy partnership, support companies from both sides to promote cooperation in various fields of energy, maintain the stability of the supply chain in the energy sector and jointly contribute to the stable development of the global energy industry.

Source: China Daily

SCO SECRETARY-GENERAL’S VISIT TO MONGOLIA

On 10-12 April 2023, SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming visited Ulaanbaatar at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Mongolia Batmunkh Battsetseg.

Zhang Ming met with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg, exchanged views with Deputy Foreign Minister Gombosuren Amartuvshin and attended an international analytical conference on current issues and the SCO outlook, which was organised by the National University of Mongolia jointly with respected analytical centres.

He pointed out that Mongolia had been contributing to various SCO events since 2004, when Mongolia became an observer state. In the current complicated and volatile international situation, Mongolia intends to comprehensively use its geographical advantages to take part in a wide range of practical cooperation spheres within the framework of the SCO, such as agriculture, energy, transport and infrastructure, in order to contribute to the development of the SCO region.

Source: SCOMontsame

PM: LET'S DEFINE THE LEADING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR NON-MINING EXPORTS AND IMPROVE THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK

As part of his series of meetings held every Monday morning, the Prime Minister met with the representatives of producers and exporters of non-mining products, the ones that create the most jobs, elaborating on the government's policy to support the businesses and discussing the economic situation in the country.

The meeting brought together representatives of companies that produce dairy products, meat, and meat products, wool and cashmere, leather, cosmetics, medicine, and pharmaceutical products. Ch. Khurelbaatar, Minister of Economy and Development, and Kh. Bolorchuluun, Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry, participated in the meeting.

The prime minister emphasized that while the share of the non-mining products in the total export is small, its contribution to the economy is high. The foreign trade balance of Mongolia was USD 1 billion in profit, which is a 7.3 times increase from the same period of the previous year, the Prime Minister said, noting that we can improve this achievement by working together.

Source: Government of Mongolia

NUMBER OF CIVIL SERVANTS ON THE RISE

The number of civil servants has reached a historical high, and the share of the total population is 6.68 percent. This is an increase of 7.8 percent from the same period last year, and it means that 17 percent of the total workforce is working in the public sector. The share of civil servants in the total population was 5.78 percent a decade ago, and now they are 225,200, which is an increase of 16,300 from the previous year. Although the number of government employees has continuously increased during the above period, the number of 16,300 is also an increase that has not been seen in the past 10 years. Except for the increase of 14,100 in 2013 to 2014, the increase in the number of civil servants has fluctuated between 1,000 and 6,500 per year.

Source: The UB Post

LEHMANLAW: ADOPTING A MONGOLIAN CHILD

Lately, our lawyers have been asked a question from a client who would like to adopt a Mongolian child. The process of adopting a Mongolian child by foreign nationals is a quite intricate and it involves multiple steps.
A citizen shall file an application for adopting a child of Mongolian nationality to the appropriate body in Mongolia through their home country’s competent authority. The adoption application from foreign country shall be submitted directly to the governmental central administrative body in charge of population matter of Mongolia.
A child adopter shall meet following requirements:

  • A child of Mongolian nationality shall be adopted by a family living together for less than 5 years, or a foreign single woman.

  • A foreign citizen below the age of 60.

  • A person whose rights of parenthood isn’t restricted or excluded.

  • A person who has a full civil capability

  • A person without tuberculosis, AIDS, mental disease or alcohol and drug dependency

  • A person with no criminal history.

Source: LehmanLaw Mongolia

NAJIA HASHMI: POLITICS IS WHERE WOMEN NEED TO SHOW THEIR STRENGTH - INTERVIEW

The two-day international forum named “Pledge for Equal Representation in Decision-Making” was organized on April 10 and 11 to discuss two main topics. In specific, globally-renowned experts and researchers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, the USA, Nepal and Spain as well as representatives of political parties, civil society and media, discussed political party leadership for gender equality and legal reforms to ensure gender equality at the decision-making level. In the context of increasing women’s representation at all levels, they mainly exchanged views on improving the legal environment, strengthening support mechanisms, and especially increasing the role and leadership of political parties. Within this framework, regional electoral policy specialist of the Global Election Project of UNDP Najia Hashmi delved into gender quota regulation in Mongolian elections, women’s political participation and electoral system in the following interview.

Source: The UB Post

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY TO AMEND THE LAW ON INVESTMENT - EDITORIAL

It has been more than two years since the Mongolian government established a working group to draft the renewal of the Mongolian Law on Investment. However, the draft and its progress remain unknown to the public, as only a few points from interviews in 2022 have briefly mentioned about it.
According to the Mongolian Law on Legislation, a renewal of a law is considered to have taken place when the fundamental concept of the law or more than 50 percent of the law is proposed to be changed. This means that the review will have a significant impact on the investment sector in Mongolia. The frequent changes in the legal framework have contributed to the perception of Mongolia as an unstable investment destination. The instability of the legal environment for investment has been a longstanding concern in Mongolia. For example, the 1993 Law on Foreign Investment was amended 10 times, with a total of 110 changes made to 64 clauses of the law. 

Source: The UB Post

SCHOLARSHIP MISDISTRIBUTION WILL NOT STOP UNLESS THE SELECTION PROCESS IS CONDUCTED TRANSPARENTLY - EDITORIAL

Clear example of how people with high positions and, power, have stolen the opportunities of citizens and are still secretly stealing from them is shown by the data of people who illegally studied abroad with loans and grants from the Education Credit Fund.
Some citizens ask, “If the scholarship is open to everyone, why can’t the children of politicians, businessmen, and celebrities get it?”. Of course, they can. It is possible if the student has knowledge and meets the requirements and criteria set by the school and relevant institutions. But then why are the children of people in power and positions mostly getting it? How many people around you have studied with government scholarships? Has information about foreign scholarship selection been transparent and open in the past? Have you heard about it? The answers to these questions may tell you one something. There is factual evidence that the selection of foreign scholarships of the Education Loan Fund is unfair.

Source: The UB Post

DEFACTO REVIEW, APRIL 9 - VIDEO

Highlights of the week:
1. Parliamentary election 2024 will be held in a mixed electoral system
2. Government fight against corruption: Bird and Glass action
3. Business registration: E-platform

Source: Jargal Defacto

MONGOLIA'S MINERAL RESOURCES SECTOR HAS HUGE POTENTIAL, BUT PROPER REGULATIONS NEED TO BE IN PLACE TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT - EDITORIAL

Over the past years, Mongolia has been making efforts to enhance its exploration activities and attract foreign investment in its mineral sector. Therefore, it is crucial to hear from foreign-invested exploration companies that have been operating on a large scale in Mongolia. To that end, Ariuntuya.N from Mining Insight interviewed Sam Spring, the President and CEO of Kincora Copper, a company listed on the stock exchanges of Canada and Australia.
As a foreign-invested exploration company operating on a large scale in Mongolia, we are eager to learn more about the latest developments in "Kincora Copper". To start off the interview, could you please provide us with updates on your projects and activities in Mongolia?
Kincora Copper was formed to undertake, and has been, the most active western group for the last decade undertaking regional pophyry copper exploration in the Southern Gobi. We have applied the first modern district scale exploration in this region…

Source: Mining Insight

EXPLAINING DEMOCRATIC MONGOLIA’S STRONG TIES WITH RUSSIA AND CHINA - EDITORIAL

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Moscow in late March and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted the global spotlight to Northeast Asia. In Mongolia, the country’s close proximity to Beijing and Moscow has created unease with the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and the China-U.S. economic tensions. Despite these geopolitical conundrums, Ulaanbaatar’s foreign policy adheres to its longstanding approach of maintaining strong ties with its geographic neighbors, while actively engaging the “third neighbor” countries.
In the days leading up to the Putin-Xi meeting and throughout the three-day visit, the increasing attention to Northeast Asia stressed the growing importance of Ulaanbaatar’s geopolitical position as a single democratic country sandwiched between two growing authoritarian regimes that are deemed to be anti-Western.
However, to Mongolia, a meeting between the leaders of its neighbors is nothing unusual. In fact, during these high-level meetings, Mongolia seeks economic and cooperation opportunities to strengthen diplomatic and economic trilateral ties.

Source: The Diplomat

BUSINESS

NEW MONGOLIAN E-BUSINESS PLATFORM TO MAKE IT EASIER TO START AND GROW A BUSINESS

The Government of Mongolia has launched a new online platform to enable businesses to easily start up and grow, reducing both waiting times and bureaucracy.
"E-Business" – e-business.mn – was developed by young engineers at the E-Mongolia Academy and launched by the Prime Minister of Mongolia. It marks the next step in the digital transformation of the Mongolian economy.
On average, 1,540 new legal entities are established in Mongolia each month, yet those setting up new businesses often have to visit the state registration office and financial institutions several times before they can get up and running. Once they start trading, businesses in Mongolia have previously faced unnecessary bureaucracy.
E-Business will streamline exchanges between businesses and government agencies and also make it possible to register a business in Mongolia from anywhere in the world. Services that can be accessed via the platform include obtaining a legal entity name, registering a business property list and obtaining an electronic certificate.

Source: PR NewswireNews.mnMontsame

KOREA COAL CORP. TO SELL MONGOLIAN MINE AMID ENERGY RESOURCE BOOM

Korea Coal Corporation, a South Korean state-owned firm, is preparing to sell its Khotgor Shanaga coal mine in Mongolia, which it acquired in 2010.
The corporation stated on Monday that it is preparing for bids for the sale, seeing this as an opportune time to sort out its Mongolian mines due to the increase in value of international coal and other energy resources.
The mine was Korea Coal Corp's first overseas acquisition since its founding. The firm stated that with the opening of the Asian Highway in Mongolia and improvements in road infrastructure, foreign companies are showing interest in buying stakes in the coal mine.
The total sale value of the Mongolian mine, including the management premium, is estimated to be around 40 billion won ($30 million). The corporation plans to proceed with the sale of its ownership stake through a bid in consultation with domestic shareholders and select a sale underwriter soon.

Source: Korea Economic Daily

PRIMARY MARKET DISTRIBUTION PLAN OF KHAN BANK

"KHAN Bank" LLC’s primary market subscription of shares will be accepted from April 13 to April 19, 2023 through MSE member securities companies.
Up to 85 percent of the shares will be offered to strategic investors, and the remaining 15 percent will be offered to the public at a fixed price method determined in accordance with the "Primary Market Trading Rules" of the Mongolian Stock Exchange.
The underwriter will adhere to the principle of 100% fulfillment of the orders of the issuer's strategic investors, and the shares to be offered to other investors will be distributed according to the following conditions: 
Condition 1: Up to 500,000 MNT if the number of investors is up to 30,000
Condition 2: Up to 300,000 MNT if the number of investors is more than 30,001.
The main underwriter for the IPO of KHAN Bank is "BDSec UTsK" JSC, and the assistant underwriter is "Tavanbogd Capital" LLC.
Click here for the prospectus of the securities.

Source: MSE
See also: The primary market trading of “Khan Bank” LLC will start

KOREAN CUSTOMS TO SUPPORT SME’S EXPORT

The first meeting of the project “Supporting the export of SMEs with the help of customs clearance procedures for temporary processing of goods at home and abroad” was held.
In the mentioned program, the project is jointly implemented by the Association of Trusted Enterprises of Korea, the Dream Customs Service of Korea, the China branch of the United Nations Development Program, the Secretariat of the Greater Tumen Initiative, and the Mongolian Customs.
At the meeting, the customs authorities of the member countries exchanged their experience of implementing the “Procedure for Processing Goods Internally and Abroad” and discussed the possibility of expanding and developing future cooperation. Also, representatives of the Trusted Enterprises Association of Korea and the Customs General Administration discussed the implementation of the “Agreement on mutual recognition of Trusted Entity” concluded between the customs authorities of the two countries. Opinions were exchanged on the further work to be carried out in promoting economic competitiveness by improving the effectiveness of the program.

Source: The UB Post

KHUTUL CEMENT & LIME JSC WORKERS STRIKE AGAINST DIRECTOR

On April 10, Executive Director of “Khutul Cement & Lime” JSC L.Naranbaatar held a press conference
 and gave latest information about the company. Khutul Cement & Lime is a strategically important factory that supplies technological lime to the copper concentrate of “Erdenet Industry” SOE. In the past year the company has been under the management of L.Naranbaatar and he has presented the company’s performance since he took over the management.
He stated that, in 2022, 403,393 tons of cement was produced which is much more than the same period previous year and lime production also increased from the previous year’s production.
In 2022, Khutul Cement & Lime spent 85.5 billion MNT in expenses while they had a profit of 100 billion MNT. After the transition to state ownership in 2022, the net profit became 11.6 billion MNT, which is the first time the company made a profit in the last decade.

Source: The UB Post

ERDENE COMMENCES DRILLING AT THE ZUUN MOD MOLYBDENUM-COPPER PORPHYRY PROJECT

Erdene Resource Development Corporation is pleased to announce the commencement of drilling at its 100% owned Zuun Mod molybdenum-copper porphyry project in southwest Mongolia, located within the Khundii Minerals District, 35 kilometres east of the Bayan Khundii Gold Project.
Quotes from the Company
"We are excited to commence the 2023 drilling program at our Zuun Mod project, one of the largest undeveloped molybdenum-copper deposits in Asia," said Peter Akerley, Erdene's President and CEO. "We see exceptional opportunities to grow the Project as the deposit is open in all directions and there are multiple untested copper and molybdenum prospects within the large Zuun Mod porphyry complex."
"Mongolia's strategic location next to the largest resource consumer, as well as its improving infrastructure should support a robust, long life project that will provide key inputs for the growing high strength steel industry and the green energy transition," continued Mr. Akerley.

Source: Erdene Resource Development Corp.

XANADU EYES RESOURCE UPDATE AT MONGOLIAN COPPER PROJECT

Xanadu Mines has begun a massive 30,000m, four-rig infill diamond drill campaign at its Kharmagtai copper-gold project in Mongolia, with results set to support the company’s upcoming prefeasibility study.
The aim of the exploration program is to update the current open-pit mineral resource areas to an indicated category and deliver a maiden ore reserve estimate for the operation.
Kharmagtai has a current mineral resource estimate identified at a hulking 1.1 billion tonnes for three million tonnes of contained copper and eight million ounces of gold. Based on Xanadu’s scoping study predictions for the first five years of production, Kharmagtai shows a diminutive strip ratio of just 0.9 to 1 and an average milled copper grade of 0.29 per cent and the company expects to produce an average of 37,000 tonnes of copper per year.
Management expects to provide an updated mineral resource before the end of this year while the prefeasibility study is due to be completed during the second half of next year.

Source: The West Australian

TALON ENERGY PARTNER TMK ENERGY KICKS OFF PILOT WELL DRILLING IN MONGOLIA

Talon Energy Ltd welcomes the start of a pilot well drilling program by its partner TMK Energy Ltd at the Gurvantes XXXV CSG Project in the South Gobi Desert in Mongolia.
Primarily funded by the project's 33% owner Talon, the pilot program began with the spudding of the Lucky Fox - 1 (LF-01) pilot production well, which will be the first of three production wells using international drilling contractor, Major Drilling.
Talon elected to enter stage 2 of the farm-in agreement in early December and is paying the first US$3.15 million towards what is budgeted to be around US$3.5 million, with the two companies paying their proportionate share of further costs over and above US$3.15 million.
After the completion of drilling, the pilot well pumps will then be commissioned to initiate a controlled dewatering process, with the first gas breakthrough expected to occur within one to two months after production begins.

Source: Proactive Investors

MONGOLIAN MINING Q1 RAW COAL OUTPUT RISES 35 PCT QOQ

Mongolian Mining Corporation (MMC), a Mongolia-based coking coal producer listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, registered a 35% rise in raw coal production in the first quarter compared with the preceding quarter, the company said in its financial report on April 11.
MMC and its subsidiaries mined 3.87 million tonnes of raw coal during the January-March quarter, representing a 1,182% surge from the year-ago level, data showed.
A total of 3.14 million tonnes of raw coking coal was processed to produce 1.47 million tonnes of washed coking coal during the quarter, a level of which is similar to the previous quarter ended 31 December 2022.
MMC and its subsidiaries sold 1.61 million tonnes of washed coking coal products during the three months, rising 9% from the previous quarter and 343% year on year, data showed.

Source: sxcoal.com

UB TO HOST ‘WORLD GRAND PRIX’ OF 3X3 BASKETBALL

The Governor’s Office of the capital city and Mongolian 3X3 Basketball Association signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. Within the framework of the memorandum, international competitions, trainings and other events will be held in Ulaanbaatar. For example, the “World Grand Prix” tournament of the International Basketball Federation will be held annually under the name “FIBA 3X3 Ulaanbaatar Mayor Challenger”.
International Basketball Association’s “World Grand Prix”, which awards points for Olympics qualifications, will be held on June 16 and 17, 2023 at Sukhbaatar Square.
The top teams of 11 countries will participate in the tournament, and the tournament will be broadcasted live in more than 150 countries.
3X3 basketball is the fastest developing international “Urban” sport. It is a major sports and tourism product that is organized in the most historical and central point of the city, with the rhythm of continuous music.

Source: The UB Post

APU COMPANY: BUILDING A GLOBAL EMPIRE

Erdenebileg Tseveenjav, APU Company’s CEO, is determined to put Mongolia on the global spirits stage. He tells The Spirits Business about mixing traditional elements with cutting-edge distilling methods.
APU Company’s CEO, Erdenebileg Tseveenjav, has been in the spirits industry for a long time. “I have put a lot of effort into making APU Company a leader of the spirits industry in Mongolia, with a portfolio of products up to international standards that can be brought to sophisticated international consumers with pride,” he says.
APU Company is a powerhouse in its homeland. In 2001, 51% of APU Company, the national producer of vodka, beer, and soft drinks, was privatised through a government auction. “We inherited only the brand name and the professional expertise of the staff. The equipment was outdated and, in most cases, required replacing.”
In recent years, US$300 million of investment has been put into renovating APU’s brewery, distillery, and beverage plant, installing state‐of‐the‐art equipment from leading European manufacturers.

Source: The Spirits Business

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

ADB READIES USD 15BN IN CLIMATE FINANCING FOR EMERGING ASIA: PRESIDENT

The Asian Development Bank will provide an additional $15 billion in funding for emerging markets to tackle climate change under a new, faster lending model, President Masatsugu Asakawa told Nikkei.
Advanced economies will provide $3 billion in guarantees, enabling the ADB to extend loans worth five times that amount. These will be used for decarbonization projects to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote growth.
The development bank will call on private-sector banks and others to join the effort to expand investment further. The new lending facility will be announced at the ADB's annual meeting in May.
"The ADB will become a climate bank," Asakawa said.
Demand for capital for climate projects in developing nations is vast, yet there are few lenders to meet it. The Group of 20 major economies have urged multilateral development banks to step up financing.
The ADB's new leveraged climate finance model will be the first time for the bank to use government guarantees in this way.

Source: Nikkei Asia

FEDERAL RESERVE SEES "MILD RECESSION" LATER THIS YEAR

Federal Reserve economists predict that turmoil after the collapse of several banks will cause a "mild recession" later this year, according to minutes of the Fed's March meeting.
That forecast has led Fed officials to envision fewer interest-rate increases this year, out of concern that banks will reduce their lending and weaken the economy. The uncertainty in the banking sector also helped Fed officials coalesce around their decision to raise their key interest rate by just 0.25 percentage point, rather than a half-point, despite signs that inflation was still too hot, the minutes reveal.
The minutes, released Wednesday afternoon, note that the Fed's prediction of a recession depends on how severe the banking industry's troubles prove to be and to what extent they will cause a cutback in lending.
Before the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, many officials said they had expected to raise rates several more times this year.

Source: CBS News

IMF CUTS GDP FORECASTS, SAYS GLOBAL ECONOMY HEADING FOR WEAKEST GROWTH SINCE 1990

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday released its weakest global growth expectations for the medium term in more than 30 years.
The Washington, D.C.-based institution said that five years from now, global growth is expected to be around 3% — the lowest medium-term forecast in an IMF World Economic Outlook report since 1990.
“The world economy is not currently expected to return over the medium term to the rates of growth that prevailed before the pandemic,” the fund said in its latest economic outlook.
The weaker growth prospects stem from the progress economies like China and South Korea have made in increasing their living standards, the IMF said, as well as slower global labor force growth and geopolitical fragmentation, such as Brexit and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In the short term, however, the IMF expects global growth of 2.8% this year and 3% in 2024, slightly below the fund’s estimates published in January.

Source: CNBC

CHINA'S EXPORTS RISE UNEXPECTEDLY, BUT ECONOMISTS WARN OF WEAKNESS AHEAD

China's exports unexpectedly surged in March, with officials flagging rising demand for electric vehicles, but analysts cautioned the improvement partly reflects suppliers catching up with unfulfilled orders after last year's COVID-19 disruptions.
Exports in March shot up 14.8% from a year ago, snapping five straight months of declines and stunning economists who predicted a 7.0% fall in a Reuters poll.
But analysts say the jump was more likely related to exporters rushing to fulfil a backlog of orders that had been disrupted by the pandemic in past months, and warned the global demand outlook remained subdued.
"The wave of COVID outbreaks in December and January likely depleted factories' inventories. Now that factories are running at full capacity, they caught up the cumulated orders from the past," said Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management."
"The strong export growth is unlikely to sustain given the weak global macro outlook," he added.

Source: Reuters

WORLD BANK RAISES GROWTH FORECAST FOR EAST ASIA, SAYS BANKING SECTOR IS SOUND DESPITE GLOBAL STRESS

The World Bank expects East Asian and Pacific economies to grow more than it previously estimated, thanks to a sharp rebound in activities in China, noting that the region hasn’t been affected by global banking stresses.
The region is projected to expand by 5.1% in 2023, up from the 4.6% it forecast in October last year, the World Bank said in its April report. The East Asia and Pacific region grew by 3.5% in 2022, it said.
As for China’s economy, the World Bank raised its full-year growth forecasts for 2023 from 4.5% to 5.1%.
“The forecast assumes a pro-growth alignment of public health, regulatory, and macroeconomic policy in China,” it said, adding that a rebound in domestic consumption is expected to put “moderate upward pressure” on inflation, which it expects will rise to 2.6% in 2023 from 2% in 2022.

Source: CNBC

LITHIUM PRICE FREE FALL WIPES OUT GAINS SINCE NOVEMBER 2021

The price of lithium carbonate, the key material for batteries to power electric vehicles, continued in free fall amid weak demand, dipping below the psychological threshold of 200,000 yuan ($29,035) per ton on Wednesday.
The spot price of battery-grade lithium carbonate dropped to 199,000 yuan per ton on Wednesday in China, down 40.9% from the previous month and nearly 60% lower than a year ago, according to data from industry information provider Mysteel.com.
After a searing two-year run, the spot price for lithium has wiped out all its gains since November 2021.
The falling lithium prices coincided with a slowdown of growth in China's EV market as consumer spending was dented after three years of pandemic restrictions and after the expiration of a government subsidy for EV purchases.
Analysts widely predict that the drop in lithium carbonate prices will continue as downstream companies in the industry are still working down inventories.

Source: Nikkei Asia

IFC LENDS MOROCCO'S STATE-OWNED OCP 110 MILLION USD TO BUILD FOUR SOLAR PLANTS

Morocco's state-owned phosphates and fertiliser producer OCP said on Wednesday it signed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's investment arm, on a 100 million-euro ($110 million) loan to build four solar plants to power its industrial operations.
The loan is part of an OCP investment plan worth 130 billion dirhams ($12.8 billion) to increase fertiliser production using renewable energy by 2027.
The four solar plants, with an estimated peak capacity of 202 megawatts, will be built in the areas of Benguerir and Khouribga, home to Morocco's largest phosphates reserves, OCP said in a statement.
The company reported record revenue last year of $11.2 billion, up 36%, on the back of high fertiliser prices which accounted for 64% of total sales.
Profit jumped 72.6% to 28 billion dirhams ($2.8 bln) the same year.
Phosphates and their derivatives including fertiliser topped Morocco's exports last year, exceeding the automotive sector.

Source: Reuters

CHILE TO PRESENT LARGE LITHIUM INVESTMENT PLAN FOR 2025-2030 THIS MONTH -MINISTER

Chile’s government will present its long-delayed national lithium policy in April and hopes it will generate significant investment during the second half of the decade, Economy Minister Nicolas Grau said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters at a roundtable in Santiago, Grau said the plan deals with “technological transitions we have to make, public institutes that have to be created, the national lithium mining company, what to do in the Atacama salt flats, there are lots of dimensions and that’s why we’ve taken so long.”
The proposed national lithium company, Grau said, is only one of the components of the plan and will require a qualified quorum bill, which could require longer deadlines.
“We believe there are very good reasons to have a national lithium company and we are going to try to convince the opposition,” Grau said, adding that most of the plan’s other aspects could still work without the new company.

Source: Reuters

 

 

 

BCM QUARTERLY REPORT, Q1 2023

The Business Council of Mongolia delivers you its First Edition of the BCM Quarterly Report of 2023. The first edition covers all events organised by the BCM through the months of January - March. The fuller version of the articles can be found in the highlighted "details" part on the report.

PDF:  2023 First Quarterly Report 

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444

MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 

Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  13 April 2023

Currency

 

 

Rate

U.S. dollar

USD

 

3,498.69

Euro

EUR

 

3,848.38

Japanese yen

JPY

 

26.30

British pound

GBP

 

4,371.96

Hong Kong Dollar

HKD

 

   445.71

Russian ruble

RUB

 

     42.82

Chinese yuan

CNY

 

   509.00

South Korean won

KRW

 

       2.67

Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

BCM NewsWire 777 – 7 April 2023

 

NewsWire

Issue 777 –  7 April 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


Economy

Politics

Business

Global and Regional Trends

BCM Updates

Economic Indicators

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

ECONOMY

INFLATION RATE REACHED 12.2 PCT IN MARCH 2023

In March 2023, the consumer price index at the national level increased by 1.0% from the previous month, 3.4% from the end of the previous year and 12.2% from the same period of the previous year.
The 12.2% increase in the consumer price index from the same period of the previous year was mainly contributed  by  the 17.3% increase  in prices  of food  and  non-alcoholic  beverages  group  (21.0% increase  in  prices  of  non-alcoholic  beverages),  9.0%  increase  in  prices  of alcoholic  beverages  and tobacco group, 13.5% increase in prices of clothing, cloth and footwear group, 13.8% increase in prices of housing, water, electricity, and fuels group, 7.2%    increase in prices of medicine and medical service group,  5.4%  increase  in  prices  of  transport  group  and 20.1%  increase  in  prices  of  food  and  accommodation service group.

Source: NSO

MONGOLIA’S GROWTH TO RISE IN 2023 TO 5.4 PCT BEFORE ACCELERATING IN 2024 — ADB

The economy of Mongolia is transitioning to post-pandemic expansion, driven by the economic reopening in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), robust demand for mineral commodities, and revival of domestic demand. This contrasts previous gloomy growth expectations, despite tightened financing conditions globally and domestically, says a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released today.
In its latest flagship economic report, Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2023ADB projects Mongolia’s economic growth to expand to 5.4% in 2023 compared to 4.8% growth in 2022, before climbing to 6.1% in 2024, supported by exports, recovery in mining, and its positive spillover to transport and other pursuits. 
“After 3 years of economic difficulties induced by exogenous shocks, including COVID-19, border restrictions with the PRC and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the economy of Mongolia is now on a recovery path, supported by both external demand and domestic policy responses,” said ADB’s Country Director for Mongolia Pavit Ramachandran.

Source: ADBGoGo News
See also: Mongolia's economy to grow 5.2 pct in 2023: World Bank

MNT STARTS STRENGTHENING AGAINST USD

According to the Bank of Mongolia, our country’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves have reached USD 3.4 billion, enough to cover the imports of goods for 6 months. For the last 10 days, Mongolian tugrug (MNT) has strengthened against USD by about 7 MNT and showed signs of stabilization.
Experts are explaining the reasons behind the MNT strengthening against USD concerning the following three factors. Firstly, the Government of Mongolia has made successful deals on re-financing the debts due in upcoming years and attracted the required financing. It could be one of the factors that impacted the exchange rate stabilization. Secondly, Mongolia commenced the fourth-largest high-technology underground mine in the world last month, which was a significant event that restored investors’ trust. Thirdly, border reopening and easing travel restrictions in China brought a real sense of optimism to the Mongolian economy. The reopening of ports linking China and Mongolia boosted the exchanges of major commodities including coal, iron ore, and machinery.

Source: Montsame

CHINA, MONGOLIA TRADE VIA MAJOR LAND PORT VIGOROUS IN Q1

Trade between China and Mongolia via Ganqmod Port, the largest highway port between China and Mongolia, continued to boom in the first quarter of 2023, official data shows.
Ganqmod Port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region cleared nearly 8 million tonnes of goods in the first quarter of 2023, an increase of more than four times compared to the same period last year, according to the port's administration authorities on Tuesday.
Among them, the volume of imported coal was 7.68 million tonnes, up 525.4 percent year on year, while imports of refined copper powder grew by 12.2 percent year on year to 201,200 tonnes.
The port has been striving to raise clearance efficiency by implementing more measures to facilitate trade, promoting the construction of cross-border driverless transport services, and accelerating the renovation and expansion of joint inspection buildings, among others.

Source: Xinhua

MONGOLIA STOCKPILES 22.9 TONNES OF GOLD IN 2022

The central bank of Mongolia or Mongolbank purchased a total of 22.9 tonnes of gold in 2022 from legal entities and individuals, up 10 percent from the previous year.
As of December, the central bank’s average gold purchase price had been MNT 207,625 per gram.
Purchasing gold is one of the key ways for the central bank to ensure economic stability by consistently increasing foreign currency reserves.
Mongolia’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 2.9 billion t the end of November, up 5.3 percent from a month earlier, but down 29.5 percent from a year earlier.
Central banks across the world typically hold gold as part of their foreign exchange reserves.

Source: News.mn

MONGOLIA RECEIVES OVER 130,000 FOREIGN TOURISTS IN Q1

Mongolia has received more than 130,000 foreign tourists in the first quarter of this year, the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism said Monday.
The Mongolian government has been taking measures to revive the pandemic-hit tourism sector, urging the public to contribute to a more tourist-friendly country.
In January, 34 countries were granted visa-free entry to Mongolia for tourism purposes, increasing the number of visa-exempt countries to 61. Nationals from those countries can remain in Mongolia for up to 30 days until the end of 2025.
The country has also classified 2023-2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia" and is expected to organize more than 90 events in 2023 to promote tourism.
Currently, Mongolia's economy is mainly dependent on its export-oriented mining sector. Developing tourism is seen as the most viable way to diversify its economy.

Source: Xinhua

IN FEBRUARY 2023, THE TERMS OF TRADE INDEX INCREASED BY 15.5 PCT FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH

In February 2023, the terms of trade index (2015=100) reached 177.1 percent, decreased by 1.2 percent from the same period of the previous year. However, increased by 15.5 percent from the previous month.  
The export price index (2015=100) reached 205.9 in February 2023, and the export price increased by 12.0 percent from the end of the previous year and 9.0 percent from the previous month.  The increase of the 9.0 percent in the export price index from the previous month was mainly due to an increase of 7.5 percent in prices of mineral products group (copper and iron ore). The import price index (2015=100) reached 116.2 in   February 2023, and the import price decreased by 5.5 percent from the end of the previous year and 5.6 percent  from  the  previous  month.  The decrease of the 5.6 percent in the import price index from the previous month was mainly due to a decrease of the 9.1 percent in prices of mineral products group (oil) and 15.5 percent in prices of vehicles group (car).

Source: NSO

28 ORGANIZATIONS BUILT KINDERGARTENS

Access to kindergartens in the capital is poor. Therefore, enterprises and organizations started to establish their own kindergartens within the framework of social responsibility. According to the Ministry of Education and Science, 28 organizations and enterprises have established kindergartens this academic year, and about 2,500 children have been assigned to those kindergartens. For example, the kindergarten under the Gobi LLC can accommodate 120 children. The Mongolian and Japanese medical kindergartens affiliated with the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences have eight groups and 160 children are currently considered the highest in terms of accessibility and capacity. As a result of the research conducted jointly by the Ministry of Education and Science and the United Nations Children’s Fund, it was determined that 14 enterprises and organizations are going to open kindergartens with a total capacity of 1,000 to 1,400 children from 2023 to 2027.

Source: The UB Post

THE “BEST” SOUM THAT CANNOT FIGURE OUT BETWEEN FOLLOWING HERDING AND FARMING - EDITORIAL

The students, probably from the third or fourth grade, are lined outside the health center. It was assumed that they would be subjected to medical examination or immunization. Two women, who appeared to be teachers, were seen moving the students back and forth and organizing them. The noise and hustle and bustle of the children waiting in line breaks the silence of the place, reminding us that life happens here too. There is rarely anything that attracts people’s attention. People who are far from rural life may be curious to see young people riding motorcycles and riding horses staring at them in surprise when they travel somewhere. To someone who is coming to soum for the first time from a busy place, it may seem strange that there are not a lot of people there. However, this wasn’t new to us. There are quite a few soums in Mongolia, that remind silence when schools are closed, trips and outings are active, and families go camping. Khushaat soum of Selenge Province, was just like that.

Source: The UB Post

MACRO ADVISORY: MONGOLIA, SURFING THE SEVEN CS - EDITORIAL

This time last year Mongolia faced a difficult future, with a high risk of debt default. The country’s main trade partner, China, had mostly closed its borders (part of the Covid-zero policy) and reduced imports of coal and copper, Mongolia’s two most important exports. The country has experienced protests in April 2022 as people expressed frustration at government failures and the poor economic outlook.
Since then, the outlook for the economy has greatly improved and the country’s financial position is also considerably better. There is no risk of default, and the country should be able to reduce its debt burden to a more comfortable level in the coming years.
GDP is set to expand by at least 6% this year (from 4.8% in 2022 and only 1.4% in 2021). Inflation, which has averaged over 13% for the past wo years should fall below 10% later this year.

Source: bne IntelliNews

LAND GRABS AND THE COST OF MINING IN MONGOLIA - EDITORIAL

The expanding mining industry is a valuable economic driver in Mongolia’s economy. However, surprisingly little attention has been given to the detrimental social ramifications resulting from large-scale “land-grabs” needed for these industrial developments.
Land-grabbing is a term used to describe large scale acquisitions and enclosure of land, often for privatization. This practice has taken place across the world and is usually undertaken by transnational companies, government, or even individuals through the large-scale purchase of land.
In 2020, the United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples highlighted how land-grabbing in Asia, for activities such as mining, is displacing indigenous peoples and destroying the environment. Indigenous and nomadic peoples are particularly vulnerable to this practice because they lack legal recognition in many parts of Asia and, therefore, their rights over land and resources are often violated.

Source: The Diplomat

NATURE-BASED TOURISM - EDITORIAL

This was written by Unuudur newspaper’s journalist as a comparison to Mongolian tourism
I have traveled to the beautiful Phuket, which is considered the largest island of the Kingdom of Thailand. The island is surrounded by famous beaches such as Patong, Karan, Katon, Kamala, Rawai, Freedom and Nai Yang along the coast of the Andaman Sea. An average of 10 million tourists come to Phuket every year. According to the report of the tourism organization, 9.8 million tourists visited the region in 2019, before the pandemic. However, in 2020 and 2021, it received the fewest number of tourists in its history. In 2022, a limited number of tourists were accepted with certain conditions (vaccination certificate, Thai passport, medical certificate, health insurance), and from January of this year, foreigners were allowed to enter without any restrictions.
Although Thailand is considered a major tourist area, people say that tourists are treated harshly, especially Mongolians, when they were allowed to cross the border.

Source: The UB Post

JUSTINE COULSON: YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE FUTURE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN THEM - INTERVIEW

We sat down with UNFPA Representative to China and Country Director for Mongolia Dr. Justine Coulson about UNFPA’s work and her visit to Mongolia.
Dr. Coulson has dedicated her career to international development and gender equality. Before joining UNFPA in 2016 as Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, she had worked in East and Southern Africa, Asia, and Latin America for over 10 years.
She holds a Ph.D. in Gender and International Development from the University of Newcastle, UK and a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of Liverpool, UK.
- Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, your work, and about UNFPA?
- I’m the representative for UNFPA in China and I’m also the country director for UNFPA Mongolia. It means that whilst we have a very strong team here, mainly of Mongolian nationals with an international head of office, I live in Beijing, and I provide a lot of strategic support to the team.

Source: The UB Post

WHY INVESTING IN WATER STORAGE MATTERS IN MONGOLIA’S GOBI DESERT - EDITORIAL

Given that Mongolia has been ranked as one of 36 high-water-risk countries in the world, the recently concluded U.N. Water Conference touched on issues of immense importance to the country. 
The U.N. Water Conference ended on March 24 in New York and emphasized that more robust actions are needed to manage, protect, and preserve water sources and improve lives. The conference generated more than 700 commitments by member states, multilateral banks, the private sector, and NGOs. It brought together many stakeholders, including heads of state, world business leaders, civil society, young people, scientists, academics, indigenous people, U.N. agencies, and others to urge the world to accelerate Sustainable Development Goal 6 (water and sanitation for all by 2030) and to make significant progress across all SDGs.
During the conference, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres highlighted that progress on water-related goals remains significantly low, thus undermining the entire sustainable development agenda.

Source: The Diplomat

POLITICS

CH. KHURELBAATAR: PORT RECOVERY INFLUENCES THE INCREASE IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES

Ch. Khurelbaatar, Minister of Economy and Development, reported to the cabinet meeting on the summary of the activities carried out within half a year since the approval of the Government Resolution to increase foreign exchange reserves. 
Speaking at the press briefing after the cabinet meeting, Ch. Khurelbaatar said the foreign currency reserves, which had decreased to USD 2.5 billion, increased to USD 3.4 billion. 
The Minister of Economy and Development highlighted that the port recovery had influenced the increase in foreign exchange reserves. Mongolia exported 14 million tons of coal in the first three months of 2023, showing an increase of 10 million tons from last year. 
He also said that by registering mineral export contracts in the automatic customs and tax system, we made the information transparent, increasing mineral resource royalties.

Source: Government of Mongolia

PRIME MINISTER URGES COMBINING MINING WITH INDUSTRIALIZATION

Oyun-Erdene.L, the Prime Minister of Mongolia, begins every Monday morning with meetings to find solutions to issues critical to the development of the country. On March 3, he met with the representatives of the state-owned and private companies operating in the mining sector under the theme "Overcoming the challenges in 2023".
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the participation and contribution of the mining and heavy industry sectors to the industrial and port revival and economic expansion.
The meeting brought together cabinet members, including Minister of Finance Javkhlan.B, Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry Ganbaatar.J, and Minister of Energy Choijilsuren.B, and the private and state-owned mining companies such as Erdenes Mongol, Erdenet Mining Corporation, Mongolian National Mining Association, MAK LLC, Max Group, and SouthGobi Sands.
During the meeting, G. Battsengel, Chairman of the Mongolian National Mining Association, briefs on issues the mining industry faces, such as the shortage of human resources, difficulties caused by the misunderstandings…

Source: Mining Insight

EX-MONGOLIAN MINISTER FACING CORRUPTION CHARGES ARRESTED IN CEBU

A former Mongolian minister accused of corruption in his home country has been deported shortly after his arrest in Cebu City on Tuesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported.
The BI on Wednesday said its agents arrested Tunjin Badamjunai last April 4 after receiving information from Mongolian authorities that the suspect would be in Cebu.
Badamjunai, 67, formerly served as minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry in his country.
He faced deportation “as he is a fugitive from justice and thus poses clear and present danger, risk to public interest and safety, and threat to national security,” the bureau said.
The Mongolian government also cancelled his passport, which means he was an undocumented individual in the Philippines, Immigration Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. added.
Badamjunai was deported the same night from Mactan, Cebu upon the request of Mongolian authorities.

Source: CNNPhilippines.com

MINISTER OF JUSTICE: WHISTLEBLOWERS TO BE REWARDED UP TO MNT1.5 BILLION

The draft Law on the Legal Status of Whistleblowers was presented to representatives of the media and civil society on April 04 at the State Palace.
“A survey result shows that a positive social psychology for whistleblowing has been created. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the legal status of whistleblowers," said Chairman of the State Great Khural G. Zandanshatar.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs P. Sainzorig presented the concept of the draft Law, the use of the term "whistleblower" in international standards, some cases of whistleblowing for public welfare in Mongolia and other countries, and regulations under this Law. In his presentation he said, "The draft Law was submitted by the Government, and prior to that, laws supporting whistleblowing had been approved and implemented. For example, in 2018, the Package Laws on Registration was approved, and various types of information were made public, which stimulated the detection of illegal activities.

Source: Montsame

G. ZANDANSHATAR: D-PARLIAMENT GIVES OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING

On April 4, Chairman of the State Great Khural G. Zandanshatar introduced the application, importance and development of the D-Parliament digital platform to the academics, staff and students of the University of Internal Affairs and exchanged opinions. 
While highlighting the pleasure meeting with future law enforcement officers who have been recognized for their skills and ethics on the eve of the first anniversary of the introduction of the platform, the Chairman of the State Great Khural expressed his confidence that the staff of the university would make a valuable contribution to further spread the use of the D-Parliament digital system, which aims to reflect the opinions of the public in the legislative process, to give their voice in making policies and decisions that are in the interests of the citizens, and to ensure the right of the people to govern.

Source: Montsame

DEFACTO REVIEW, APRIL 2 - VIDEO

Highlight of the week:
1.  SOE's and urgency of their privatization 
2. Student loans misused for the privileged ones 
3. How is implementation of the UNCAC checked?

Source: Jargal Defacto

‘LIKE A DIVORCE’: MONGOLIA, LANDLOCKED BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA, FEARS NEW COLD WAR - EDITORIAL

Mongolia’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene recently expressed his country’s fear that the world is heading towards a new Cold War as relations between Russia and China and the West – particularly Nato – have taken a turn for the worse.
“It’s like a divorce,” he said. “When the parents divorce, the children are the ones who get hurt the most.”
The country sits landlocked between Russia and China, and is fearful of antagonising either country. It gets much of its electricity from Russia, and China buys much of its exports, mainly agricultural goods and minerals such as copper.
By pursuing a nimble foreign and trade policy since it transitioned to a multiparty democracy in the early 1990s, Mongolia has established a stable economy, receiving a thumbs up from the World Bank in its latest country report.
But the war in Ukraine has brought home to Mongolia just how carefully it must now navigate its foreign and trade policies to remain independent.

Source: South China Morning Post
See also: Mongolia: squeezed between China and Russia fears ‘new cold war’
Mongolia in the middle of the Russia–Ukraine war

TS.MUNKHTSETSEG: PARTIES WITH FINANCIAL VIOLATIONS BE DOWNGRADED AND CLASSIFIED AS INACTIVE - INTERVIEW

Interview with member of parliament Ts.Munkhtsetseg was held. She is the leader of the working group for drafting the revision of the Law on Political Parties.
How is the work of the revision of the Law on Political Parties going?
- Section 1, 2, and 3of the Article 191 of the Constitutional Amendment adopted in 2019 are the main basis for the reform of the Law on Political Parties. By adopting these, the parties should conduct policies and activities at the national level, openly announce their sources of funding and income, and disclose their assets to the public. The draft reflecting all these regulations, has been prepared by the working group. President U.Khurelsukh has submitted the draft to deepen the reform of political parties, improving ethics and disciplinary responsibility, and introducing legislation related to the transparency of their funding. Now it’s important that the President must get the draft approved.

Source: The UB Post

POTENTIAL RISE OF STRATEGIC DEPOSITS - EDITORIAL

The revision of the Law on Minerals has been in progress for over three years, following the establishment of a Working Group to draft a revision of the Law on Minerals under the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry’s order No. A-332 dated December 25, 2020. Although the draft law has not been made public, it has been shared with industry stakeholders in a closed environment since the last month of the year. One year ago, Mining Insight reported significant changes to the revision. In the last month of the year, major changes were made to the draft law, which has been in development for more than two years.
However, in the process of change, the principle of mine closure, which was previously given great responsibility, has been weakened to some extent, and it can be said that it has retreated from its original purpose.

Source: Mining Insight

BUSINESS

KHAN BANK ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF AN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

Khan Bank LLC has officially started initial public offering of its shares today.
In accordance with the Banking Law, Khan Bank has been preparing to become public with the launch of an initial public offering since February 2021, within the timeframe specified in the relevant laws and regulations. On December 9, 2022, the Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC) approved the listing of ordinary shares of Khan Bank LLC as securities for an initial public offering.
Khan Bank, the nation’s largest bank and a leader in the banking and financial sector, plans to raise 183.4 billion MNT by offering 191,219,800 (10 percent of Khan Bank’s total shares) shares at 959 MNT per share. Proceeds from the offering will be used for the Bank’s digital transition, information technology investment, environmentally friendly green projects, and long-term mortgage financing within the Bank’s medium-term strategy.

Source: Khan Bank
Click here for more info and prospectus

MONGOLIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO THE EU OPENED

The Mongolian Chamber of Commerce to the EU has been opened in Brussels, marking a new phase in business ties between Mongolia and Europe. 
According to the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this Chamber of Commerce will act as a bridge between Mongolian and European businesses to boost investment from the EU to Mongolia and increase the volume and types of products exported from Mongolia to the EU.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the Kingdom of Belgium L. Bold, representatives of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Executive Director of the Brussel-based Mongolian Chamber of Commerce P. Tumur-Ochir and other officials. 
On the sideline of the inauguration, President of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry O. Amartuvshin met with Cindy Tereba, Director of International Affairs of Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce.

Source: Montsame

NATIONAL REINSURANCE JSC TO OFFER SHARES TO PUBLIC

A regular meeting of the Financial Regulatory Commission was held on 31 March 2023. In the meeting, the FRC registered securities issued as a public offering by National Reinsurance JSC. Parliament Resolution No. 16 of 2022 approved the ‘Main directions for the public sale of shares of state-owned legal entities on the stock exchange in 2022-2023’. This provides for state-owned legal entities to issue additional shares for open trading on the stock exchange; to ensure the stability and transparency of their activities. Government Resolution No. 244 of 2022 approved the ‘List of State-Owned Legal Entities for Public Sale of State-Owned Shares in 2022-2023’. National Reinsurance (closed) JSC was included in the list. By offering its shares to the public, the company will have the opportunity to reduce the foreign currency flow of reinsurance premiums and increase risk-bearing capacity. National Reinsurance JSC is the second company to offer its shares to the public within the framework of the aforementioned regulation.

Source: FRC

CHINA'S WECHAT PAY LAUNCHED IN MONGOLIA

WeChat Pay, a mobile payment service run by China's tech giant Tencent, is now available in Mongolia, Mongolia's state-owned television MNB reported Tuesday, citing financial company Sendly.
"Our company has become the official partner of Tencent's WeChat Pay in Mongolia," Sendly said in a statement.
Currently, service providers such as hotels, restaurants and convenience stores in Zamiin-Uud soum of the southeastern province of Dornogovi and the national capital Ulan Bator can accept WeChat Pay payments, it said.
Mongolia has set 2023-2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia" with a goal of welcoming at least 1 million foreign tourists and earning 1 billion U.S. dollars from tourism.
The country's tourism authorities believe that Mongolia will receive a large number of tourists from China in the next few years, and it is hoped that WeChat Pay will make Chinese tourists' visits more comfortable and convenient.

Source: Xinhua

IS SPORTS BETTING LEGAL IN MONGOLIA?

Our Mongolian lawyers have recently received an inquiry from a prospective client on whether over sport betting activities is legal in Mongolia.
In Mongolia, the establishment and operation of a casino has been prohibited since 1999. Under the Criminal Act, operation of gambling activities is considered a crime while participating in the act of gambling is also a violation of the law.  The question then is whether the sports wagering is type of the gambling category.
 According to the legislations above, any business which involves gambling via dice, playing cards or other objects to make a profits, involving an unpredictable outcome and risk is a crime, including where such activities are conducted via information technology and social media. If someone participates in that activity, his/ her action is considered a breach of the Infringement Law.
According to this definition, sports betting is not considered gambling under the Mongolian legislation.

Source: LehmanLaw Mongolia

STEPPE GOLD REPORTS STRONG RISE IN 2022 REVENUE AS IT MOVES FORWARD WITH PHASE 2 EXPANSION AT ATO MINE

Steppe Gold Ltd told investors that its focus for 2023 will be to maximize oxide production from the substantial inventories on hand and aggressively move forward with the Phase 2 Expansion at its ATO mine in Mongolia.
Announcing its 2022 financial results, the Mongola-focused gold miner said discussions are advancing on financing for the expansion in parallel with plans to pursue a dual listing of its common shares on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
“2022 was an active year for mining and stacking on the heap leach phase at the ATO gold mine,” the company said in a statement. “This has continued largely uninterrupted, in spite of strong headwinds from COVID-19 and the related supply chain problems. With the recent relaxation of the zero COVID restrictions in China, we have seen an improvement in parts of the China/Mongolia supply chain.”

Source: Proactive Investors

TMK ENERGY RIG MOBILISATION AND APPROVALS IN PLACE FOR PILOT WELL PROGRAM COMMENCEMENT

TMK Energy has secured all regulatory approvals to move forward with its seven-week pilot well drilling program within the Nariin Sukhait area of its Gurvantes XXXV CSG project in the South Gobi Basin of Mongolia.
TMK will test its production wells for gas flow rates over a six-month production test period once drilling is complete.
The company on Monday said it had built a semi-permanent 40-person camp to house its drilling and operations staff, and it was now awaiting a drill rig from an international drilling service company, Major Drilling, to begin drilling.
Production will take off in two weeks at the company’s SL_02 exploration well location, with each of its wells spaced 200 metres apart.
TMK Chief Executive Officer Brendan Stats said the company expected to see early gas breakthroughs that would build higher over the six-month test period at the Gurvantes CSG project.

Source: The Market HeraldProactive Investors

FINANCIAL REGULATORY COMMISSION’S ANNUAL REPORT RELEASED

The 2022 Annual Report of the Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC) has been published. The report includes the following:

  • Brief information on events in the development of financial markets;
  • Current situation of financial markets;
  • Policies and regulatory activities implemented by the FRC.

The Annual Report also describes other, regulatory work, carried out within the framework of registration, approval, supervision, protection of the interests of investors and customers, anti-money laundering, and combating the financing of terrorism.
In 2022, the FRC issued a comprehensive set of policy initiatives (within the framework of its mandated functions, relevant laws, and regulations approved by Parliament and the Government), and implemented many measures contributing to growth, achievements, and success.
Click here to read the Annual Report 

Source: FRC

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS FOR MCC PERCEPTION SURVEY

Enclosed is a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for MCC perception survey.  If you would like to submit quotation, follow the instructions in Section 3 of the solicitation, complete the required portions of the attached document, and submit it to the address shown on the Standard Form 1449 that follows this letter.
The U.S. Government intends to award a contract/purchase order to the responsible company submitting an acceptable offer at the lowest price.  We intend to award a contract/purchase order based on initial quotations, without holding discussions, although we may hold discussions with companies in the competitive range if there is a need to do so.
Quotations are due by Thursday, April 21, 2023, 16:00. No quotations will be accepted after this time. Proposals must be in English and incomplete proposals will not be accepted.

Source: U.S. Embassy in Mongolia

GUEST POST: MONGOLIA’S SUCCESS IN TEAM SPORTS - EDITORIAL

On April 1, 2023, the Mongolian male basketball team repeated their historic success by winning the 3×3 Asian Cup, defeating the Australian team twice, the first time being in 2017. This remarkable achievement has sparked widespread celebration among Mongolians, as basketball holds a special place in the hearts of its people.
In addition, Delgernyam Davaasambuu has emerged as a star, earning the title of MVP in this 2023 Asian Cup game.
Despite our small population, Mongolians have always had a passion for sports. Historically, we have excelled in individual sports such as wrestling, boxing, and shooting, earning medals at the Olympic Games. However, there has always been a perception that Mongolians were not as good at team sports. But in 2020, the Mongolian women’s basketball team made history at the Tokyo Olympics by participating in the 3×3 basketball game, a significant milestone for Mongolian basketball.

Source: Mongolia Focus

GRATA INTERNATIONAL: DOING BUSINESS IN MONGOLIA 2023 - REPORT

Tremendous mineral reserves, agricultural endowments, and proximity to Asia's vast markets make Mongolia an attractive destination for medium to long-term foreign direct investment (FDI). The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Mongolia is worth 10.4 billion US dollars as of September 2021 according to the national statistics of Mongolia. The GDP value of Mongolia represents 0.01 percent of the world economy. The significant features and advantages of Mongolia include, but not limited to the following:

  • Diversified and growing market exists in Mongolia;
  • Technology Innovation Hub;
  • Large mineral resource base that can be leveraged for value added processing;
  • Developing Industry and Infrastructure;
  • A bridge between the two economic powerhouses of Russia and China;
  • Young, well-educated population;
  • Private Sector & Privatization /privatize major state assets, list Mongolian conglomerates and exploration license aggregators on MSE/;

Source: Mondaq.com
Click here to view the report

A TURNING POINT FOR MONGOLIA’S EXPORTS: MINERAL COMMODITY EXCHANGE - EDITORIAL

Our country has recently started selling some of its export products on the stock exchange, with coal being traded for the first time on the Mongolian Stock Exchange (MSE). The transition to this system will take place over half a year and the Law on Mineral Commodity Exchange will come into effect in July, officially making the switch to a Mineral Commodity Exchange system.
The exchange trading of minerals will ensure transparency in coal sales and contracts and will phase out the export of raw coal. This will help to resolve the controversy surrounding royalties.
Mongolia is taking the first step towards a system that offers these benefits. “Energy Resources” LLC was the first private entity to participate in the trial trade, selling its coal on the MSE. This resulted in higher price bids and faster completion of exports. The first trading of state-owned “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” was announced on the MSE on February 9-10.

Source: Mining Insight

FRC CHAIRMAN: MONGOLIA’S GREEN INITIATIVES OFFER “SOLID INCENTIVE” FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ECONOMIC ACTIVITY - INTERVIEW

Mongolia is one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change. Increasingly inhospitable weather conditions have harmed traditional pastoral lifestyles, leading to rising urbanization and increased air pollution. In this regard, the Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC) of Mongolia has partnered with AFI to embrace the potential solutions presented by Inclusive Green Finance (IGF), particularly for non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Celebrating its 13th anniversary with AFI this year, the FRC has been chairing the network’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Policy Initiative (ECAPI) since June 2021. FRC Chairman, Bayarsaikhan Dembereldash shared his insights on why the recently completed in-country implementation project for inclusive green finance (IGF) has proved pivotal.
AFI: Could you give us a short retrospect on Mongolia’s in-country implementation (ICI) project for inclusive green finance (IGF)? What exactly were the objectives? 
D. Bayarsaikhan: …

Source: AFI-Global.org

A.ENKHBAYAR: IT IS EFFECTIVE TO SHOW CULTURAL HERITAGES AS REAL ITEMS IN AN ABSTRACT ENVIRONMENT - INTERVIEW

A.Enkhbayar, CEO of “Digital Solutions” LLC, developer of “Guyuk metaverse”, who received the traditional “Silver Tree-2022” award given by the government to the best artist and work of the year, was invited for an interview. “Guyuk metaverse” is a social network based on the 3D virtual environment of Mongolian people. If you want to know what is there, you should visit this area. Everything A.Enkhbayar said was interesting, as he started to talk about the progress of electronic solutions in the field of culture and art two years ago within the framework of the “Silver Tree” festival.
- Please introduce your organization to our readers?
- Ours is a start-up company called “Digital Solutions” under the National University of Mongolia. The start-up is a result of the University's computer graphics research laboratory work and was developed by teachers and students to develop and produce innovative products. We are working on abstract creation of things in the real environment on the computer.

Source: The UB Post

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

ADB FORECASTS 4.8 PCT GROWTH FOR ASIA AND PACIFIC IN 2023 AND 2024

The ADB forecasts faster growth for developing economies in Asia and the Pacific this year, as the continued easing of pandemic restrictions boosts consumption, tourism, and investment. The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) reopening—as it pivots away from its zero-COVID strategy—is the main factor brightening the region’s growth prospects.
Economies in Asia and the Pacific are projected to grow 4.8% this year and next year, improving on the 4.2% growth rate in 2022, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2023, released today. Excluding the PRC, developing Asia is expected to grow 4.6% this year and 5.1% in 2024. The region’s inflation, meanwhile, is forecast to moderate gradually toward pre-pandemic levels, though there is considerable variation across economies.
Improved consumption and investment are boosting recovery in many regional economies, offsetting the impacts of elevated food and energy prices caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other global headwinds.

Source: ADB
View the April 2023 Asian Development Outlook
See also: Asia faces ‘tough decisions’ on inflation as oil prices rise, ADB says

CHINA ECONOMISTS EXPECT 5.4 PCT GDP GROWTH IN 2023: SURVEY

The Chinese economy this year is expected to grow faster than previously forecast and exceed the government's target of "around 5%," according to a survey of local economists.
A survey of 28 economists in March revealed that, on average, they expect the Chinese economy to grow 5.4% in 2023, up from 4.7% they forecast in December. The survey was jointly conducted by Nikkei and Nikkei Quick News.
While many of the economists expect the Chinese economy to expand at a faster pace than the government target of "around 5%," led by a consumption recovery, there are growing concerns that the world's second-largest economy will run out of steam, partly due to a banking crisis in the West.
Barclays Chief China Economist Jian Chang is upbeat on the Chinese economy, forecasting growth of 5.6% in 2023. "We think the improving January-February activity data -- led by a rise in retail sales, a smaller contraction in property investment [and] home sales…

Source: Nikkei Asia

AUSTRALIA CRITICAL MINERAL EXPORT REVENUE TO MATCH COAL BY 2028 - GOVT REPORT

Revenue from Australia's exports of critical minerals like lithium and nickel will nearly equal the current second-biggest export earner coal by 2028 as the global energy transition gathers pace, the government said in an update of its five-year outlook.
Australia's industry department, which on Monday forecast another record year of resources export revenue, said global coal demand had passed its peak, whereas demand for minerals like lithium, nickel, copper and rare earths was set to speed up.
"Lithium and base metals (and their raw material inputs) will account for almost as much export revenue as all coal types by 2027–28," it said in its March quarterly report, which provided the updated outlook.
Australia's annual export revenue from thermal coal, used in power plants, is expected to fall to a third of current levels to about A$19 billion ($12.67 billion) in real terms by 2027-28, the report said.

Source: Reuters
See also: Australia races allies to build critical minerals capacity

CHINA ACCOUNTS FOR TWO THIRDS OF WORLD'S PLANNED NEW COAL POWER - RESEARCH

China accounted for more than two thirds of the world's proposed new coal-fired power by the end of 2022, with 366 gigawatts (GW) of additional capacity either being planned or under construction, research showed on Thursday.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged countries to stop building new plants and phase out coal consumption completely by 2040 in order to slash climate-warming carbon emissions and keep global temperature rises within 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
But the amount of capacity planned or under construction around the world hit 537 GW last year, rebounding from a record low of 479 GW a year earlier, with China accounting for 68% of the total, according to a report by a group of think tanks led by the U.S.-based Global Energy Monitor (GEM).
"The more new coal projects come online, the steeper the cuts and commitments need to be in the future," said GEM's Flora Champenois, lead author of the report.

Source: Reuters

COMPANIES CAN VIE TO MINE THE DEEP SEA STARTING IN JULY

A United Nations-affiliated organization is expected to start accepting applications this summer from companies looking to mine deep sea ecosystems for valuable metals, despite failing on Friday to establish regulations governing the embryonic industry.
That doesn’t necessarily mean mining is set to begin anytime soon. Given the absence of environmental regulations, as well as ongoing disagreement among the International Seabed Authority’s 167 member nations over whether deep sea mining should even proceed, there are doubts about whether licenses will be issued and under what conditions. Regardless, the failure to establish a regulatory framework before the deadline — for environmental standards, royalty payments, environmental impact assessments, inspection or compliance — means that whatever happens next will take the ISA into unchartered territory.
The organization is “sleepwalking into a legally uncertain situation,” Ambassador Hugo Verbist, head of Belgium’s delegation, told the ISA Council on Friday as the organization’s 36-nation policymaking body concluded more than two weeks of negotiations in Kingston, Jamaica.

Source: Mining.com

OIL PRICES SURGE AFTER OPEC+ PRODUCERS ANNOUNCE SURPRISE CUTS

Oil prices spiked Monday after OPEC+ producers unexpectedly announced that they would cut output.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, jumped 5.31% to $84.13 a barrel, while WTI, the US benchmark, rose 5.48% to $79.83. Both were the sharpest price rises in almost a year.
The oil prices sunk as low as $73 and $67 a barrel respectively in the week following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the United States on March 10, as the turmoil spread to the wider banking sector, raising fears of a global recession.
With oil prices now rising, inflation could remain higher for longer, adding pressure to a hot-button issue for consumers around the world.
“The development comes as a blow for inflation,” Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said in a note Monday. “Markets are aware that if the pressure continues, central banks will need to extend or strengthen their interest rate hiking cycles.”

Source: CNNAl Jazeera
See also: Global diesel prices fall as economic slowdown intensifies

INDIA PAUSES RATE HIKES IN SURPRISE MOVE AMID STUBBORN INFLATION

The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday held its benchmark interest rate steady at 6.50% after six straight hikes, defying most predictions even though inflation is still elevated.
The RBI hit pause despite inflation remaining above its upper tolerance band of 6%. In January, India's retail inflation jumped to a three-month high of 6.52%, before easing slightly to 6.44% in February.
RBI Gov. Shaktikanta Das said in a televised statement that the bank maintains "readiness to act should the situation so warrant."
Ahead of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting, a majority of 62 economists polled by Reuters in late March had predicted an increase by 25 basis points (0.25%). They also predicted that the bank would subsequently hold the repo rate -- the rate at which it lends money to commercial banks -- steady for the rest of the year.

Source: Nikkei Asia

BIDEN OFFERS USD 450M FOR CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS AT COAL MINES

The United States government announced on Tuesday it had set aside $450 million to advance clean energy projects on current and former mine sites, given special attention to those that can provide new economic opportunities for coal communities.
The Department of Energy will also provide $16 million to the University of North Dakota and West Virginia University to complete design studies for a domestic refinery that will extract rare earth and other critical minerals from coal ash, acid mine drainage and other mine waste, the White House said.
After taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden created an interagency working group focused on revitalizing coal-power communities through federal investments. 
Later that year, the group selected 25 priority areas ranging from West Virginia to Wyoming to focus on development.
“Repurposing this extensive area of land for clean energy projects is estimated to generate up to 90 GW of clean energy—enough to power nearly 30 million American homes.”

Source: Mining.com

 

 

BCM QUARTERLY REPORT, Q1 2023

The Business Council of Mongolia delivers you its First Edition of the BCM Quarterly Report of 2023. The first edition covers all events organised by the BCM through the months of January - March. The fuller version of the articles can be found in the highlighted "details" part on the report.

PDF:  2023 First Quarterly Report 

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  6 April 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,511.10
Euro EUR   3,829.56
Japanese yen JPY   26.73
British pound GBP   4,378.17
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      447.28
Russian ruble RUB        43.77
Chinese yuan CNY      510.52
South Korean won KRW          2.66
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

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BCM NewsWire 776 – 31 March 2023

 
NewsWire

Issue 776 –  31 March 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


BCM Highlight

  • World Export Development Forum B2B Survey for ICT Sector 

  • BCM NewsWire survey

Economy

  • Export Increases by 8.2 Percent m/m, trade turnover up 55 pct y/y

  • Mongolia’s Economy Is Forecast to Grow 7 pct If China Hits Its Annual GDP Target

  • Mongolia Feb rail coal shipment drops; iron ore keeps rising

  • Mongolia offers low-interest mortgages to reduce urbanization

  • Banks Have Enough Equity to Sustain the Main Economic Sectors

  • 48.9 billion MNT kept domestically through the “Amar baina uu 2023” trade fair

  • Fitch Ratings: Development Bank of Mongolia LLC - Update

  • 1.1 million children of 993 thousand households receive children allowance

  • Mongolia will secure enduring conservation in the "Land of Eternal Blue Sky"

  • Crypto-Coins and monetary policy - Editorial

  • Breathing easy for the future: Mongolia needs better long-term measures against air pollution - Editorial

Politics

  • Minister of Energy: Russia filed a complaint to UNESCO regarding Eg River Hydro Power Plant

  • Bill on liquidation of Agricultural Support Fund supported

  • Mongolia's Democratic Party Elects Gantumur as New Leader with Focus on 2024 Elections

  • Cabinet suggests 50 percent women participation in 38 party-list candidates for parliamentary elections

  • Integrated Platform to Encourage Whistleblowing

  • Human Rights and Freedom Report Submitted

  • L.Oyun-Erdene: We must expose the coal mafia if we want to develop Mongolia

  • Mongolia's Land Regulatory System: A Quest for Transparency and Efficiency

  • UNDP in Mongolia strengthens its partnership with civil society

  • PM: We should create a legal framework that equates years of service in international organizations to public service

  • Mongolia’s trade has doubled since China’s Belt and Road Initiative’s launch, minister says - Video

  • Implications of Dalai Lama Identifying New Head of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia - Editorial

  • Khovd Province Governor: our goal is to become an economically independent aimag - Interview

  • L.Byambakhand: As researcher, I would say that Mongolia is taking step towards feminist foreign policy - Interview

  • Japan and Mongolia: How Economic Giants are Strengthening Small States - Editorial

  • Ambassador of Estonia Mr. Hannes Hanso: I Have a Very Strong Personal Feeling for Mongolia - Interview

Business

  • Companies Spend the Raised Capital on Expanding Their Operations

  • ‘Gazar Shim Uildver’ Ltd launches IPO

  • E-business platform to obtain 230 permits be opened on April 6

  • Mongolia Embraces Impact Investing for Inclusive Growth

  • Mongolia-Russia Business Forum Held in Ulaanbaatar

  • Your E-Visa To Be Ready In 3 Steps 

  • FRC: Panel discussion on "Managing Compliance Risk"

  • Jade Gas generates gas flare during extended testing

  • Elixir Energy reports “strong pressure build-up” during production shut-in at Nomgon

  • Unitel Gets the IPv6 Ball Rolling in Mongolia

  • Aivaz Omorkanov: Ice hockey will fit into the Mongolian atmosphere and culture - Interview

  • Aranjin Resources Eyes Partnership with China for Mongolia Copper Projects - Video

Global and Regional Trends

  • Britain expected to reach broad agreement on joining Pacific trade pact soon

  • WPIC expects up to USD 300bn of investments in green hydrogen by 2030

  • Russia March fuel oil exports to Singapore and Malaysia hit record-traders, data

  • Private equity deals in Asia plunged 44 pct in 2022. More uncertainty may be ahead

  • US, Japan sign trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals

  • Asia is an area of certainty amid global volatility, says China’s Boao Forum outlook

  • Vietnam posts 3.3 pct GDP growth in Q1

  • Copper price rises to nearly USD 9,000

  • Peru's Antamina mine life extension cost hiked to USD 2 billion, CEO says

  • Alibaba will split into six units, reshaping Jack Ma’s business empire

BCM Updates

  • BCM submits policy paper

  • The BCM appoints Raphaël Goué as official BCM representative in Europe

  • SDG Investor Mapping project survey - Identifying business cases for investment opportunities

  • UNICEF: Guidance for employers on flexible work arrangements and other good workplace practices in the context of Covid-19

  • UNICEF: Call for actions of the private sector to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution in UB

  • BCM Guideline for Companies to Combat Air Pollution

  • Member-to-member special offers & benefits

Economic Indicators

  • Inflation

  • Central Bank Policy Rate

  • Sovereign Credit Rating

  • Currency Rates

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

BCM HIGHLIGHT

WORLD EXPORT DEVELOPMENT FORUM B2B SURVEY FOR ICT SECTOR 

Dear colleagues,  

I am writing to you on behalf of our programme lead, Ms. Natalie Domeisen, to request your assistance in disseminating a questionnaire prepared by ITC experts, Ms. Beatriz Rodriguez, and Mr. Martin Labbe (in a copy). The questionnaire aims to evaluate the capacity of Mongolian ICT companies to sell digital services and products internationally, and it has already been shared by MNCCI and ITC. However, the response rate has been low, and we would greatly appreciate your help in reaching more companies. The main sources, from where the Mongolian ICT companies were collected were Mindgolia and the list of companies, provided by MNCCI. 

As you may already know, the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) is an annual event that provides a platform to talk trade, do business, and drive development. This year's theme is "Diversify with Green Trade: Organic, Digital, Sustainable," and one of the possible components of WEDF is a B2B event focused on a specific sector that aligns with the host country's trade priorities. To determine whether a B2B event focused on the information and communication technology (ICT) sector can be organized during WEDF 2023, we need to better understand the capacity of the sector in Mongolia to sell digital services and products internationally. With regards to B2B, the priority is given to the companies, which have their promotional materials (websites, catalogues) in foreign languages and can communicate in English. 

Please find attached the information about WEDF and the survey. If you have any questions or require further information about WEDF, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can also arrange a brief online meeting with our colleagues to discuss this matter.  Also, please visit our WEDF Webpage to find more information about registration procedure, etc.   

Click here to take the survey

Thank you in advance for your support! 

Sincerely yours, 

Olya 

Ms. Olha Krylova 
Communications and Events Consultant 
Office of the Executive Director 
International Trade Centre 
Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland 
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Tel. +41 79 876 82 31
 

BCM NEWSWIRE SURVEY

Dear valued members,
 
The Business Council of Mongolia sincerely appreciates its members and always tries to progressively improve the services it provides. With that being said, we would appreciate it dearly if you could kindly take 2-3 minutes of your day to fill out the following survey on our Weekly Friday Newswire. We would like to receive your feedback to ameliorate the content of our newswire. 
 
Please find the questionnaire here
 
Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Your contribution is highly valuable to us. 


ECONOMY

EXPORT INCREASES BY 8.2 PERCENT M/M, TRADE TURNOVER UP 55 PCT Y/Y

According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, in the first two months of 2023, Mongolia traded with 118 countries from all over the world, and the total trade turnover reached USD 3.4 billion, of which USD 2.2 billion were exports and USD 1.2 billion were imports.
The total foreign trade turnover increased by USD 1.5 billion (55.2 percent), where imports increased by USD 160.5 million (15.5 percent) and exports increased by USD 1.1 billion (90.1 percent) compared to the same period of the previous year.
In February 2023, exports increased by USD 88.1 million (8.2 percent) and imports decreased by USD 177.8 million (25.8 percent) compared to the previous month.
The foreign trade balance was in surplus of USD 1 billion, an increase of 7.3 times compared to the same period of the previous year. In February 2023, the trade balance surplus increased by USD 265.9 million from previous month.

Source: Montsame

MONGOLIA’S ECONOMY IS FORECAST TO GROW 7 PCT IF CHINA HITS ITS ANNUAL GDP TARGET

Mongolia's economy can grow 7 percent this year on the condition that China achieves its target for a 5 percent expansion in gross domestic product, according to Mongolia's vice prime minister.
China's rapid economic growth is very beneficial for Mongolia as it promotes the country’s exports, which are crucial for the economy, Chimed Khürelbaatar, who is also economy and development minister, told Yicai Global yesterday on the sidelines of the annual Boao Forum for Asia that began the same day.
China is Mongolia's biggest trading partner. Mongolia’s trade with its neighbor jumped to a record USD13.6 billion in the 12 months ended Dec. 31 from the year before, data from its National Statistics Office showed, making up 64 percent of its total foreign trade last year.
The fast recovery of China's economy leads the country to buy more of Mongolia's products and increase investment, Khürelbaatar said, adding that Mongolia will keep exporting coal products to China.

Source: YiCaiGlobal.com

MONGOLIA FEB RAIL COAL SHIPMENT DROPS; IRON ORE KEEPS RISING

Mongolia's coal shipment through railway was registered at 1.26 million tonnes in February, up 32.21% compared with the preceding year but falling 14.58% from a month earlier, snapping the sixth straight month of increase, showed data from Mongolian statistical authority.
Rail-carried iron ore shipment stood at 398,300 tonnes, surging 45.21% from the preceding year and rising 8.23% from a month earlier, marking the third month of increase, data showed.
Mongolia's rail coal shipment totaled 2.73 million tonnes during the first two months of 2023, up 28.96% from the preceding year. Iron ore shipment was 766,300 tonnes, up 144.38% year on year.

Source: sxcoal.com

MONGOLIA OFFERS LOW-INTEREST MORTGAGES TO REDUCE URBANIZATION

Mongolia started to offer low-interest rate housing mortgages to reduce urbanization, local media reported on Monday, citing the country's Finance Ministry.
Citizens who have moved from the capital city of Ulan Bator to other parts of the country and citizens living in rural areas can apply for a housing mortgage with an interest rate of 3 percent, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, seven commercial banks started receiving requests for the low mortgage rate late last week.
The move aims to reduce urbanization and promote rural development, it said.
In 2020, the Asian country lowered mortgage rates from 8 percent to 6 percent to help more people purchase houses.

Source: Xinhua

BANKS HAVE ENOUGH EQUITY TO SUSTAIN THE MAIN ECONOMIC SECTORS

Mongolian Bankers’ Association held a press conference on March 28. “Consumer goods prices are cheaper in Mongolia than in other countries. It could be a leverage for our country to improve competitive advantages.”, N. Sosorburam, Economic Researcher, informed at the press conference. 
The real rate of return on deposits was negative during the pandemic, leading people to withdraw their deposits and choose other types of investments, like cryptocurrencies and real estate. With the tendency for interest rates of deposits to increase this year, people are getting interested in traditional and risk-free deposits again. 
The foreign trade balance increased by 60 percent last year, compared to 2021. Exports, which were declining in 2022 due to difficulties in transport logistics, started increasing from the middle of that year. As a result, we have gained profitable trade balance. Imports are increasing as well. Overall, a recovery of the mining sector is playing an important role in economic growth.

Source: Montsame

48.9 BILLION MNT KEPT DOMESTICALLY THROUGH THE “AMAR BAINA UU 2023” TRADE FAIR

The meeting of the Council of Governor of the capital city, chaired by First Deputy Governor in charge of Economy and Infrastructure J.Sandagsuren, was held on March 23. At the meeting, the results of the trade fair "Amar baina uu 2023" were presented.
According to a study, Mongolians spend 1.3 trillion MNT for Lunar New Year needs and 70-80 percent of it is spent on imported products. Therefore, in order to keep this money domestically, to increase economic cycle, and to support national manifacturers and to create conditions to cooperate, the "Amar baina uu 2023" trade fair including investment and cooperation was organized by the initiative of the Governor of the capital city.
For the first time, more than 1,000 small and medium-sized business owners from 21 aimags of Mongolia and nine districts of the capital city participated in the "Amar baina uu 2023" trade fair without paying any rent.

Source: Mayor's Office

FITCH RATINGS: DEVELOPMENT BANK OF MONGOLIA LLC - UPDATE

Development Bank of Mongolia LLC's Issuer Default Ratings and Government Support Rating are equalised with the IDRs of the Mongolian sovereign (B/Stable). This reflects Fitch's assessment that the state has a strong propensity to provide support for the bank, if required, based on DBM's policy role, full state ownership and close linkages with the government. The Mongolian state remains the sole shareholder and the Ministry of Finance chairs the bank's board, overseeing its operation. Policy Role to Support Economy: DBM, as the only policy financial institution in Mongolia, has a specific mandate to finance projects in key sectors to support the economy, as per the Development Bank of Mongolia Act. DBM plays an important role in financing development projects initiated under the government's New Revival Policy to improve Mongolia's transport infrastructure and enhance its energy capacity in the medium to long term.

Source: Fitch Ratings

1.1 MILLION CHILDREN OF 993 THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE CHILDREN ALLOWANCE

As of today, 1.1 million children from 993,725 households are receiving children allowance.
The Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour has digitized 110 services out of 160 services in the sector and connected 18 services to the E-Mongolia electronic system. 
The main systems of the industry such as ehalamj, ejob, ezuvshuurul and etuslamj have been presented during the meeting. E.Batshugar, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Parliament, emphasized the "ejob" platform, which provides employment mediation services of public and private sector employers. 
E.Batshugar also mentioned that citizens are able to check their information and apply through the e-mongolia and e-halamj systems.
The Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour plays an important role in forming human resources in the field of information technology. Therefore, the operations at the policy level of the ministry have been presented. 

Source: GoGo News

MONGOLIA WILL SECURE ENDURING CONSERVATION IN THE "LAND OF ETERNAL BLUE SKY"

Today, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MoET) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Mongolia co-organized Kick-off Workshop to introduce the planning stages of the Project Finance For Permanence (PFP), a sustainable financial tool to protect lands and water and support local communities’ livelihoods.
Mongolia’s grasslands are increasingly threatened by climate change, overgrazing, and development pressures such as mining. As a result, approximately 70 percent of our country’s grasslands are degraded to some degree. That’s why the Mongolian government pledged to protect and sustainably manage 120 million acres, or 30 percent of the country, by 2030. To achieve this goal, the government of Mongolia is working to implement the PFP in collaboration with the Enduring Earth Partnership.
“It is my honor to co-lead the PFP initiative in Mongolia,” said Uranchimeg.Ts, Director General of the Natural Reserve Policy and Coordination Department in MoET. “The PFP approach is a great opportunity for Mongolia to accelerate large-scale conservation efforts rapidly and reach environmental goals. “

Source: GoGo News

CRYPTO-COINS AND MONETARY POLICY - EDITORIAL

There are two ways to get people to act on their own. The first is to encourage or promise them a reward for taking a certain step. The second is to control or punish them based on fear. Crypto-coin investors are affected in both ways. First, there is the naive expectation that the coins they buy will grow and generate huge profits. Some may have even planned an expensive vacation to the tropics. Second, is the fear of being left empty-handed when everyone says you can buy and sell coins and make lots of dollars.
This is observed not only in Mongolia. And it is not for the first time either. This is the nature of human behaviour . You could say that this phenomenon has always occurred in  financial and capital markets, in every period of economic overheating. In the world, this phenomenon is known as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Opportunity). Only this time the FOMO field was coins.

Source: Mongolian Mining Journal

BREATHING EASY FOR THE FUTURE: MONGOLIA NEEDS BETTER LONG-TERM MEASURES AGAINST AIR POLLUTION - EDITORIAL

One anti-pollution measure already well established elsewhere is the Euro-5 standard. Its adoption in Mongolia could be of benefit, in particular its specifications for the quality of petrol and diesel fuel used in private vehicles. The government has made some moves in this direction, but progress is slow and obstacles remain.
There is no doubt about the urgency. In the 10 years to 2018, rates of respiratory infections in the city increased 2.7 times. That year a report found that children in one part of central Ulaanbaatar had 40 percent lower lung function than those in a rural area. It also predicted that, if air pollution is not significantly reduced, the cost of treating related diseases in children would increase by 33 percent by 2025, equivalent to an additional 4.8 billion MNT (US$ 2 million) annually. Related risks to children include stillbirth, preterm birth, lower birth weight, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and death.

Source: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

POLITICS

MINISTER OF ENERGY: RUSSIA FILED A COMPLAINT TO UNESCO REGARDING EG RIVER HYDRO POWER PLANT

B.Choijilsuren, the Minister of Energy, gave the following information during the presentation of the decisions made at the regular meeting of the cabinet.
Russia has filed a complaint to UNESCO regarding Eg River Hydro Power Plant. According to this, we hired an external company to conduct an environmental impact assessment, and the assessment has been made. The assessment will be delivered to UNESCO, and it has been delivered to Russia. After this issue is resolved, we will begin the intensification of the work on Eg River Hydro Power Plan.
As for the Tavan Tolgoi Hydro Power Plant, a draft resolution was submitted at last week's Cabinet meeting to create a legal environment for bidding. The Ministers made several proposals. Therefore, it was necessary to postpone it for one more week and ministers to consolidate their proposals. Therefore, it will be resolved at the Cabinet meeting on April 4 and 5, and then the bidding will be announced.

Source: GoGo News

BILL ON LIQUIDATION OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT FUND SUPPORTED

During its plenary session on March 23, Parliament supported to discuss a draft amendment to the Law on Special Government Fund.
In order to increase the income of agricultural operators and create an accessible distribution system for products based on the real market demand and needs, the bill sponsors believe that it is appropriate to establish a state-owned enterprise. The draft amendment includes provisions for the liquidation of the Agricultural Support Fund.
During the session, Minister of Agriculture and Light Industry Kh.Bolorchuluun reported, “The Agricultural Support Fund has become a place of debt and charity. The amount of the fund’s receivables and payables is 200 billion MNT. It’s really not possible to go on like this. In any case, we view that people’s tax cannot be spent inefficiently as a fund. Therefore, the fund needs to be converted into a corporation. Management members will be selected through a selection process. We will change its staff and structure.

Source: The UB Post

MONGOLIA'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY ELECTS GANTUMUR AS NEW LEADER WITH FOCUS ON 2024 ELECTIONS

Mongolia's opposition Democratic Party (DP) has elected Luvsannyamyn Gantumur, a former Education Minister and member of the centrist faction, as its new Chairman. The selection process involved extensive internal dialogue and negotiations to reconcile the party's divisions.
Gantumur, a veteran of government and civil society, has pledged to prioritize electoral reform and restore democracy in the country through fair and transparent processes. He is expected to lead the party towards a more moderate, liberal stance and focus on a liberal agenda for the 2024 election in Mongolia.
Fluent in Japanese and educated in Japan, Gantumur also aims to improve Mongolia's relations with Tokyo.
However, Gantumur's selection was not without controversy. His main rival, former Finance Minister Sangajavyn Bayartsogt, was seen as representing big business interests and had ties to multinational corporations. There were also concerns raised about his purported Chinese origin.

Source: Mongolia Weekly

CABINET SUGGESTS 50 PERCENT WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN 38 PARTY-LIST CANDIDATES FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

The Cabinet discussed more than 30 proposals it developed for the draft law on amendments to the Law on Parliamentary Elections initiated by some Parliament members.
Speaking at a news conference after the cabinet meeting, D. Amarbayasgalan, Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat, said the Government has proposed to increase the quota for women in the draft law on amendments to the Law on Parliamentary Elections. Specifically, the Cabinet has suggested that the proportion of one gender in the total number of candidates should not be less than 30 percent. He added that when the parties list the names of 38 party-list candidates, they should alternate between male and female candidates, ensuring 50 percent participation of female candidates.

Source: Government of Mongolia

INTEGRATED PLATFORM TO ENCOURAGE WHISTLEBLOWING

The Government of Mongolia declared 2023 the “Year to Combat Corruption." Accordingly, the Government is striving to eradicate corruption through its five “W” Operations.
In connection with the “Whistleblowing” Operation, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications has launched a website shilen.gov.mn. Today, the Minister of Digital Development and Communications N. Uchral briefed the press on this integrated platform. 
“Currently, license holders’ information has been made public on this platform. The platform will bring numerous advantages for stakeholders. 
1. For citizens, it will allow citizens to oversight Government’s activities;
2. For the press, they will be able to rely on more credible sources;  
3. For the non-government organizations, they will be provided with reliable information;
4. For businesses, it will foster fair competition;
5. For the Government, it will help improve its transparency.  

Source: Montsame

HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM REPORT SUBMITTED

On March 29, the 22nd Report on Human Rights and Freedom in Mongolia was submitted to Speaker of Parliament G.Zandanshatar by Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission J.Khunan and other members of the Commission.
The 22nd Report developed 43 proposals within the following seven topics:
•    Issues related to arrest and detention within the framework of the right to immunity and freedom,
•    Implementation of the freedom of speech, association, demonstration, and peaceful assembly within the framework of the legal regulation of civil participation, 
•    Implementation of the right to work of special government and public service employees within the framework of some issues of the right to work,
•    Within the framework of some issues of children's rights, issues related to the protection of children's rights and implementation of the right to live and develop in a healthy and safe environment in boarding schools, and protection of the rights and legal interests of children involved in crimes…

Source: Montsame

L.OYUN-ERDENE: WE MUST EXPOSE THE COAL MAFIA IF WE WANT TO DEVELOP MONGOLIA

L.Oyun-Erdene, the Prime Minister of Mongolia, gave information at the cabinet meeting on March 24.
Coal and copper are two of the four main mining products, accounting for 93% of Mongolia's exports. Mongolia has two big groups: coal and copper. It is no secret that there is a group of people who want to buy all of them and hold politics hostage through banks. In the past, funds have been raised and court appointments have been made.
A coal mafia must be exposed if Mongolia wants to develop in the future. Look at the economic growth and budget outperformance associated with the package of measures in Tavan Tolgoi. It means that there was a large amount of hidden economy. There are many hidden problems. It is hard to discuss justice and politics if the transparency of coal and copper is not established in the next 10-20 years. Therefore, we are going to change this situation.

Source: GoGo News

MONGOLIA'S LAND REGULATORY SYSTEM: A QUEST FOR TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY

With a whopping 70% of the country's land dedicated to livestock grazing, reforms in this area carry significant political weight, as they directly impact the lives of herders in rural areas, a critical voting bloc for politicians seeking reelection in 2024.
The proposed reforms aim to modernize Mongolia's land regulatory system through digitalization, streamlining land acquisition and permit issuance through an electronic system.
This move is expected to make land management more transparent and effective.
Additionally, the reforms seek to create a centralized and professionalized system for land allocation through the creation of a Land Professional Organization. The organization would be responsible for managing the allocation of land through open auctions and project selection principles.
However, the reforms have encountered opposition from various groups, with some expressing concern about land acquisition by foreigners and the potential for exploitation. Others have criticized the proposed 5-year tenure for privileged farming households, stating that it is too short to generate meaningful results.

Source: Mongolia Weekly

UNDP IN MONGOLIA STRENGTHENS ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH CIVIL SOCIETY

UNDP in Mongolia formed the Civil Society Advisory Committee today to further enhance its partnership with civil society organizations. Civil society plays a crucial role in Mongolia’s development by promoting accountability and transparency while empowering citizens to participate in decision-making processes. 
Established in 2000 at the global level, the UNDP Civil Society Advisory Committee (CSAC) is an advisory body of the UNDP to systematize the consultation process between UNDP and civil society actors. 
UNDP in Mongolia has maintained a robust collaboration with civil society actors over the years including the designing of its new Country Programme Document for 2023-2027 and the creation of this group is a testament to UNDP’s strong commitment to an inclusive and participatory approach in Mongolia, recognizing that civil society plays a critical role in promoting inclusive sustainable development. 
Through the CSAC, UNDP is seeking to foster an open dialogue, engage in meaningful consultations, and work collaboratively with civil society organizations.

Source: UNDP

PM: WE SHOULD CREATE A LEGAL FRAMEWORK THAT EQUATES YEARS OF SERVICE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PUBLIC SERVICE

L. Oyun-Erdene, Prime Minister of Mongolia, met with the representatives of staff working at international organizations, exchanging views on government policy and the cooperation with international organizations.
Mentioning that he started his career at an international organization, gaining knowledge and experience, the Prime Minister gave a speech on the New Revival Policy.
After elaborating on the geopolitical situation, he stressed the economic climate in Mongolia. Pointing out that 93 percent of our country's total exports consist of mining products, the Prime Minister noted that the government is focusing on exposing the underground economy related to mining.
Expressing his gratitude to the staff working at international organizations in Mongolia for their knowledge, experience, and contributions to the country's development, the Prime Minister said it is possible to create a legal framework that equates years of service in international organizations to public service.

Source: Government of Mongolia

MONGOLIA’S TRADE HAS DOUBLED SINCE CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE’S LAUNCH, MINISTER SAYS - VIDEO

Chimed Khurelbaatar, Mongolia’s deputy prime minister and minister of economy and development, discusses how China’s Belt and Road Initiative has benefited the country.

Source: CNBC

IMPLICATIONS OF DALAI LAMA IDENTIFYING NEW HEAD OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM IN MONGOLIA - EDITORIAL

The 14th Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism whom China sees as a “dangerous separatist,” appears to have outsmarted the communist-ruled country by quietly announcing the new head of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia, a position for which China wanted Mongolia to seek its consent.
The announcement happened on March 8 during an event in India, and the media picked up the news on March 23. However, as of March 28, there has been no response from China, which in 2017 had warned Mongolia against allowing the Dalai Lama to meddle in the identification of the heir to the highest position in Mongolia’s Buddhist hierarchy. There has been no official response from Mongolia either.
“We have the reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoché of Mongolia with us today,” the Dalai Lama said, indicating a small boy sitting next to him, while addressing a gathering of about 5,000 monks and nuns and 600 Mongolians on March 8.

Source: The Diplomat

KHOVD PROVINCE GOVERNOR: OUR GOAL IS TO BECOME AN ECONOMICALLY INDEPENDENT AIMAG - INTERVIEW

E. Bolormaa, Governor of Khovd aimag, discussed local development issues, challenges, solutions, and planned activities.
What is the current situation and future plans for energy supply in the western region?
Khovd is an aimag with abundant resources of renewable energy. For example, Khovd has two energy sources: the Durgun hydropower plant (HPP) and the Myangad solar power plant. The construction of the Erdeneburen HPP is currently being discussed at the government level and is expected to begin soon. The Durgun hydropower plant has a capacity of 9 MW. The capacity of the solar power plant in Myangad is 10 MW. Together, the two plants produce a total of 19 MW of electricity. The annual consumption of the Khovd aimag is 17 MW on average. However, since these investments and construction works are financed from the state budget, we have to supply the energy we generate to the power system of the western region and share the losses and profits.

Source: Mongolian Mining Journal

L.BYAMBAKHAND: AS RESEARCHER, I WOULD SAY THAT MONGOLIA IS TAKING STEP TOWARDS FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY - INTERVIEW

In the following interview, international relations researcher L.Byambakhand delved into her research on feminist foreign policy and the measures taken by the government in this field.
You conducted research on feminist foreign policy and the government policies and activities, as well as the measures that can be implemented in the future. What is a feminist foreign policy?
Gender equality is being talked internationally. This concept was first created in 2014 by Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Margot Wallstrom. She proposed the principle of 3Rs: rights, representation and resources. Rights refer to achieving gender equality by combating gender-based violence and discrimination. Representation means supporting women’s participation at all levels of decision-making. Using all resources is also the principle of implementing projects and programs aimed at eliminating gender inequality. In general, the issue of creating equality will be placed at the center of foreign policy. Canada launched its Feminist International Assistance Policy in 2017.

Source: The UB Post

JAPAN AND MONGOLIA: HOW ECONOMIC GIANTS ARE STRENGTHENING SMALL STATES - EDITORIAL

Mongolia is increasingly in the sights of most major geopolitical players, according to modern experts in the field of international relations. For example, the United States intends to establish an Indo-Pacific region in which Mongolia will play an important ideological and political role. Mongolia is regarded as an important East Asian “dialogue partner” by South Korean and British politicians. Investment cooperation is intensifying everywhere, numerous business forums are being held, and the participation of extra-regional economic agents in the development of deposits on the country’s territory is expanding.
Japan is also looking to expand its presence in Mongolia. It is constructing road infrastructure, re-equipping thermal power plants, and constructing and jointly operating a new international airport in Mongolia. Despite its small population, the Japanese are becoming increasingly interested in Mongolia’s natural resources and labor force.

Source: New Eastern Outlook

AMBASSADOR OF ESTONIA MR. HANNES HANSO: I HAVE A VERY STRONG PERSONAL FEELING FOR MONGOLIA - INTERVIEW

On March 28, 2023, Montsame interviewed Mr. Hannes Hanso, Ambassador Estonia, with residence in PRC, to Mongolia. Just before giving interview to us, he had presented his credentials to President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. Honorary Consul of the Republic of Estonia in Mongolia L. Khulan and Political Counselor of Embassy of the Republic of Estonia Ingvar Arst were present at the meeting. 
We know that Mongolia has been introducing the know-how, technology, and experiences of Estonia in the IT sector, specifically in developing E-Mongolia. Could you comment on the largest achievements in IT sector cooperation? How can this cooperation be developed further?  
Estonia is a quite small country. But I think we are strong in Innovations, such as adopting innovative methods for governance and running different services to cut off bureaucracy. It saves the country a lot of money, makes Government Services more efficient, and eliminates corruption.

Source: Montsame

BUSINESS

COMPANIES SPEND THE RAISED CAPITAL ON EXPANDING THEIR OPERATIONS

Companies that have issued shares and bonds must report to the Mongolian Stock Exchange (MSE) the spending of their capital, raised through selling their shares, on an annual and semi-annual basis. In the event that the spending is not on the intended or planned purpose, they are held accountable in accordance with relevant regulations.
D. Nyamdorj, a Capital Market Analyst, presented how the companies, that participate in the capital market and have issued their shares and bonds, are spending their raised capital.  According to him, the spending can vary, depending on the nature of their products, services, and operations.
For instance, the MSE is spending MNT 11.9 billion, which was raised during its IPO in January 2023, mainly on its technological improvements, digitalization of the operations, and training and service center updates.
“Invescore” Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFI) is planning to spend the capital of MNT 50 billion, which will be raised through the issuance of its bond, on financing its loan portfolio.

Source: Montsame

‘GAZAR SHIM UILDVER’ LTD LAUNCHES IPO

The trading ceremony of publicly issued securities on the primary offering market by ‘Gazar Shim  Uildver’ LTD was held. The company has 24 years of experience in the food industry. The event was attended by prominent officials, including H. Bolorchuluun, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, D.Bayarsaikhan, Chairman of FRC, T.Khasherdene, Director of the Business Development Department at Mongolian Stock Exchange, Ts.Ganbat, Director of Gazarshim Uildver LTD, D.Angar, Chairman of the board at Novel Investment LLC and other relevant dignitaries.
During his opening speech, D.Bayarsaikhan, Chairman of FRC emphasized the significant activity in the domestic stock market in recent years, with its ratio to GDP consistently increasing year after year. This indicates the successful coordination and collaboration between the policies of the FRC, infrastructure organizations, and professional participants. To enhance the opportunities for companies to attract funds from the capital market through IPOs and corporate bonds, we have recently approved…

Source: FRC

E-BUSINESS PLATFORM TO OBTAIN 230 PERMITS BE OPENED ON APRIL 6

N.Uchral, the Minister of Digital Development and Communications, gave the following information.
- Let's announce the transparent index every month when conducting external evaluations that meet the criteria because the government has decided and there is a part-time council that the government has already decided. Furthermore, the organizations that have made their information transparent will be presented to the government by differentiating them by color.
We consider that external evaluation of disclosed information should be carried out by professionals and NGOs, and an arbitral monitoring council should be established. The council will include representatives of journalists, civil society organizations, professional experts, scientists, and researchers. As a result, we can completely solve the problems related to corruption in today's society.
Citizens will cooperate and create a system that controls the government. Every month, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications will announce the transparent index.

Source: GoGo News

MONGOLIA EMBRACES IMPACT INVESTING FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH

Mongolia is embracing impact investing as a means of promoting inclusive growth and financial inclusion. Impact investing, a rapidly growing industry that generates positive social and environmental impact alongside financial returns, is an approach that aligns investment strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Impact investing has the potential to raise trillions to address the world’s most pressing development needs, from preventing and mitigating climate change to delivering the health and education services needed for lasting prosperity.
According to the latest report by The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), the worldwide impact investing market size is $1.2 trillion.
The challenges and risks of impact investing include difficulties in measuring and reporting impact, balancing financial and social returns, finding suitable deals and exits, and managing integrity and authenticity.
These challenges can be addressed by developing clear strategies, standards, frameworks, and tools for impact investing.

Source: Mongolia Weekly

MONGOLIA-RUSSIA BUSINESS FORUM HELD IN ULAANBAATAR

Russia has exported goods worth USD 2.6 billion to Mongolia, while Mongolian export to Russia has amounted to around USD 91.6 million. It clearly shows that the balance in trade between the two countries has been lost.
In this case, one of the gateways to increase Mongolian export to Russia could be the re-export, according to the attendees at the Mongolia-Russia Business Forum which was held on March 23 in Ulaanbaatar. In this regard, the President of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Amartuvshin underlined the importance of developing the free trade zones in Mongolia and ensuring their readiness to increase the re-export. 
Over 40 companies’ representatives from Russia, headed by the Governor of Irkutsk province Mr. Igor Kobzev, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Eastern Siberia Mr. Alexey Sobol participated in the Forum. Due to the proximity of location, Irkutsk province is the main bridge for trade and economic cooperation between the countries. 

Source: Montsame

YOUR E-VISA TO BE READY IN 3 STEPS 

In connection with the declaration of 2023-2025, the “Years to Visit Mongolia” by the Government of Mongolia, the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to apply for Mongolian e-visa has been revised, covering 99 countries.   
Citizens of the countries on this list, including European countries, Australia, and New Zeland, can apply for three types of e-visas, which are Tourist /K2/, Participant in cultural and sports competition /K4/ and Transit /K6/ from anywhere in the world. 
Only three simple steps are required to apply for a Mongolian e-visa: 
1. Go to https://evisa.mn/ ; 
2. Fill out the application form accurately and completely;
3. Pay the e-visa fee online. 
Your e-visa will be sent to your e-mail address within 48 hours.
Since October 2021, the Immigration Agency of Mongolia has issued over 9000 e-visas.

Source: Montsame

FRC: PANEL DISCUSSION ON "MANAGING COMPLIANCE RISK"

The Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC), in partnership with the Bridge Association of Real Estate, the Financial Information Unit of the Bank of Mongolia, and the "Financial Education Hub", facilitated an open discussion on "Compliance Risk Management" for participants in the real estate industry. The purpose of this event was to promote compliance best practices and risk management strategies. During his address at the open discussion, T. Jambaajamts, Chief Executive, FRC, emphasized the significance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in order to elevate the real estate brokerage industry and cultivate competent professionals in the field. He further emphasized the importance of fortifying the national system to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing, and establishing a clear and accountable regulatory framework that restricts criminal activities. These efforts would contribute to creating a more transparent and responsible business environment.

Source: FRC

JADE GAS GENERATES GAS FLARE DURING EXTENDED TESTING

ASX-listed Jade Gas Holdings has commenced extended testing of the Red Lake-5 and Red Lake-7 wells in the Red Lake area of its TTCBM Project permit, in the south Gobi region of Mongolia.
Jade Managing Director and CEO Chris Jamieson said the commencement of the extended testing of the wells is a crucial phase in terms of data gathering for the company’s pilot production program later in the year.
“It was pleasing to see a flare generated from gas pressure build up in Red Lake-5 yesterday, and while the flow was brief and un-metered, it was an encouraging early sign.
“Red Lake-5 and Red Lake-7 will provide key information regarding permeability of the coals and water quality that will assist in the design of our horizontal pilot production wells, the laterals of which are expected to be around one kilometre in length.

Source: PetroleumAustralia.com.au
View the Jade Gas release

ELIXIR ENERGY REPORTS “STRONG PRESSURE BUILD-UP” DURING PRODUCTION SHUT-IN AT NOMGON

After shutting-in production at its Nomgon-8 and 9 wells, Elixir Energy Ltd has reported strong down-hole pressure build-up it says shows good reservoir support.
As part of the wholly owned Nomgon IX Coal Bed Methane (CBM) production-sharing contract (PSC) in Mongolia’s South Gobi Basin, the wells were successfully drilled in October last year by Major Drilling. The necessary down-hole and surface facilities were then installed, and gas began flowing in early November as part of a pilot production program.
Since then, Nomgon has continued to hit various milestones, most recently at the start of March when the two wells passed 200,000 standard cubic feet per day (scfpd) for the first time.
Following the completion of the shut-in period, Elixir intends to remove and replace all gauges in the two wells, clean and wash all cuttings from the wellbore, change and lower all down-hole pumps, and recalibrate all surface equipment.

Source: Proactive Investors

UNITEL GETS THE IPV6 BALL ROLLING IN MONGOLIA

Earlier this year while compiling the latest IPv6 deployment data for our Pulse Enabling Technologies page my attention was drawn to a dramatic rise in levels of IPv6 traffic emanating from Mongolia. Interested to learn more, we set about making contact with Unitel, the largest digital service provider in Mongolia and the source of the sudden dramatic increase in IPv6 adoption in that country.
Although we only detected the growth in IPv6 adoption recently, it’s been 7 years since 2016 when Unitel started researching IPv6 deployment in earnest as their projected growth in subscriber numbers and data volumes indicated IPv6 would be a vital technology for them in the near future. Unitel decided to adopt a phased deployment approach and, starting in 2018 with their core network elements, they gradually progressed to IPv6 enable all of their network infrastructure.

Source: InternetSociety.org

AIVAZ OMORKANOV: ICE HOCKEY WILL FIT INTO THE MONGOLIAN ATMOSPHERE AND CULTURE - INTERVIEW

I talked with the Vice President of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Aivaz Omorkanov about Mongolian ice hockey development and the Ice Hockey U18 Asia and Oceania Championship which was recently held in Mongolia. He was elected as Regional Vice-President Asia & Oceania on 25 September 2021. Before being elected into the IIHF Council he served as General Secretary as well as Public Relations Manager for the Ice Hockey Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic. When he was visiting Mongolia, he received the honor “The Medal of Friendship” from the president of Mongolia, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on March 17.
What was the reason for organizing this tournament in Mongolia?
Our federation discussed a lot about organizing this tournament in Mongolia. I have received amount of requests from the MIHF. We have Asia and Oceana Committee Member who is from Mongolia. He is A.Mergen, an expert. Having the Steppe Arena in Mongolia opened the possibility for MIHF to organize this tournament.

Source: The UB Post

ARANJIN RESOURCES EYES PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA FOR MONGOLIA COPPER PROJECTS - VIDEO

“Until you can shift the manufacturing hub of the world from China, China is going to continue to require those resources,” said Ali Haji, president and CEO of Aranjin Resources.
Aranjin Resources will consider potential partnerships with China as it moves to advance its copper assets in Mongolia.
“China, today, is the largest consumer of the vast majority of raw materials on the planet. And of course, our proximity to that country is one that cannot be ignored,” said Ali Haji, president and CEO of Aranjin Resources, which is based in Toronto.
Aranjin Resources owns two copper assets in Mongolia: the Sharga copper project and the Bayan Undur copper project, located in the provinces of Gobi-Altai and Bayankhongor, respectively.
Haji cited Rio Tinto’s Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia, which currently ships concentrate to China, where it's melted into copper cathode.

Source: InvestingNews.com

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

BRITAIN EXPECTED TO REACH BROAD AGREEMENT ON JOINING PACIFIC TRADE PACT SOON

The 11 members of a trans-Pacific trade pact which includes Japan and Australia are expected to soon reach broad agreement with Britain on it joining the partnership, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.
An announcement is expected to be made soon, the sources added, declining to be identified because the information has not been made public.
Britain said negotiations with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) had been going well. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said ministers were due to discuss CPTPP with their counterparts later this week and there would be an update at the "earliest possible opportunity".
Britain has been looking to build global trade ties following its departure from the European Union, and began negotiations in June 2021 to join the CPTPP grouping as it also looks to pivot toward geographically distant but fast-growing economies, especially in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: Reuters
See also: CPTPP: UK set to join Asia's trade club but what is it?

WPIC EXPECTS UP TO USD 300BN OF INVESTMENTS IN GREEN HYDROGEN BY 2030

Hydrogen will play a pivotal role in efforts to reach net zero, and investment, collaboration and the roll-out of supportive government policies are intensifying to achieve this, directly benefiting platinum demand, says the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC).
The council expects more than $300-billion worth of hydrogen investments to occur through to 2030 and demand for hydrogen to rise by seven times by 2050, with two-thirds of production coming from electrolysis.
Added to this, the WPIC anticipates China will have more than one-million fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on its roads by 2035 and that one in eight newly registered commercial vehicles globally will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells by 2030.
As 30 countries have developed or are in the process of developing hydrogen plans central to their decarbonisation strategies, the yearly global export market for green hydrogen is also expected to be worth $300-billion by 2050.

Source: Mining Weekly

RUSSIA MARCH FUEL OIL EXPORTS TO SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA HIT RECORD-TRADERS, DATA

Russia has sent record volumes of sea-borne fuel oil and vacuum gasoil (VGO) to Singapore and Malaysia in March, adding to oversupplied Asian markets, traders said and Refinitiv data showed.
The European Union's full embargo on Russian oil products came into effect on Feb. 5 and the bulk of Russia's fuel oil and VGO was redirected to other regions, mostly Asia, long before the deadline.
According to Refinitiv data, in March fuel oil and VGO shipments from Russian ports to Singapore and Malaysia could exceed 1.1 million tonnes, in line with loadings from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In total, Russian fuel oil and VGO exports could be at their highest since October, 2022, and reach more than 4.5 million tonnes, as traders look to get rid of surplus volumes after loading delays in February due to storm weather.

Source: Reuters
See also: Russia's Rosneft signs deal to boost oil supplies to India

PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS IN ASIA PLUNGED 44 PCT IN 2022. MORE UNCERTAINTY MAY BE AHEAD

Asia-Pacific’s private equity market plummeted last year — as investors’ appetite for risk fell in the face of inflation and geopolitical tensions, according to Bain & Company.
The total deal value for the region plunged by 44% to $198 billion in 2022, the global management and consulting firm said in a Tuesday report. That’s compared to $354 billion in 2021, the analysts said adding that nearly 70% of surveyed fund managers expect the negative trend to continue into 2024.
Lingering macroeconomic uncertainties alongside rising costs and worsening company performance that dampened investor sentiment, Bain said in its Asia Pacific Private Equity Report 2023.
“Investors, sensing a new era of slower growth, mounting inflation, and greater uncertainty, took time out to recalibrate their strategies, recognizing that what worked well in the past may not be the right approach for 2023 and beyond,” a group of authors from Bain’s Private Equity practice including Kiki Yang said in the report.

Source: CNBC

US, JAPAN SIGN TRADE DEAL ON ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY MINERALS

The United States and Japan on Tuesday signed a trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to a new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit.
The swiftly negotiated agreement prohibits the two countries from enacting bilateral export restrictions on the minerals most critical for EV batteries, according to senior Biden administration officials. The minerals include lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and manganese.
The deal also aims to reduce U.S.-Japanese dependence on China for such materials by requiring collaboration to combat "non-market policies and practices" of other countries in the sector and on conducting investment reviews of foreign investments in their critical minerals supply chains.
Minerals-focused trade deals are one way that the Biden administration hopes to open up access for trusted allies to the $7,500 per vehicle EV tax credits in last year's climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act.

Source: Reuters

ASIA IS AN AREA OF CERTAINTY AMID GLOBAL VOLATILITY, SAYS CHINA’S BOAO FORUM OUTLOOK

Asia, especially China, is an area of certainty amid global uncertainty, according to an annual economic outlook report released Tuesday at the high-profile Boao Forum in Hainan province.
“Deepened financial integration in Asia has made regional economies more resilient against negative impacts from international capital flows,” according to the executive summary of the report.
The Boao Forum outlook did not go into detail about recent banking turmoil in the U.S. and Switzerland, but said the banking sector is expected to remain stable. It was not clear whether it was referring to the global financial sector or the banking sector in Asia or China.
Instead, the report spent more time discussing the negative impact of aggressive U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate hikes on Asian economies.
It said it expected weighted real GDP in Asia to grow 4.5% this year — up from 4.2% in 2022, according annual outlook report released Tuesday.

Source: CNBC

VIETNAM POSTS 3.3 PCT GDP GROWTH IN Q1

Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown about 3.32% year on year in the first quarter of 2023, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
The expansion is only higher than the 3.21% recorded in Q1 of 2020 during the 2011 - 2023 period, the GSO told a press conference on March 29.
In particular, the agro-forestry-fishery sector expanded 2.52% and contributed 8.85% to the GDP growth. Meanwhile, industry and construction contracted 0.4%, leading to a 4.76% decline in the growth, and the service sector increased 6.79% to contribute to 95.91% of the overall expansion.
In the agro-forestry-fishery sector, agriculture saw a year-on-year increase of 2.43% in added value, forestry 3.66%, and fisheries 2.68%.
The added value of construction dropped 0.82% in Q1, the sharpest fall in the first three months of the years since 2011.

Source: Vietnam Plus
See also: Vietnam’s economy shows signs of revival

COPPER PRICE RISES TO NEARLY USD 9,000

Copper prices rose on Monday, supported by lowered global supplies.
Copper for delivery in May on the Comex market in New York touched $4.09 per pound ($8,998 per tonne), up 0.5% compared to Friday’s closing.
The most-traded May copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was up 0.2% to 69,250 yuan ($10,073.61) a tonne.
Copper inventories in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange were down 11.6% last Friday, falling for a fourth consecutive week.
Stocks have declined 36.2% so far to 161,152 tonnes, from a peak in late February.
“Funds have dumped their bets on higher copper prices as the turbulence triggered by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continues to roil financial markets,” wrote Andy Home, a columnist for Reuters.
“Early-year enthusiasm for copper as a proxy for China’s re-opening from stringent lockdown has succumbed to the contagious fear spreading from the banking sector to other risk asset classes.”

Source: Mining.com
See also: 

PERU'S ANTAMINA MINE LIFE EXTENSION COST HIKED TO USD 2 BILLION, CEO SAYS

Peru’s largest copper mine, Antamina, will spend $2 billion to extend the useful life of the deposit through 2036, up sharply from $1.6 billion previously planned, the company’s chief executive officer told Reuters on Wednesday.
Antamina CEO Victor Gobitz said the new investment figure for Antamina, co-owned by Glencore PLC, BHP Group Ltd, Teck Resources Ltd and Mitsubishi Corp, was due to higher and additional costs.
“It was due to costs on the one hand, and on the other hand because there are recurrent investments that the authorities believe should also be included in the investment figure,” Gobitz said in an telephone interview, adding he expected approval by mid-year.
Peru is the world’s second-largest producer of copper.
The lifespan of Antamina, which produced 467,905 tonnes of copper last year, is currently set to expire in 2028.

Source: Reuters

ALIBABA WILL SPLIT INTO SIX UNITS, RESHAPING JACK MA’S BUSINESS EMPIRE

Alibaba on Tuesday said it plans to split its business into six separate units, in a move that promises to radically reshape the sprawling Chinese e-commerce firm that Jack Ma founded nearly 25 years ago.
Each new business unit will be overseen by its own chief executive and board of directors, the company said. Five of the new business groups “will also have the flexibility to raise outside capital and potentially to seek its own IPO,” according to a company statement on Tuesday.
The major restructuring at one of China’s most iconic companies comes one day after Ma made a rare public appearance in the country and as Beijing has signaled that its regulatory pressure on the internet industry may be coming to an end.
Ma, once an outspoken billionaire in the country, has kept a very low profile since the Chinese government began a fierce crackdown on the tech sector more than two years ago.

Source: CNN
See also: Alibaba is splitting its empire into six business divisions

 

 

BCM SUBMITS POLICY PAPER

The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) Secretariat has submitted a Policy Paper to the Government of Mongolia on 13 October 2022.

BCM Secretariat has submitted summary of issues and proposed solutions on newly adopted Corporate Income Tax law drafted by the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Tax & Regulatory Working group (lead by Ms. Kh.Amarjargal, Country Director Mongolia-Rio Tinto, Mr.B.Battushig - Founding Partner of DB&GTS LLP and Mr.R.Khishignemekh -Senior Partner of Ernest and Young TMZ).

The 42 pages of findings and recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry; to Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament);  Standing Committee on the Economic Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Standing Committee on the Budget; Economy and Development Ministry. In collaboration with Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Association.                                        

BCM would like to thank Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Mining Association and BCM Regulatory & Tax Working Group for their efforts to protect legal interests and rights of business entities in Mongolia.

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.

SDG INVESTOR MAPPING PROJECT SURVEY - IDENTIFYING BUSINESS CASES FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The objective of this template is to collect data on businesses aligned with SDGs, and if selected, your provided data will be compiled into SDG Investor Map datasheet which will be eventually uploaded onto Global SDG Investor Platform managed by UNDP SDG Impact. The outcomes of the data will be aggregated to gather insights that will be presented in the form of a report along with other secondary research that we have conducted. Thus, we would like to seek your permission to use your data for business research and documentation purposes.  For any individual information from your business, due permission will be sought before the publishing of the report. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  30 March 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,520.67
Euro EUR   3,821.69
Japanese yen JPY   26.59
British pound GBP   4,348.38
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      448.50
Russian ruble RUB        45.65
Chinese yuan CNY      511.92
South Korean won KRW          2.71
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

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BCM NewsWire 775 – 24 March 2023

 


NewsWire

Issue 775 –  24 March 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


BCM Highlight

  • World Export Development Forum B2B Survey for ICT Sector 

  • BCM NewsWire survey

Economy

  • Mongolia's Feb coal output jumps 214 pct YoY; iron ore falls 63 pct

  • ITF Secretary-General visits Mongolia to present urban mobility study for Ulanbaatar

  • Development of Emeelt Light Industry Park is Underway

  • Ts.Tulga: 354 buildings in UB are not earthquake resistant

  • ADB Investment Program to Help Spur Green and Inclusive Agribusiness in Mongolia

  • 5,076 apartments to be put into use through the redevelopment of ger area in 2023

  • Mongolia has received over 76,000 foreign tourists in 2023

  • ILO: Green jobs potential in ger and nature tourism in Mongolia - Paper

  • New Australian Gas Policies Rattle Asia - Editorial

  • Detangling the Urban Paradox in Ulaanbaatar - Editorial

Politics

  • Parliament Accepts President’s Veto on the Law on Protecting Human Rights on Social Media

  • The joint cooperation framework for Mongolia and the UN in Mongolia for 2023-2027 enters into full swing

  • President Khurelsukh worked at the logistics center in Zamyn-Uud soum of Dornogobi Province

  • L. Oyun-Erdene: Eliminating congestion at the border checkpoints will increase export capacity by 2 to 3 times

  • Development Bank case: ‘There was no record of when and how 888 project lists were submitted’

  • ‘We will demand bill sponsors to meet requirements of Legislation Law when submitting draft laws’

  • Celebrated poet accused of collaborating with foreign intelligence service

  • Ulaanbaatar’s investment policy and solutions presented at the summit of Mongolian and Chinese entrepreneurs

  • Decisions Made at Cabinet Session, March 22

  • Food Supply and Security:  What if words and actions don’t match? - Editorial

  • Guest Post: Canada and Mongolia – The Enhanced Development Partnership that Never Was - Editorial

  • Trade Policy Retreating? - Editorial

  • Exiled Russians Build New Lives In Mongolia - Video

  • What Does Xi Jinping’s Third Term Mean for China-Mongolia Relations? - Editorial

Business

  • IFC Invests in Mongolia’s First Ever Green Bond in a Bid to Spur Climate-Smart Investments

  • Helping Foreign Entrepreneurs Understand Today’s Mongolian Business Environment

  • ION Energy completes third water well at Urgakh Naran project in Mongolia

  • Mongolia’s tourism stakeholders call for more government support

  • TMK Energy enters “milestone” agreement with Mongolian conglomerate

  • EU to Continue Its Project to Support SME in Mongolia

  • BASE is kickstarting energy savings insurance in Mongolia

  • 3 financial companies helping Mongolia to embrace technology

  • Aranjin Resources Provides Shareholder Update

  • Mongolia wins bronze medal in 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Asia and Oceania Championship

  • "Year of the tiger protagonists take center stage in 'MINE GER'" - Editorial

  • Rio’s big bold bet on copper in Mongolia - Editorial

Global and Regional Trends

  • The Fed lifts rates by a quarter point as banking turmoil complicates inflation fight

  • The world saw a record 9.6 pct growth in renewables in 2022

  • AT1 bonds and Credit Suisse: 4 things to know

  • China's Jan-Feb coal imports from Russia rise, Australia supply resumes

  • Peru expects 74 mining projects to become operative in 2023

  • Sri Lanka president declares 'new journey' as first IMF cash arrives

  • Peace plans and pipelines: What came out of the Putin-Xi talks?

  • China expected to account for 40 pct of this year's oil demand recovery

  • OPEC+ likely to stick to its guns despite price slump, delegates say

  • Chile to limit copper royalty bill after industry complaints -minister

BCM Updates

  • BCM submits policy paper

  • The BCM appoints Raphaël Goué as official BCM representative in Europe

  • SDG Investor Mapping project survey - Identifying business cases for investment opportunities

  • UNICEF: Guidance for employers on flexible work arrangements and other good workplace practices in the context of Covid-19

  • UNICEF: Call for actions of the private sector to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution in UB

  • BCM Guideline for Companies to Combat Air Pollution

  • Member-to-member special offers & benefits

Economic Indicators

  • Inflation

  • Central Bank Policy Rate

  • Sovereign Credit Rating

  • Currency Rates

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

BCM HIGHLIGHT

WORLD EXPORT DEVELOPMENT FORUM B2B SURVEY FOR ICT SECTOR 

Dear colleagues,  

I am writing to you on behalf of our programme lead, Ms. Natalie Domeisen, to request your assistance in disseminating a questionnaire prepared by ITC experts, Ms. Beatriz Rodriguez, and Mr. Martin Labbe (in a copy). The questionnaire aims to evaluate the capacity of Mongolian ICT companies to sell digital services and products internationally, and it has already been shared by MNCCI and ITC. However, the response rate has been low, and we would greatly appreciate your help in reaching more companies. The main sources, from where the Mongolian ICT companies were collected were Mindgolia and the list of companies, provided by MNCCI. 

As you may already know, the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) is an annual event that provides a platform to talk trade, do business, and drive development. This year's theme is "Diversify with Green Trade: Organic, Digital, Sustainable," and one of the possible components of WEDF is a B2B event focused on a specific sector that aligns with the host country's trade priorities. To determine whether a B2B event focused on the information and communication technology (ICT) sector can be organized during WEDF 2023, we need to better understand the capacity of the sector in Mongolia to sell digital services and products internationally. With regards to B2B, the priority is given to the companies, which have their promotional materials (websites, catalogues) in foreign languages and can communicate in English. 

Please find attached the information about WEDF and the survey. If you have any questions or require further information about WEDF, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can also arrange a brief online meeting with our colleagues to discuss this matter.  Also, please visit our WEDF Webpage to find more information about registration procedure, etc.   

Click here to take the survey

Thank you in advance for your support! 

Sincerely yours, 

Olya 

Ms. Olha Krylova 
Communications and Events Consultant 
Office of the Executive Director 
International Trade Centre 
Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland 
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Tel. +41 79 876 82 31
 

BCM NEWSWIRE SURVEY

Dear valued members,
 
The Business Council of Mongolia sincerely appreciates its members and always tries to progressively improve the services it provides. With that being said, we would appreciate it dearly if you could kindly take 2-3 minutes of your day to fill out the following survey on our Weekly Friday Newswire. We would like to receive your feedback to ameliorate the content of our newswire. 
 
Please find the questionnaire here
 
Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Your contribution is highly valuable to us. 


ECONOMY

MONGOLIA'S FEB COAL OUTPUT JUMPS 214 PCT YOY; IRON ORE FALLS 63 PCT

Coal production of Mongolia came in at 4.98 million tonnes in February, surging 214.05% year on year but falling 16.57% month on month, showed data from the National Statistical Office of Mongolia.
During the first two months, the inland country produced a total 10.96 million tonnes of coal, up 203.12% from 2022.
Mongolia's iron ore production was 268,900 tonnes in February, down 63.41% on the year and 20.63% on the month.
Iron sand output was 166,400 tonnes in February, down 72.63% year on year and 27.34% from January, while iron concentrate production was 102,500 tonnes, falling 19.54% from a year ago and 6.65% month on month.
Production of iron ore in Mongolia totaled 607,700 tonnes in January-February, slumping 46.42% year on year.
Iron sand output was 395,400 tonnes last year, down 55.08% year on year, and iron concentrate production was 212,300 tonnes, down 16.38%.

Source: sxcoal.com
See also: Review: China Jan-Feb coking coal imports at 2nd highest, 83% from Mongolia and Russia

ITF SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS MONGOLIA TO PRESENT URBAN MOBILITY STUDY FOR ULANBAATAR

ITF Secretary-General Young Tae Kim is leading the visit of an ITF delegation to Mongolia from 21 to 24 March. It is the Secretary-General’s first visit to the country since Mongolia joined the International Transport Forum in May 2020.
The mission includes high-level meetings and a conference to present the findings of an ITF study on decarbonising urban transport in Ulanbaatar, the country’s capital city.
Secretary-General Kim will have bilateral meetings with Mongolia’s Minister of Road and Transport Development, Byambatsogt Sandag and the Mayor of Ulanbaatar and Governor of the Capital, D. Sumiyabazar.
Secretary-General Kim will also meet with Mongolia’s State Secretary of Transport and regional representatives of Germany, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Source: ITF-OECD.org

DEVELOPMENT OF EMEELT LIGHT INDUSTRY PARK IS UNDERWAY

First Deputy Governor of the Capital City in charge of Economic and Infrastructure Issues J. Sandagsuren visited the leather processing plant “Buligaar LLC” on March 17. Mr. Sandagsuren exchanged views with people working in the leather industry on issues in this sector. 
The meeting was attended by members of the Mongolian Association of Leather Industry (MALI) and representatives from Emeelt Light Industry Park, the Departments of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Environment of the capital city, and the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority. 
Executive Director of the Mongolian Association of Leather Industry T. Bayarsaikhan: 
"The MALI has over 30 member enterprises that process leather and about 100 enterprises which produce finished products, such as gloves, leather clothes, bags, and small accessories. There are also more than 700 raw materials suppliers, registered with our association. According to our estimates, over four thousand people work in this sector…

Source: Montsame

TS.TULGA: 354 BUILDINGS IN UB ARE NOT EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT

Ts.Tulga, Chief Architect of Ulaanbaatar and Head of the Department of Urban Construction and Development, informed on March 17 about the evaluation of the earthquake resistance capacity of buildings in Ulaanbaatar and the measures to be implemented in the future.
He said, “There are 29,000 buildings in the city of Ulaanbaatar. Of these, 19,000 buildings were built before 2002 and 10,000 after. The city of Ulaanbaatar is located on an active earthquake zone. Recently, the Geophysical Research Institute concluded that there is a risk situation on the seismic faults around the city. Since 2010, the Department of Urban Development has assessed the earthquake resistance of buildings in Ulaanbaatar and made following the recommendations and regulations of the National Security Council of Mongolia. From 2010 to 2023, a total of 944 buildings were assessed for earthquake resistance. For public housing and public buildings built before 2002, certain funds have been allocated in the state budget for the assessment.

Source: The UB Post
See also: Consultative meeting held on "Building quality, safety and standards"

ADB INVESTMENT PROGRAM TO HELP SPUR GREEN AND INCLUSIVE AGRIBUSINESS IN MONGOLIA

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $448 million investment program to support green and inclusive development of Mongolia’s aimags (provinces) and soums (subprovinces). 
The Aimags and Soums Green Regional Development Investment Program will promote a transformative model for green territorial development and green urban–rural linkages. Secondary towns (aimag and soum centers) will become anchors of climate-smart agribusinesses that promote sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon rangeland management. 
“The program pilots an integrated solution to Mongolia’s multidimensional challenges by balancing its territorial development, reducing migration to Ulaanbaatar, and regenerating rangeland natural resources for carbon capture,” said ADB Principal Portfolio Management Specialist Arnaud Heckmann. “The program is designed for replicability within and outside of Mongolia.”
Mongolia’s rangelands cover 82% of the country and are under severe threat due to livestock pressure on pastureland and unsustainable rangeland management practices. Climate change has reduced the productivity of fragile rangelands and has increasingly exposed herders to climate-related natural hazards. 

Source: ADB

5,076 APARTMENTS TO BE PUT INTO USE THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF GER AREA IN 2023

A regular meeting of the capital city authorities was held on March 20. At the beginning of the meeting, the Mayor clarified about the progress of the road, bikeway, sidewalk, and bridge construction.
In 2022, 11 works were launched within the framework of traffic congestion reduction measures. In 2022-2023, there are 36 measures are being implemented with state and capital budget funds. 24 measures have been completed and 12 measures are under implementation. The Mayor reminded that the minimum width of the sidewalk should be 2.7 meters or more.
In 2023, 26 contractors will put 5,076 apartments into use in 10 locations in six districts of the capital city. Last year, 5,900 apartments were put into use as part of redevelopment, which is the highest performance. The Mayor highlighted the need for construction based on sub-centers and the need to increase the housing policy.

Source: GoGo News

MONGOLIA HAS RECEIVED OVER 76,000 FOREIGN TOURISTS IN 2023

Mongolia has welcomed a total of 76,068 foreign tourists so far this year, with Russia, China and South Korea being the biggest sources of its tourist arrivals, the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism said Monday.
The Mongolian government has been taking measures to revive the pandemic-hit tourism sector. Particularly, it has exempted citizens of 34 countries from visa requirements for up to 30 days until the end of 2025.
The country has also classified 2023, 2024 and 2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia," and is expected to organize more than 90 events in 2023 to promote tourism.
Mongolia has set a goal of welcoming at least 1 million foreign tourists and earning 1 billion U.S. dollars from tourism in the coming years.
The country received a total of 290,400 foreign tourists in 2022, earning 350 million dollars from the tourism sector.

Source: Xinhua

NEW AUSTRALIAN GAS POLICIES RATTLE ASIA - EDITORIAL

Whilst China does not appear to have expressed such strong concerns, it stands to reason that it would see the uncertainty in Australia as an additional reason to accelerate its efforts to reduce reliance on Western energy imports in favour of domestic sources, or imports from Central Asia and Mongolia.
Informed sources, however, believe that it is too early to draw this conclusion. First, the Australian government would face strong backlash if it were to intervene in long-term Asian supply contracts.
Second, the small size of the Australian market would mean LNG exports are likely to be delayed rather than cancelled altogether.
It could also provide a tailwind for alternative fuels development in Mongolia, particularly green hydrogen (as covered by Mongolia Weekly in March 2022).
Nonetheless, the investment freeze in Australia and international concerns are evidence that strong market intervention policies carry an equally strong degree of risk. For a country like Mongolia – looking to develop a broader export portfolio – it is worth paying attention.

Source: Mongolia Weekly

ILO: GREEN JOBS POTENTIAL IN GER AND NATURE TOURISM IN MONGOLIA - PAPER

The ILO as part of PAGE (Green Recovery) Mongolia’s activities conducted a green jobs potential assessment to identify opportunities for and barriers to the promotion of green jobs and decent work standards in the nature-based tourism sector in Mongolia. This policy brief captures the key findings and recommendations of the assessment.

Source: ILO
Read the Policy Brief

DETANGLING THE URBAN PARADOX IN ULAANBAATAR - EDITORIAL

As first-time visitors to Ulaanbaatar during winter, one of our first vivid experiences in the “world’s coldest capital” was the sudden thawing of the skin as one leaves the freezing outdoors and walks into overheated buildings. This paradox is just one of many that residents of Ulaanbaatar encounter on a daily basis. 
The city’s exponential urban growth has fulfilled the promise of employment opportunities, higher education, and urban lifestyles for many migrants relocating from rural areas across Mongolia. Many Mongolians move to the capital in pursuit of economic opportunities – good jobs and competitive wages. Beyond these economic pull factors, potential migrants are drawn toward secondary benefits such as social infrastructure, safe living conditions, and leisure activities. 
The spillover externalities of mass migration into the metropolis have created a harsh reality of dismal living conditions. Ulaanbaatar residents face increased respiratory illnesses from air pollution caused by high concentration of fine particles (PM 2.5), reaching 13 times higher than the World Health Organization’s annual quality assurance mark.

Source: The Diplomat

POLITICS

PARLIAMENT ACCEPTS PRESIDENT’S VETO ON THE LAW ON PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

At today's session, the State Great Khural discussed and resolved to approve the President’s veto over the Law on Protecting Human Rights on Social Media and the accompanying four laws, namely amendments to the Law on Communications, Law on Cyber Security, Law on Protecting Personal Information, and Law on Tax.
On January 20, 2023, the parliament approved the Law on Protecting Human Rights on Social Media and the President issued the veto on January 27, having considered that the law violates some articles of the Constitution of Mongolia as it had not ensured public participation and reflected suggestions of persons or entities whose legal interests are affected by the law.
Some MPs expressed their position that the President’s veto should be accepted as Mongolia is a democratic country that respects and protects human rights and freedom and 89.1 percent of the members in attendance voted in favor of the veto.

Source: Montsame

THE JOINT COOPERATION FRAMEWORK FOR MONGOLIA AND THE UN IN MONGOLIA FOR 2023-2027 ENTERS INTO FULL SWING

The Government of Mongolia and the United Nations in Mongolia held the first meeting of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) which was tasked to provide strategic oversight and direction to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) implementation and ensure its alignment to evolving country contexts, national, regional and international development processes, mechanisms and goals.
The JSC monitors progress, challenges, risks, and opportunities, and steers the direction of implementation of the UNSDCF in the next five years.
The JSC meeting also reviewed the results of the previous the Cooperation Framework, known as UN Development Assistance Framework, implemented from 2017 to 2022.
The JSC members concluded that the UN development assistance carried out in the last six years was instrumental to support Mongolia’s development, supporting the Government’s Action Plan, Vision 2050 – Mongolia’s long-term development policies, increasing Mongolia’s contributions to the achievement of the SDGs, and strengthening Mongolia’s roles and commitment to the international communities.

Source: UN MongoliaMontsame

PRESIDENT KHURELSUKH WORKED AT THE LOGISTICS CENTER IN ZAMYN-UUD SOUM OF DORNOGOBI PROVINCE

On February 14, the President of Mongolia, U. Khurelsukh worked in Zamyn-Uud soum of Dornogobi aimag. It is the main logistics center that handles about 70% of freight and 30% of passenger traffic across the state border and generates 15% of customs revenue.
The expansion and modernization of Zamyn-Uud infrastructure is being carried out in cooperation with the People’s Republic of China.The construction of the logistics center’s buildings, facilities and infrastructure began in 2019, and are  91% complete.
The following work is being implemented as part of the Construction of Zamyn-Uud Buildings, Facilities and Infrastructure project, under the government’s New Revival Policy:
•    Construction of 30 buildings and facilities in the passenger-transport section;
•    Construction of 28 buildings in the cargo section;
•    Construction of a heavy-duty auto road;
•    Installation of utility networks and communication lines;
•    Construction of the external power supply line;

Source: Mongolian Mining Journal

L. OYUN-ERDENE: ELIMINATING CONGESTION AT THE BORDER CHECKPOINTS WILL INCREASE EXPORT CAPACITY BY 2 TO 3 TIMES

Mongolia’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene gave a detailed interview to the Mongolian National Broadcaster (MNB) last night on 19th February about policies implemented and activities planned during his two-year tenure as head of the cabinet. 
The Prime Minister spoke about the theft of coal, the fraud of the Development Bank, the fight against corruption and the possibilities of economic revival.
We are presenting the part of the Prime Minister’s interview where he talks about the border checkpoint revitalization measures reflected in the first chapter of the government’s New Revival Policy and how this will benefit the national economy. The Prime Minister was interviewed by MNB journalist R. Gandiimaa.
According to L. Oyun-Erdene, Mongolia seeks to transport its coal, copper, and other export goods and products by rail. For this purpose, the Gashuunsukhait railroad, which had been frozen for more than 10 years, was built and put into operation.

Source: Mongolian Mining Journal

DEVELOPMENT BANK CASE: ‘THERE WAS NO RECORD OF WHEN AND HOW 888 PROJECT LISTS WERE SUBMITTED’

The ad hoc committee responsible for reviewing the implementation of projects and programs financed by Development Bank of Mongolia, results, loan issuance and repayment progress, organized the third evidence analysis public hearing from March 13 to 17 at the State Palace.
At the hearing on March 16, three sets of loans granted through commercial banks was discussed, and 78 witnesses were called in connection with the projects. In specific, 888 production projects to support exports and replace imports were reviewed.
During the hearing, the analyst said, “A total of 888 lists were delivered by the Development Bank to commercial banks in April 2014. There was no record of which working group, when and how this list was submitted. Who submitted the list of 888 projects according to what criteria? Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn. The relevant ministry should have the information on what percentage of exports were added and what percentage of imports were replaced, but the ministry did not submit the information.”

Source: The UB Post

‘WE WILL DEMAND BILL SPONSORS TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF LEGISLATION LAW WHEN SUBMITTING DRAFT LAWS’

During its plenary session on March 17, Parliament accepted the presidential veto on the Law on Protection of Human Rights on Social Media and four accompanying laws, namely amended Law on Communications, Law on Cyber Security, Law on Protecting Personal Information and Law on Taxation.
On January 20, Parliament approved the law and President U.Khurelsukh issued the veto on January 27, considering that the law violates some articles of the Constitution of Mongolia as it did not ensure public participation and reflect suggestions of citizens or entities whose legal interests are affected by the law.
Some parliamentarians expressed their position that the president’s veto should be accepted as Mongolia is a democratic country that respects and protects human rights and freedom. 
During the session, Head of the Office of the President Ya.Sodbaatar highlighted that there is a need for legal regulation for social media in Mongolia, and that what law and how to regulate it is a matter of Parliament’s mandate.

Source: The UB Post

CELEBRATED POET ACCUSED OF COLLABORATING WITH FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

The Capital City Prosecutor's Office made a bill of particulars on the case of Ts.Khulan and transferred it to the court. The General Intelligence Agency of Mongolia conducted an investigation and made a bill of particulars on the case “Ts.Khulan agreed to cooperate with the intelligence service of a foreign country” according to the Article 19.4 of the Criminal Code and transferred it to the Criminal Court of First Instance of Sukhbaatar District.
Article 19.4 Illegal cooperation with foreign intelligence agency, agent
1. An action deliberately committed by a citizen of Mongolia who agrees to collaborate with foreign intelligence agency and collaborates; stealing, collection, storage, or delivery of data, documents and objects constituting a state or military secret with the view of transferring to a foreign organization or agent shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of eight up to fifteen years.

Source: GoGo News

ULAANBAATAR’S INVESTMENT POLICY AND SOLUTIONS PRESENTED AT THE SUMMIT OF MONGOLIAN AND CHINESE ENTREPRENEURS

The Sustainable Investment Summit of Mongolian and Chinese investors was held in Ulaanbaatar on March 16-18. Governor of the capital city and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D.Sumiyabazar participated and presented a speech on "Investment Policy and Solutions of Ulaanbaatar City."
Governor of the capital city and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D.Sumiyabazar:
-Ulaanbaatar is a city of youth. About 67% of the population are young people under the age of 35. Also, more than 50% of Mongolia's population resides in Ulaanbaatar where about 70% of the total economy is produced. Therefore, the development of the city is not only a matter of the capital city but also the responsibility and leadership of Mongolia. In this context, we will put emphasis on actively developing friendly cooperation with the countries and cities of the world. For example, we are developing friendly relations with more than 10 cities in China, such as Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, and Chengdu.

Source: Mayor's OfficeMontsame
See also: Photo News | Sustainable Investment Summit 2023

DECISIONS MADE AT CABINET SESSION, MARCH 22

During its regular session on March 22, 2023, the Cabinet made the following decisions: 
  • Accounts Linked to Escapers to be Frozen
    • The Government of Mongolia has declared 2023 as the “Year to Combat Corruption" and started the five “W” operations, “Whistleblowing”, “Wiping-out”, “Wasp”, “Wealth”, and “Wide-open”, to combat corruption.
  • Annual Inflation Rate is 12.2 Percent Nationwide and 12.1 Percent in Ulaanbaatar city as of February 2023.
    • The Government is advised not to take any measures that may hinder economic activities, but to focus on increasing the foreign currency reserve in the future.
  • Projects “Bus Rapid Transit” and “Revival of Selbe River” to be Launched in 2023

Source: Montsame

FOOD SUPPLY AND SECURITY:  WHAT IF WORDS AND ACTIONS DON’T MATCH? - EDITORIAL

Statistics show that our country imports about 48 percent of its consumer food. Therefore, to reduce dependence on imports and expand domestic production, the national program “Food Supply and Security” has been implemented. In the framework of this, it is intended to create an opportunity to supply 19 main types of food within the country. These include eggs, rare vegetables, fruits, berries, milk, dairy products, and vegetable oils. Mongolia also set a goal to increase the cultivation of wheat, oil, and fodder plants, the main agricultural products, and become exporters. Spring planting will begin soon, and we will have a lot of work preparing to grow the food for next year.
In connection with the implementation of the “Food Supply and Security” national program, this spring Mongolia will probably sell more assets and work more proactively than in previous years.

Source: The UB Post
See also: Producers Appreciate Government Policy to Support National Food Industry

GUEST POST: CANADA AND MONGOLIA – THE ENHANCED DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP THAT NEVER WAS - EDITORIAL

In the early 2010s, the Canadian government, under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, developed a special interest in Mongolia. In 2014, after a flurry of diplomatic visits, Canada designated Mongolia a “country of focus” for its development assistance. This decision placed Mongolia on Canada’s list of 25 countries in which it would concentrate its foreign aid and committed Canada to building a privileged development relationship with Mongolia. But major aid never really flowed, and any signs of an enhanced partnership had fizzled out by 2022. What went wrong?
Canada did not have a bilateral development program in Mongolia in 2014, when it decided to concentrate its aid there. It had only opened an embassy in Ulaanbaatar in 2008, at the urging of Canadian mining companies. It thus had limited experience and knowledge of development issues on the ground. As a result, it was poorly placed to quickly build up an aid program.

Source: Mongolia Focus

TRADE POLICY RETREATING? - EDITORIAL

So, in the Majlis podcast discussion there was mention that the aftermath of Russian aggression against Ukraine has led to many changes in Central Asia. Among those, any efforts at regional integration via the Eurasian Economic Union is likely stalled.
As I noted in the toot above, this got me thinking about possible implications for Mongolia. The dynamic of the structural similarities between Mongolia and Central Asia have been glaring this past year in terms of being caught between China and Russia, and the impact that Russian imperialism has had. Very soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bulgan B noted that some perceptions of Russian aggression were being shaped by perceptions of the preponderance of Asian faces in the Russian military.
But the above podcast discussion pushed me in a different direction in considering these structural similarities between Mongolia and Central Asia.

Source: Mongolia Focus

EXILED RUSSIANS BUILD NEW LIVES IN MONGOLIA - VIDEO

Hundreds of thousands of Russians fled their country after it announced conscription for its war in Ukraine, heading in large numbers to countries such as Turkey, Armenia, or Georgia. But for many living in the east of Russia, the nearest and easiest destination was Mongolia.

Source: RFE/RL

WHAT DOES XI JINPING’S THIRD TERM MEAN FOR CHINA-MONGOLIA RELATIONS? - EDITORIAL

When Xi Jinping was officially awarded a third term as president of the People’s Republic of China, after previously having altered the constitution to remove the two-term limit, it set him up to rule for 15 consecutive years – at least. Considering the growing insecurities surrounding Northeast Asia, what does Xi’s third term mean for China-Mongolia bilateral relations?
Since Xi first ascended to the presidency in 2013, international relations and global governance have faced a profound change. As competition between the United States and China has sharpened, the significance of maritime security and freedom of navigation has become even more apparent. For landlocked countries like Mongolia, each shift can have an impact on the economy, security, and foreign policy. For Ulaanbaatar, particularly because of its close proximity to Beijing, China’s policy toward Mongolia and Mongolia’s policy toward China is something to be considered for the long haul.

Source: The Diplomat

BUSINESS

IFC INVESTS IN MONGOLIA’S FIRST EVER GREEN BOND IN A BID TO SPUR CLIMATE-SMART INVESTMENTS

In a bid to spur green and renewable energy projects in Mongolia, IFC is investing in a green bond to be issued by the country's largest commercial financial institution, Khan Bank, which is the first-ever green bond to be issued in the country. 
IFC is investing $15 million in the $60 million, five-year bond and the offering has attracted another $45 million from international investors, including $35 million from Dutch entrepreneurial development bank (FMO), and $10 million from MicroVest Capital Management (MicroVest). This investment will allow the bank to grow its climate portfolio by funding projects that support renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, green mobility, and climate-smart agriculture in Mongolia. IFC's subscription will also contribute to improved sustainability of the country's financial market. 
Mongolia is a country facing significant environmental challenges. Air pollution levels in its capital Ulaanbaatar are among the highest in the world, with coal and wood burning in homes and coal power plants all contributing to the pollution.

Source: IFC
See also: Pinsent Masons advises IFC on landmark investment in Mongolia’s first ever green bond issuance

HELPING FOREIGN ENTREPRENEURS UNDERSTAND TODAY’S MONGOLIAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

The past couple days we have been assisting clients who have interest in entering the Mongolian market. but lack of guidance and reliable resources to do so was challenging them. If you are looking to expand your business in Mongolia, this post is for you.
Mongolia is a landlocked country established an industrial economy based mainly on mining and agricultural product processing. The government will keep looking into methods to diversify the economy, concentrating on new infrastructure projects, the development of the agriculture industry, and using materials and equipment made locally for major projects. In sectors including energy, fuel import and export, telecom, solar energy, wind turbines, and hydropower projects, the government provides international investors with opportunities.
So far, Mongolia has signed double taxation agreements with 26 nations and “Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements with 43 other nations.

Source: LehmanLaw Mongolia

ION ENERGY COMPLETES THIRD WATER WELL AT URGAKH NARAN PROJECT IN MONGOLIA

ION Energy Ltd. told investors that water well drilling at UNWH-03, the third water well at its 100%-owned Urgakh Naran project in Mongolia, has now been completed to a depth of 300 meters (m), with a six-inch tricone bit, four-inch steel slotted pipes and gravel packed.
Updating the market on the progress of the water well drilling, Mongolia's first lithium brine explorer and developer said its team has now deployed the Solinst pumps, bailers and various hydrogeological testing equipment on site, to ensure that brine samples will be collected from the three water wells for analysis in the coming week.
"Our team is very excited by progress that has already been made: completing UNWH-03's water well drilling at 300m,” ION Energy CEO and director Ali Haji said in a statement.
Toronto-based ION Energy is committed to exploring and developing Mongolia's lithium salars.

Source: Proactive Investors

MONGOLIA’S TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR MORE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

More government support, in terms of marketing the country’s many draws and creation of more flight connections around the world, is needed to help grow Mongolia’s tourism industry, say tourism players interviewed at ITB Berlin.
“Not many people know about Mongolia. We do not have an organisation that helps us to market the country, such as what the Maldives – which has a marketing and PR agency – is doing. I think the government should invest in (creating) a marketing department for tourism,” opined Zundui Odbaya, CEO of Mongolian Tourism Company.
He added: “I also want to invite younger travellers to visit Mongolia and see what life is like here. One reason why we are exhibiting (as a standalone booth) is because we are advertising more extreme activities such as motorbike tours, horseback riding tours, and ATVs. We want to bring down the average age of travellers choosing Mongolia for their trips.”

Source: TTGAsia.com

TMK ENERGY ENTERS “MILESTONE” AGREEMENT WITH MONGOLIAN CONGLOMERATE

TMK Energy has struck a “milestone” cooperation and offtake agreement with Mongolian conglomerate Mongol Alt (MAK).
The agreement strengthens TMK’s partnership with MAK, which owns and manages the coal mining lease where TMK is conducting its initial pilot well program for its Gurvantes XXXV project.
MAK is one of Mongolia’s largest and most successful groups of private companies.
“Close cooperation between MAK and TMK will be mutually beneficial, allowing for significant efficiencies and the ability to better utilise the valuable resources of produced water and produced gas during from the pilot production wells in a manner that is both environmentally sensible and commercially attractive,” TMK Energy CEO Brendan Stats stated.
Under the deal, TMK will sell to MAK the electricity produced from the gas of TMK’s production wells. TMK has also agreed to provide MAK with the excess water it produces in the early stages of the operation of its pilot well program.

Source: The Market HeraldProactive Investors

EU TO CONTINUE ITS PROJECT TO SUPPORT SME IN MONGOLIA

The European Union has decided to continue its project to support small and medium enterprises (SME) in Mongolia with the financing of another EUR 11 million. The EU Ambassador to Mongolia Ms. Axelle Nicaise informed about this at the Steering Committee Meeting of the “Building Crisis-Resilient SMEs in Mongolia” program, held on March 15 in Tuushin Hotel.
Ms. Axelle Nicaise, the EU Ambassador to Mongolia: Based on past experiences, we have decided to continue our project in order to facilitate the recovery of the Mongolian economy after the pandemic. When we travelled to Khuvsgul and Bayan-Ulgii aimags, we saw many people engage in business at home, such as sewing clothes and carpentry, and opportunities for businesses. So, we are moving to the next phase of the project.
According to Ms. Axelle Nicaise, this time, the main target of the project will be the micro business owners.

Source: Montsame

BASE IS KICKSTARTING ENERGY SAVINGS INSURANCE IN MONGOLIA

Partnering with XacBank and Tenger Insurance,BASE is starting the implementation of the Energy Savings Insurance (ESI) in Mongolia. After an initial rollout of the model in Latin America in 2015, its success motivated an expanded rollout in different areas of the world such as Europe, North Africa, and is now arriving in Central Asia.
Accelerating the deployment of cleaner energy technologies is vital for the region, for the sake of both the environment and public health, and different initiatives tried to create such momentum in this direction between 2010 and 2012. The Law on Air and the Law on Air Pollution Tax were enacted to respectively set emission limits, provide air quality monitoring and start charging fees to different categories of stakeholders for the air pollutants they emit. Building on that, in 2017, the National Program on Reduction of Air and Environment Pollution (NPRAEP) was adopted by the government of Mongolia in an effort to scale up efforts to improve air quality nationwide.

Source: Energy-Base.org

3 FINANCIAL COMPANIES HELPING MONGOLIA TO EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

In Mongolia, the FinTech industry is in the early stages of development. The presence of a network association of FinTech investors, tech players, and industry participants are particularly important as they can represent industry interests, act as self-regulatory organizations, focus on the development of the sector and manage customer needs.
Here are 3 FinTech companies paving the way for a digital future:

GrapeCity Mongol LLC was established in 2000 and has been specializing in the development of banking and payment solution software and is a market leader in this sector. Of the 12 commercial banks in Mongolia, 11 use its software products, and 9 are operating on its Core Banking system. ORDA is an investment platform bridging emerging and developed markets. It allows retail investors to invest like the top 1% in real estate, luxury, artwork and more by fractionalizing assets into accessible shares.

Source: IBSintelligence.com

ARANJIN RESOURCES PROVIDES SHAREHOLDER UPDATE

Aranjin Resources Ltd. provides a shareholder update on its Mongolian projects.
The Company had a relatively quiet fourth quarter in 2022 as it considered plans for an active drilling campaign in 2023 and it has been speaking to existing shareholders and strategic investors concerning potential capital solutions for the upcoming year.
As foreshadowed in the press releases during 2022, the focus of the Company has now moved to the Victory Copper Nickel Discovery.
With limited cash resources, Aranjin's Board of Directors has determined that this project provides the best near term potential for development, out of the three projects held by the Company. Once new capital has been secured in the coming months, the Company also plans to bid on some of the exciting new licences becoming available.
Sharga Copper Project
In September 2021, Aranjin acquired the Sharga Copper Project and shortly thereafter commenced preliminary drilling in 2021, continuing into early 2022.

Source: Yahoo Finance

MONGOLIA WINS BRONZE MEDAL IN 2023 IIHF ICE HOCKEY U18 ASIA AND OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIP

The International Ice Hockey Federation and the Mongolian Ice Hockey Federation organized the “Ice Hockey U18 Asia and Oceania Championship” from March 11 to 17 in Ulaanbaatar at the Steppe Arena. Six teams from Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Thailand took part in this tournament.
The Uzbekistani team won the gold medal with five wins, the Turkmenistan team took second place with four wins and one loss, and the Mongolian team took third place with three wins and two losses. UAE came fourth with six points ahead of Thailand, whose only victory was against Iran. The Iranians found this tournament tough, scoring just four goals as they lost all five games.
Rustamkhonov Jasurbek, who scored 26 goals, number 88 of Uzbekistan, was named the “Best Forward” of the tournament, while E.Ariunbileg, number four of Mongolia, was named the “Best Defender”.

Source: The UB Post

"YEAR OF THE TIGER PROTAGONISTS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN 'MINE GER'" - EDITORIAL

As the Mongolian New Year approaches, the Year of the Tiger comes to a close and the Year of the Rabbit begins. The mining industry in Mongolia can be seen as one large family, with the key players of the Year of the Tiger now taking a break in the home of this great house or MINE GER. Looking towards the future, Mining Insight has highlighted the upcoming trends and developments in the industry, offering insight to its readers.

Source: Mining Insight

RIO’S BIG BOLD BET ON COPPER IN MONGOLIA - EDITORIAL

Rio Tinto executive Bold Baatar is telling a story about how his mother saw him on Mongolian television and cried. He is at Chinggis Khaan Airport, where about 850 workers a day fly in and out of the company’s Oyu Tolgoi (OT) mine. The Chinese border is due south, the Russian border due north and Rio Tinto is in the middle.
The mining giant owns 66 per cent of OT and Mongolia owns the rest. China buys the copper concentrate for its smelters, and contractors in Mongolia supply the mine with Russian diesel and other vital inputs.
The hopes of Mongolia ride on OT, as well as $US15 billion ($22 billion) of Rio money. The company hopes to double copper production to meet some of the demand from electrification across the globe.
Baatar is in charge of the Rio copper division and therefore OT, where in its construction days thousands of Mongolian and Chinese workers had to be separated to stop them brawling.

Source: Australian Financial Review

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

THE FED LIFTS RATES BY A QUARTER POINT AS BANKING TURMOIL COMPLICATES INFLATION FIGHT

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter point on Wednesday as it attempts to fight stubbornly high inflation while addressing risks to financial stability.
Investors and economists had widely anticipated the quarter-point increase despite the meltdown in the banking sector.
Still, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and policymakers entered their second policymaking meeting of the year surrounded by an unusual level of uncertainty as the landscape surrounding the financial system continues to shift.
The central bank’s mission in battling inflation became much more difficult over the past few weeks as the collapse of several banks meant the Fed had to balance a potential financial crisis alongside high inflation and a tight labor market.
In a statement released at the conclusion of the meeting, Fed officials acknowledged that recent financial market turmoil is weighing on inflation and the economy, though they expressed confidence in the overall system.

Source: CNN
See also: Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement
Gold drifts higher as Fed hints at rate-hike pause

THE WORLD SAW A RECORD 9.6 PCT GROWTH IN RENEWABLES IN 2022

By the end of 2022, global renewable generation capacity amounted to 3,372 gigawatts (GW), growing the stock of renewable power by 295 GW or 9.6%, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Renewables produced an overwhelming 83% of all power capacity added last year.
Renewable Capacity Statistics 2023, released today by IRENA, shows that renewable energy continues to grow at record levels despite global uncertainties, confirming the downward trend of fossil fuels.
While many countries increased their renewable capacity in 2022, the significant growth of renewables is concentrated in Asia, the US, and Europe. IRENA reports that almost half of all new capacity in 2022 was added in Asia, resulting in a total of 1.63 terawatts (TW) of renewable capacity by 2022. China was the largest contributor, adding 141 GW to Asia’s new capacity.
Renewables in Europe and North America grew by 57.3 GW and 29.1 GW, respectively. Africa saw an increase of 2.7 GW, slightly above 2021. 

Source: Eletrek.co

AT1 BONDS AND CREDIT SUISSE: 4 THINGS TO KNOW

The historic deal to save Credit Suisse by selling it to UBS has proved a test of the bank capital reforms put in place after the global financial crisis. One safeguard in particular is now under scrutiny.
Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds are designed to absorb losses. While this much is certain, the order in which they have been wiped out at Credit Suisse has become a point of controversy.
Here are four things to know about AT1 bonds.
What are AT1 bonds?
AT1 bonds are a kind of bond, or debt, issued by banks to investors.
When a financial institution fails, AT1 bonds rank lower in the order of claims than ordinary bonds. This makes them a riskier investment.
If a bank's capital ratio falls below a predetermined level, or if regulators intervene, AT1 bonds can be wiped out or converted into stock as a way to bolster the institution against a collapse.

Source: Nikkei AsiaCNBC

CHINA'S JAN-FEB COAL IMPORTS FROM RUSSIA RISE, AUSTRALIA SUPPLY RESUMES

China's average daily coal imports from Russia rose in the first two months of 2023 compared with December, boosted by strong restocking demand as Beijing lifted its zero-COVID regime, but logistics bottlenecks still capped shipments.
Arrivals of Russian coal reached 14.8 million tonnes, or 250,892 tonnes per day, during January and February, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Monday, making Russia China's second-biggest coal supplier.
That compares to 222,346 tonnes per day in December and 110,470 tonnes per day over the first two months in 2022.
China sharply increased coal imports from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine as Western countries shunned trade with Moscow, which pushed down Russian coal prices and attracted buyers that did not implement sanctions.
But transport infrastructure limitations in Russia have hampered coal exports to China since October and traders expect the situation to continue.

Source: Reuters

PERU EXPECTS 74 MINING PROJECTS TO BECOME OPERATIVE IN 2023

The Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) announced that 2023 will see the development of 74 mining projects across 17 departments for a total investment of $596 million.
“Exploration is fundamental for the development of the mining industry. It constitutes the first step of Peru’s most important economic activity as it allows the discovery of new deposits, as well as the extension of the life of operating mines, all of which generates resources for the benefit of the country,” the ministry said in a media statement
According to the government agency, 30 of the 74 projects have recently become operative or are about to reach that phase as they already have all the required permits. These projects represent an investment of $134 million, or 22.5% of the 2023 portfolio of mining exploration projects.
Meanwhile, 17 projects, accounting for $136 million or 22.7% of the portfolio, are in the evaluation stage for exploration authorization.

Source: Mining.com

SRI LANKA PRESIDENT DECLARES 'NEW JOURNEY' AS FIRST IMF CASH ARRIVES

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday told parliament that the country is "starting a new journey" after securing a nearly $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund, vowing to push through reforms and address corruption.
In a speech, he said the IMF's Extended Fund Facility will "restore Sri Lanka's international recognition, ensure the country is not bankrupt and help banks regain international recognition," according to a readout from his media office. "This will create opportunities for low-interest credit, restore foreign investors' confidence and lay the foundation for a strong new economy."
Wickremesinghe said the first disbursement of about $330 million has been received.
The IMF board's decision to approve the bailout on Monday in Washington followed months of hard negotiations between Sri Lanka and its creditors, particularly China, amid the South Asian island's worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.

Source: Nikkei AsiaCNBC

PEACE PLANS AND PIPELINES: WHAT CAME OUT OF THE PUTIN-XI TALKS?

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for a two-day summit in Moscow this week. Here's a look at the key outcomes.
The summit produced 14 agreements on topics from soybeans to atomic energy, but it did not yield the big prize Russia wants: a deal on a new gas pipeline, Power of Siberia 2, to pump an extra 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of Russian gas annually to China via Mongolia. Putin said "agreements with Mongolia" had been reached but Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak made clear it was not a done deal, saying instructions had been given to gas giant Gazprom to clinch a contract as soon as possible. There are two likely sticking points: who will build the 2,600 km pipeline and how the gas will be priced. 

Source: Reuters

CHINA EXPECTED TO ACCOUNT FOR 40 PCT OF THIS YEAR'S OIL DEMAND RECOVERY

China is expected to account for around 40% of the increase in global oil demand this year as its economy emerges from strict lockdowns, but the increased use will not take prices back to 2022 levels, consultancy Wood Mackenzie said on Thursday.
In a base-case scenario, China's economy will grow by 5.5% this year after it lifted its COVID containment strategy, WoodMac said in a report.
This would equate to 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of a 2.6 mln bpd increase in global oil demand this year.
A high-growth scenario, under which China's GDP rises by 7%, would add a further 400,000 bpd of Chinese demand, the report said.
This year's average price of Brent crude oil , however, would remain below the $99/bbl average seen in 2022 as "markets have now adapted to the chaos brought about by Russia's war on Ukraine," the report said.

Source: Reuters
See also: 

OPEC+ LIKELY TO STICK TO ITS GUNS DESPITE PRICE SLUMP, DELEGATES SAY

OPEC+ is likely to stick to its deal on output cuts of 2 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of the year, even after a banking crisis sent crude prices plunging, three delegates from the producer group told Reuters.
Oil prices hit 15-month lows on Monday in response to the banking crisis that followed the collapse of two U.S. lenders and resulted in Credit Suisse being rescued by Switzerland's biggest bank UBS.
Brent crude was trading around $75 a barrel on Wednesday morning.
Last October OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, agreed steep output cuts of 2 million bpd from November until the end of 2023 despite major consumers calling for increases to production.
That decision helped to push Brent close to $100 a barrel, but prices have come under pressure since then as rising interest rates to combat high inflation threaten to stymie oil demand growth.

Source: Reuters

CHILE TO LIMIT COPPER ROYALTY BILL AFTER INDUSTRY COMPLAINTS -MINISTER

Chile’s government plans to limit a long-running mining royalty bill amid criticism of its impact on the industry’s competitiveness, Finance Minister Mario Marcel said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the Senate treasury committee, Marcel said that certain limits that do not alter the bill can be modified during the legislative stage.
“One of them is to make up start-up expenses as a cost for the calculation of the adjusted mining operational taxable income,” Marcel said, adding this change would leave the mining operational income calculation “as it currently works with the specific tax.”
Another adjustment would be to establish a limit to the potential tax burden for the combination of various taxes, which would give “greater security or predictability to collection.”
Additionally, Marcel said companies with operating losses would be exempt from the ad valorem component and “when there is a very low or close to negative profitability, the same ad valorem component is also adjusted.”

Source: Reuters

 

 

BCM SUBMITS POLICY PAPER

The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) Secretariat has submitted a Policy Paper to the Government of Mongolia on 13 October 2022.

BCM Secretariat has submitted summary of issues and proposed solutions on newly adopted Corporate Income Tax law drafted by the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Tax & Regulatory Working group (lead by Ms. Kh.Amarjargal, Country Director Mongolia-Rio Tinto, Mr.B.Battushig - Founding Partner of DB&GTS LLP and Mr.R.Khishignemekh -Senior Partner of Ernest and Young TMZ).

The 42 pages of findings and recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry; to Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament);  Standing Committee on the Economic Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Standing Committee on the Budget; Economy and Development Ministry. In collaboration with Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Association.                                        

BCM would like to thank Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Mining Association and BCM Regulatory & Tax Working Group for their efforts to protect legal interests and rights of business entities in Mongolia.

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.

SDG INVESTOR MAPPING PROJECT SURVEY - IDENTIFYING BUSINESS CASES FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The objective of this template is to collect data on businesses aligned with SDGs, and if selected, your provided data will be compiled into SDG Investor Map datasheet which will be eventually uploaded onto Global SDG Investor Platform managed by UNDP SDG Impact. The outcomes of the data will be aggregated to gather insights that will be presented in the form of a report along with other secondary research that we have conducted. Thus, we would like to seek your permission to use your data for business research and documentation purposes.  For any individual information from your business, due permission will be sought before the publishing of the report. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  23 March 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,526.34
Euro EUR   3,845.83
Japanese yen JPY   26.93
British pound GBP   4,341.10
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      449.26
Russian ruble RUB        46.17
Chinese yuan CNY      516.50
South Korean won KRW          2.75
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

BCM NewsWire 774 – 17 March 2023

 

NewsWire

Issue 774 –  17 March 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


BCM Highlight

  • BCM NewsWire survey

Economy

  • BoM maintains policy rate, narrows band to +/- 1 percentage point of policy rate

  • Monthly median wage of employees reached MNT 1.28 million

  • Export increased by 8.2 percent compared to the previous month

  • NPL increase 10.9 pct in February m/m

  • Mongolia iron ore exports to China jump 168 pct on yr

  • Gross external debt of Mongolia reached 33.6 billion USD, down 0.6 pct y/y

  • “GDP per person employed” increases by 2.1 pct in 2022

  • BoM Purchases 701.2 kg of Precious Metals in February

  • Education Loans and Grants Account for 10-15 Percent of Mongolia’s Total Debt

  • Work on bridge between Yarmag and first micro-district starts

  • Goals Of Growth: Q&A With Mongolia Central Bank Governor Byadran Lkhagvasuren - Interview

Politics

  • State Great Khural Opens its Spring Session

  • Mongolia to decide on gas pipeline route after Russia-China cost agreement

  • Controversial social media law of Mongolia to be discussed by Parliament

  • Interview: Mongolian ministers have a revival plan

  • Total revenue of general government budget increased by 16.4 pct in Jan-Feb y/y

  • Türkiye, Mongolia eye boosting trade, diplomatic ties

  • Action Plans to Plant “One Billion Trees” Approved

  • Belarus, Mongolia to hold meeting of trade and economic commission

  • Silence Around Sex Has Dangerous Consequences for Mongolian Teens - Editorial

  • Worry about the future, not the past - Editorial

  • Defacto Review, March 12 - Video

  • Elaine Conkievich: UNDP to Support Mongolia on Gender Equality, Digital Transformation and Development Financing - Interview

Business

  • Rio Tinto commences underground production at Oyu Tolgoi

  • Mongolian Day at PDAC 2023

  • Regulations Related to Money Loan Activities Approved

  • FRC encourages top 100 enterprises to consider IPOs and green bonds

  • Jade Gas Holdings raises AUD 10.7 million via strategic placement

  • Erdene Announces 2022 Results and Provides Khundii Minerals District Update

  • Photo: 200 Chinese companies to invest in five sectors of Mongolia

  • EBRD representatives visit Mongolian Stock Exchange

  • IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Asia and Oceania Championship underway

  • Fitch Rating Report: Mongolian Mining Corporation

  • Zijin and Xanadu Transaction Completed and Kharmagtai PFS Underway

  • MineSec Empowers Mongol iD as Mongolia's Pioneering Fintech with SoftPOS Launch

  • Steppe Gold Featured on Viewpoint Project, Hosted by Dennis Quaid - Video

  • E. Gendenjamts: Want to optimize your online sales, then start with one product - Interview

Global and Regional Trends

  • Fed seen delivering quarter-point rate hike next week

  • ECB raises rates as planned despite banking turmoil

  • China removes all remaining curbs on Australian coal imports

  • Analysis: Russian sanctions shift oil price-making power to Asia from Europe

  • US crude oil exports hit record high in 2022, EIA data shows

  • China could control a third of the world's lithium by 2025

  • Peru mining exports fall almost 20 pct year/year in January amid protests

  • Japan and South Korea agree to mend ties as leaders meet following years of dispute

  • Copper prices fall on stronger dollar and banking woes

  • Credit Suisse's USD 54 billion lifeline gives global banks tentative respite

BCM Updates

  • BCM submits policy paper

  • The BCM appoints Raphaël Goué as official BCM representative in Europe

  • SDG Investor Mapping project survey - Identifying business cases for investment opportunities

  • UNICEF: Guidance for employers on flexible work arrangements and other good workplace practices in the context of Covid-19

  • UNICEF: Call for actions of the private sector to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution in UB

  • BCM Guideline for Companies to Combat Air Pollution

  • Member-to-member special offers & benefits

Economic Indicators

  • Inflation

  • Central Bank Policy Rate

  • Sovereign Credit Rating

  • Currency Rates

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

BCM HIGHLIGHT

BCM NEWSWIRE SURVEY

Dear valued members,
 
The Business Council of Mongolia sincerely appreciates its members and always tries to progressively improve the services it provides. With that being said, we would appreciate it dearly if you could kindly take 2-3 minutes of your day to fill out the following survey on our Weekly Friday Newswire. We would like to receive your feedback to ameliorate the content of our newswire. 
 
Please find the questionnaire here
 
Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Your contribution is highly valuable to us. 


ECONOMY

BOM MAINTAINS POLICY RATE, NARROWS BAND TO +/- 1 PERCENTAGE POINT OF POLICY RATE

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Mongolia (MPC) held its scheduled meetings on March 14th and 15th, 2023. With consideration of the current state of the economy and financial markets as well as the outlook and risks to the domestic and foreign economic environment, the MPC decided to:
1. Keep the policy rate unchanged at 13 percent,
2. Narrowing the policy rate corridor to be set at 1 percentage point above and below the policy rate,
3. Exclude certain liabilities of banks with maturities of 360 days or less that are newly funded on international markets in the form of bonds or loans from the reservable liabilities.
Annual inflation reached 12.2 percent nationwide and 12.1 percent in Ulaanbaatar city as of February 2023. Inflation has been gradually decelerating in recent months consistent with our previous projections. A decline in inflation is mainly attributable to the decrease in transportation costs of imported goods.

Source: Bank of Mongolia

MONTHLY MEDIAN WAGE OF EMPLOYEES REACHED MNT 1.28 MILLION

The average wage is calculated based on the social insurance report of the General Authority for Social Insurance. According to this report, 756.1 thousand employees working in 49.0 thousand enterprises in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The number of enterprises increased by 2.7 thousand (5.8%) and 347 (0.7%) compared to the same period of the previous year and the previous quarter, respectively. The number of employees increased by 36.8 thousand (5.1%) and 629 thousand (0.1%) from the same period of the previous year and the previous quarter, respectively.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, the median wage was MNT 1285.3 thousand among 756.1 thousand persons who have paid social insurance, which increased by MNT 127.9 thousand or 11.1 percent from the previous quarter.
The monthly average wage was MNT 1.7 million, which increased by MNT 312.0 thousand or 21.7 percent from the same period of the previous year and increased by MNT 177.1 thousand or 11.3 percent compared to the previous quarter.

Source: National Statistics Office

EXPORT INCREASED BY 8.2 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS MONTH

In the first 2 months of 2023, Mongolia traded with 118 countries from all over the world, and the total trade turnover reached USD 3.4 billion, of which exports were USD 2.2 billion and imports were USD 1.2 billion. The total foreign trade turnover increased by USD 1.2 billion (55.2%), where exports increased by USD 1.1 billion (90.1%) and imports increased by USD 160.5 million (15.5%) compared to the same period of the previous year. In February 2023, exports increased by USD 88.1 million (8.2%) and imports decreased by USD 177.8 million (25.8%) compared to the previous month
The foreign trade balance was in surplus of USD 1.0 billion in the first 2 months of 2023 and increased by USD 902.8 billion (7.3 times more) compared to the same period of the previous year. In February 2023, Trade balance was in surplus of USD 655.6 million, increased by USD 265.9 million (68.2%) from previous month.

Source: National Statistics Office
See also: Mongolia's foreign trade turnover up by over 55 pct

NPLS INCREASE 10.9 PCT IN FEBRUARY M/M

The standard loans reached MNT 19.0 trillion at the end of February 2023, decreased by MNT 325.1 (1.7%) billion from the previous month while increased by MNT 910.3 (5.0%) billion from the same period of the previous year. The performing loans made up 84.0% of total loans.
The principals in arrears amounted to MNT 1.4 trillion at the end of February 2023, increased by MNT 244.6 (21.5%) billion from the previous month and by MNT 337.3 (32.3%) billion from the same period of the previous year. The principals in arrears made up 6.1% of the total loans.
As of the end of February 2023, the non-performing loans in the banking system amounted to MNT 2.2 trillion, increased by MNT 221.5 (10.9%) billion from the previous month and by MNT 89.7 (4.2%) billion from the same period of the previous year. The non-performing loans in the banking system correspond to 9.9% of the total loans.

Source: National Statistics Office

MONGOLIA IRON ORE EXPORTS TO CHINA JUMP 168 PCT ON YR

Mongolia exported 828,500 tonnes of iron ore in January-February, jumping 168.27% or 519,700 tonnes from a year ago, showed latest data from the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA).
The total export value soared 154.35% on the year to $65.04 million during the first two months, data showed.
China was the only destination of Mongolian iron ore during the period.
MCGA didn't release the specific figure for last month, yet Sxcoal calculated the exports at 467,900 tonnes based on the overall exports published by the customs authority, up 75.38% year on year and 29.76% on the month.
The iron ore exports amounted to $39.13 million in February, with average price at $83.62/t, down $1.14/t from a year ago but up $11.74/t from a month earlier, data showed.

Source: sxcoal.com

GROSS EXTERNAL DEBT OF MONGOLIA REACHED 33.6 BILLION USD, DOWN 0.6 PCT Y/Y

In 2022, the gross external debt of Mongolia reached USD 33.6 billion, which decreased by USD 219.6 (0.6%) million compared to the previous year, while increasing by USD 1.1 (3.5%) billion compared to the previous quarter.
The gross external debt consists of USD 12.1 (36.2%) billion of direct investment (intercompany lending), USD 9.7 (28.9%) billion of other sectors’ external debt, USD 8.0 (23.8%) billion of the general government external debt, USD 2.2 (6.5%) billion as central bank’s external debt, and USD 1.6 (4.6%) billion of deposit-taking corporations’ external debt (the Bank of Mongolia excluded).
In 2022, the gross external debt of the country decreased from the previous year due to a decrease of 444.8 (5.3%) million USD in the external debt of the government and 431.8 (16.5%) million USD of the Central bank, 131.6 (1.1%) million USD of the direct investment and intercompany loans, 66.4 (4.1%) million USD of Deposit-taking corporations except for the Bank of Mongolia.

Source: National Statistics Office

“GDP PER PERSON EMPLOYED” INCREASES BY 2.1 PCT IN 2022

In the fourth quarter of 2022, GDP per person employed (at 2015 constant prices) was MNT 6.6 million. In 2022, the GDP per person employed was MNT 23.2 million, which increased by MNT 473.4 thousand (2.1%) compared to the previous year.
Regarding the main four sectors, productivity increased in agriculture, industry, and construction and service sector, but mining and quarrying decreased compared to the previous year.
According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, the value added per person employed in the agriculture sector was MNT 14.6 million, the industry and construction sector was MNT 20.5 million, the service sectors were MNT 19.4 million, mining and quarrying sector was MNT 51.9 million.

Source: Montsame

BOM PURCHASES 701.2 KG OF PRECIOUS METALS IN FEBRUARY

In February 2023, the Bank of Mongolia (BoM) purchased 701.2 kg of precious metals.
BoM branches in Darkhan-Uul and Bayankhongor aimags bought 78.8 kg and 139.8 kg of precious metals, respectively.
The Bank of Mongolia sets the purchase price of precious metals based on the global market price. As of February, the average purchase price was MNT 209,784.

Source: Montsame

EDUCATION LOANS AND GRANTS ACCOUNT FOR 10-15 PERCENT OF MONGOLIA’S TOTAL DEBT

Local Education Group (LEG) High Level Consultation Meeting was held on March 14 in Ulaanbaatar.
At the meeting, the Government’s policy and short-term goals on the education and science sector were presented to the attendees and discussions were evolved around the topics such as cooperation opportunities and roles of the stakeholders. The meeting is significant in terms of establishing cooperation and partnership mechanism between the member countries. This mechanism will allow the realization of international projects and programs in line with the policy of education and science. Moreover, by establishing this mechanism, member organizations of the group will be able to hold meetings quarterly to identify the challenges and discuss solutions and possible technical assistance to solve these challenges.
Over 100 representatives from donors, international development organizations, and civil society organizations attended the consultation meeting.
During the meeting, Minister of Education and Science Mr. Enkh-Amgalan provided clarifications on the following issues.  

Source: Montsame

WORK ON BRIDGE BETWEEN YARMAG AND FIRST MICRO-DISTRICT STARTS

On March 14, G. Bayarsaikhan, Head of the Ulaanbaatar Road Development Department, announced that “The work on the double Zaisan bridge, the bridge structure from Naadamchid Road to Enkhtaivan Avenue (connecting Yarmag road to the First micro-district), and the bridge structure from Shar Khad to Gachuurt started on March 1.”
In addition, the following issue of the National Sports Stadium was discussed during the emergency meeting of the City’s management staff. 51 percent of National Sports Stadium was privatized in 1993, and the surrounding areas have been shrinking year by year, and multi-story apartments have been built. The Stadium organizes concerts and earns income, but the capital, which owns 49 percent, does not receive any money. Just last year, the capital spent a lot of money on the improvement of the Stadium. Therefore, Capital City Governor D.Sumiyabazar said, “We do repairs and services. However, no money comes into the capital, it cannot be like this…”

Source: The UB Post

GOALS OF GROWTH: Q&A WITH MONGOLIA CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR BYADRAN LKHAGVASUREN - INTERVIEW

Byadran Lkhagvasuren, governor of the central bank of Mongolia, gave an interview to Global Finance about the bank’s future and potential stagflation.
Global Finance: Is stagflation likely to take hold in Mongolia?
Byadran Lkhagvasuren: Mongolia is sandwiched between Russia and China. Therefore, inflationary pressures arising from pandemic-related supply chain shocks are magnified significantly. According to our estimates, more than 60% of inflation dynamics are explained by an increase in the prices of imported goods and the recent sharp increases in oil prices.
We are seeing a gradual recovery in economic activity. In the first half of 2022, the economy grew by 1.9%, and we expect growth to reach 3% for the full year. Although growth in the mining, transportation and construction sectors is still weak, we are seeing a recovery in the services, trade and manufacturing sectors. We expect the mining and transportation sectors to recover once logistical issues are fully resolved in early 2023.

Source: Bank of Mongolia

POLITICS

STATE GREAT KHURAL OPENS ITS SPRING SESSION

The State Great Khural of Mongolia (Parliament) has opened its regular spring session of 2023 today.
In his opening speech, Speaker of the State Great Khural G.Zandanshatar stressed that the spring session will focus on legal reform against corruption, the detrimental phenomenon that hampers development of the country and wellbeing of people and undermines the rule of law and governance. He mentioned that package of laws to combat corruption will be discussed during the spring session, including Law on Civil Servants' Ethics and Discipline, Law on the Legal Status of Whistleblowers, Law on the Regulation of Public and Private Interests and Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Public Service, the National Program for Combating Corruption. The Speaker noted that the recommendations of the Deliberative Council, which were based on the results of the “Deliberate and Resolve” National Deliberative Polling will be realized. 

Source: Montsame

MONGOLIA TO DECIDE ON GAS PIPELINE ROUTE AFTER RUSSIA-CHINA COST AGREEMENT

Mongolia will take a decision on which part of its territory will be used to construct the Russia-China gas pipeline once its neighbours reach an agreement on costs, the country's prime minister said.
Russian energy company Gazprom is planning to build the 2,600 km Power-of-Siberia 2 gas pipeline to supply 50 billion cubic metres of gas per year to China by 2030.
Mongolian PM Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene told Reuters on Tuesday that talks between its two big neighbours had been put on the back burner due to the Ukraine war, but there was a likelihood of them coming back to the negotiating table.
After Russia and China decide on the pricing, Mongolia will decide on how they can use its territory to transport the gas, Oyun-Erdene said.
Nearly 80% of Mongolia's total exports go to China, but the mineral-rich country is working to expand trade and mining relationships beyond China and Russia and hopes to become a bridge between Europe and Asia.

Source: Reuters

CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA LAW OF MONGOLIA TO BE DISCUSSED BY PARLIAMENT

"Law on protecting human rights on social media", the law identified as “dangerous“ by the Reporters without borders, comes back to Mongolia’s Parliament this week after facing strong opposition from local citizens, civil society and international media and human rights organizations.
The law, which avows to protect human rights violation on social media, lacks regulations that would serve its designated purpose, but includes many other that gives state the ultimate power to regulate and even shut down internet and communication channels based on a very broad and subjective decision making process.
More importantly, the law was passed within 48 hours after it was first seen by public without allowing a reasonable time to review and provide consultations on the draft, which is a violation of already existing legal regulations in Mongolia as well.

Source: Mongolia Media Watch
See also: RSF urges legislators not to override presidential veto of dangerous social media bill

INTERVIEW: MONGOLIAN MINISTERS HAVE A REVIVAL PLAN

Businesspeople and policymakers in Ulaanbaatar dream of a speedy end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, which significantly disrupted Mongolia’s imports of necessities.
The mineral-rich nation suffered a debt crisis after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, forcing authorities to undertake fiscal and monetary measures to avoid a default amid depleted foreign reserves.
Now, Mongolia urgently needs to boost coal and copper exports to China to replenish the national coffers and repay its sovereign debts in 2023 and 2024. It has started building more logistic facilities to meet the recovering demand from China. 
“We are a landlocked country,” one that buys “60 to 70% of our consumption” from two giant neighbors – Russia and China – and other foreign countries, Mongolia’s Finance Minister Boldyn Javkhlan told Asia Times in an exclusive interview. “Because of the war and China’s border restrictions, it’s difficult for us.”

Source: Asia Times

TOTAL REVENUE OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET INCREASED BY 16.4 PCT IN JAN-FEB Y/Y

According to the preliminary results in the first 2 months of 2023, the total revenue of the general government budget was MNT 3.0 trillion, which increased by MNT 422.9 (16.4%) billion compared to the same period of the previous year. The equilibrated revenue and grants of the general government budget was MNT 2.8 trillion, which increased by MNT 318.7 (12.9%) billion compared to the same period of the previous year.
The total expenditure and net lending was MNT 2.8 trillion in the first 2 months 2023, resulting in a surplus of MNT 22.6 billion, and decreased by MNT 9.6 (29.8%) billion compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the first 2 months 2023, tax revenue reached MNT 2.6 trillion, which increased by MNT 240.7 (10.2%) billion compared to the same period of the previous year.

Source: National Statistics Office

TÜRKIYE, MONGOLIA EYE BOOSTING TRADE, DIPLOMATIC TIES

After hitting last year’s target, Türkiye and Mongolia are aiming to push their trade volume to at least $500 million (TL 9.49 billion) in the coming period before the two countries celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties, according to their top diplomats.
“Next year, Türkiye and Mongolia will celebrate the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, and therefore investment deals signed beforehand need to be revised and updated,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at a joint presser with his Mongolian counterpart Batmunkh Battsetseg following a one-on-one meeting, notably the first of its kind 31 years, in the capital Ankara on Monday.
“We have discussed bilateral relations and underlined that these need to be improved by cooperating on many fields,” Çavuşoğlu informed, noting as steps to be taken include the increase of civilian and cargo flights, boosting quotas for land transports and eliminating obstacles in front of trade…

Source: Daily Sabah
See also: Minister of Foreign Affairs Holds Official Talks with Her Turkish Counterpart
Minister of Foreign Affairs received Mongolians in Turkey
Mongolia wants to get observer status in the Organization of Turkic States
Minister of Foreign Affairs Pays Courtesy Call on Vice President of Turkey

ACTION PLANS TO PLANT “ONE BILLION TREES” APPROVED

The National Climate Committee, led by Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia S. Amarsaikhan convened on March 14.  The committee was newly established by resolution No.350 of the Government of Mongolia, dated September 9, 2022. 
At the meeting the National Climate Committee discussed and approved the strategic and action plans for implementing the "One Billion Trees" national campaign in 2022-2030 and the action plan of the National Committee in 2023. 
For the purpose of counteracting global warming, mitigating climate change, reducing desertification and land degradation, and ensuring ecosystem stability, President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh issued Decree No. 58 on October 4, 2021, and launched the "One Billion Trees" national campaign.
In the strategic and action plans for implementing the “One Billion Tree” national campaign, 27 actions and 154 measures are planned to be implemented.

Source: Montsame

BELARUS, MONGOLIA TO HOLD MEETING OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC COMMISSION

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Mongolia Dmitry Gorelik met with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Development of Mongolia Chimed Khuralbaatar on 14 March, BelTA learned from the Belarusian diplomatic mission in Mongolia.
The parties discussed a wide range of issues related to bilateral trade and economic cooperation. They also discussed the oncoming regular meetings of the joint Belarusian-Mongolian commission on trade and economic cooperation and the joint Belarusian-Mongolian commission on scientific and technical cooperation in Minsk in 2023.
The parties agreed on the need to intensify the bilateral dialogue between the ministries, as well as the early implementation of new joint projects in the delivery of municipal, agricultural and other equipment produced in Belarus.

Source: Belarus.by

SILENCE AROUND SEX HAS DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR MONGOLIAN TEENS - EDITORIAL

Seventeen-year-old Gerelee’s rosy face turns deep red as she considers the sharp swerve of her life in the past year.
“Even now, I cannot believe that I have become a mother,” she says, looking down at her 6-day-old daughter.
Rates of teenage pregnancy in Mongolia, albeit well below the global average, were until recently among the highest in the western Pacific region, in large part due to poor sexual and reproductive health education, limited access to reproductive health care for adolescents, and a reluctance to discuss sex at home. Each year, some 4,000 girls become pregnant, 650 of whom typically terminate their pregnancies. In Mongolia, abortion is legal until 22 weeks, with late-term abortions — between 13 and 22 weeks — requiring medical supervision. Minors, however, need the consent of a parent or guardian to terminate their pregnancies.
In some families, pregnant girls don’t tell their parents until it is too late.

Source: Global Press Journal

WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST - EDITORIAL

Aside from glorifying the PM OyunErdene.L, the dispute over the past two years and uncertainties surrounding Oyu Tolgoi that dragged on for 12 years seem to be coming to an end. Underground mining has started. It is already said and done. Can’t be stopped for at least 50 years. Therefore, it can be understood that the problem has been resolved as a result of mutual understanding by identifying the shortcomings of the past. The debts are written off. In other words, we are far from looking back to complain and debate over the past. Now it is time to look to the future, focus on creating real economic growth along with Oyu Tolgoi and make it beneficial to every citizen.
Inaugurating the underground mine, Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene.L and Rio Tinto’s CEO Jakob Stausholm have ordered the first blasting of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene.L made two things very clear.

Source: Mining Insight

DEFACTO REVIEW, MARCH 12 - VIDEO

Highlights of the week:
1. "Bird" operation
2. Court hearing for DB cases was adjourned
3. Rural revival policy

Source: Jargal Defacto

ELAINE CONKIEVICH: UNDP TO SUPPORT MONGOLIA ON GENDER EQUALITY, DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCING - INTERVIEW

Montsame interviewed Ms. Elaine Conkievich who was appointed as a Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Mongolia on November 9, 2019. 
Before we start, could you please introduce yourself and your background to our readers?  
Thank you. It is my pleasure. My name is Elaine Conkievich and I have been working as UNDP Resident Representative in Mongolia for over three years. Before that, I used to work as the UN Women representative in Central Asia, based in Kazakhstan for the last five years. Overall, I have been working for nearly 30 years in international development in the fields of governance, human rights, rule of law, gender mainstreaming, democratic institution building, conflict resolution, and preventive diplomacy working in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia, and now Mongolia.  
Can you please tell us about how UNDP works in Mongolia and the organization’s history in Mongolia a little bit? 

Source: Montsame

 

BUSINESS

RIO TINTO COMMENCES UNDERGROUND PRODUCTION AT OYU TOLGOI

Rio Tinto has begun underground production at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia following a $7bn expansion.
Oyu Tolgoi is now set to become the world’s fourth-largest copper mine by 2030. Between 2028 and 2036, it is expected to produce enough copper annually to manufacture six million electric vehicles – around 500,000 tonnes.
While the open-pit portion of Oyu Tolgoi has been successfully operating for more than a decade, the underground expansion was hampered by disagreements between the Mongolian government and Rio Tinto. These disputes were finally settled in January 2022 after the multinational waived a loan it provided to the Mongolian government.
Following Rio Tinto’s buyout of Turquoise Hill, it now owns a 66% stake in the Oyu Tolgoi project, with the remaining 34% held by the Mongolian government.
The occasion was marked by a visit from the Prime Minister of Mongolia, Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, and Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm.

Source: Mining-Technology.combne IntelliNews
View the Rio Tinto release
See also: Rio Tinto Should Expect More Friction Over Giant Mongolia Mine
Rio stands ground on Oyu Tolgoi tax take in Mongolia

MONGOLIAN DAY AT PDAC 2023

The World’s Premier Mineral Exploration and Mining Convention was held between March 5-8 in Toronto, Canada. 
Mongolia has been participating in this convention, organized by the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) for 17 years since 2006. During the convention, several meetings were held involving ministries and other stakeholders to discuss and exchange views on cooperation in this sector and opportunities to improve the investment climate of Mongolia and the Mongolian representatives presented on its mega projects, exploration and development opportunities, and practices, and investment environment competitiveness. 
In addition, the Mongolian National Mining Association organized the “Mongolian Day” event where the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry Mr. Ganbaatar made a speech on Mongolian mineral resources and policy reform of the sector and mining companies introduced their projects and discussed cooperation opportunities with the investors gathered at the convention. 

Source: Montsame

REGULATIONS RELATED TO MONEY LOAN ACTIVITIES APPROVED

At a regular meeting of the FRC - on 13 March 2023 – drafts of five regulations were discussed, and approved according to the Law on Regulation of Money Loans Activities. Implementation of the Law followed from 1 March, 2023. The draft regulations are:
Registration and operation regulation, of entities engaged in money loan activities.
Regulation for keeping a record book of money loan activities and submitting reports.
Regulation for issuing personal numbers to entities engaged in money loan activities.
Regulation for training in money loan activities
Regulation for the Money Loans Policy Council’s activities.
The regulations defined details related to money loan activities, including:

  • The requirement to register with the FRC (the governor of the province, or the capital) depending on the amount of the capital of the legal entity engaged in money loan activities
  • How to register and grounds for refusal of registration.

Source: FRC

FRC ENCOURAGES TOP 100 ENTERPRISES TO CONSIDER IPOS AND GREEN BONDS

Sustainable financing and green bonds are of primary importance for the country's economic and social development and inclusive growth. For this reason, the Financial Regulatory Commission will inform TOP-100 enterprises about sustainable financing, the importance of green bonds, and their regulatory environment, introduce the possibility of attracting financing through the capital market, and support programs for enterprises, and exchange opinions on the topic "Opportunity for attracting financing - sustainable finance and green bonds" discussion was held on 13 march 2023.
D. Bayarsaikhan, (Chairman of the FRC), opened the discussion organized jointly with the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCIT), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Mongolian Sustainable Financing Association (TOS Association). Chairman highlighted "Last year, the FRC, together with the Ministry of Finance, successfully organized an IPO forum among professional organizations participating in the securities market, issuers, and investors…”

Source: FRC

JADE GAS HOLDINGS RAISES AUD 10.7 MILLION VIA STRATEGIC PLACEMENT

Jade Gas has launched a strategic share placement to raise $10.7 million.
The company executed a subscription agreement with UB Metal (UBM) for the funds via a placement of 178,630,800 JGH shares at six cents per share.
The price represents a 27.7 per cent premium to the last closing price of JGH shares of 4.7 cents and a 23.7 per cent premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price.
UBM is Mongolia’s largest importer of natural gas in the form of liquified natural gas (LNG) and will become a 19.9 per cent shareholder as a result of the placement.
Under the terms of the placement, UBM will be entitled to nominate a candidate to the Jade board of directors.
Jade said the funds raised would primarily go towards its pilot production program, which was designed to prove the commercial capability of the Tavan Tolgoi XXXIII unconventional oil basin in Mongolia (TTCBM project).

Source: The Market Herald
View the Jade Gas release
See also: 

ERDENE ANNOUNCES 2022 RESULTS AND PROVIDES KHUNDII MINERALS DISTRICT UPDATE

With its mountains, beaches and movie star good-looks, Vancouver is a world-class urban jewel, despite having been home to a historical bit of world-renowned funny business known as the Vancouver Stock Exchange (VSE).
Anyone old enough to remember the VSE will recall it was the premiere playground for mining stock promoters, smooth talkers and crooks who would sell investors on the promise of striking it rich, just as soon as this or that highly speculative resource sector play turned out to be the genuine El Dorado.
There were some honest-to-goodness El Dorados, lest the legendary Eskay Creek gold bonanza be forgotten, but right alongside the winners were the characters of ill repute, pumping the price of otherwise worthless penny stocks and cashing out ahead of the inevitable crash. Forbes magazine knew the score, and famously dubbed the VSE the “scam capital of the world” in its May 1989 issue.

Source: Erdene Resource Development Corp.

PHOTO: 200 CHINESE COMPANIES TO INVEST IN FIVE SECTORS OF MONGOLIA

Mongolian-Chinese businessmen joint "Sustainable Investment Summit" continues. About 200 businessmen from the private sector of China are participating in the SIS23 and getting acquainted with the projects and investing in the following sectors.

  • Mining
  • Renewable energy
  • banking and finance
  • Construction
  • Agriculture

SIS23 aims to expand foreign trade between the two countries, increase investment in Mongolia, and strengthen regional environmental cooperation. China is paying more attention to the construction and agriculture sectors of Mongolia. During the summit, the representatives of five sectors will present project presentations, investors' briefs, and both parties will sign a memorandum.
At today's session, representatives of the banking and agricultural sectors presented their projects. The summit will last for three days.

Source: GoGo News

EBRD REPRESENTATIVES VISIT MONGOLIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Today, the Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Ms. Annemarie Straathof, the Managing Director of EBRD Central Asia, Ms. Zsuzsanna Hargitai, and the Head of Mongolia at EBRD, Mr. Hannes Takacs, visited the Mongolian Stock Exchange.
During the meeting, the CEO of the Mongolian Stock Exchange, Kh.Altai, presented the recent situation of the stock market, the issue of securities by systematically important banks, the trading of mining products, and the process of privatization of the state-owned enterprise.
They also emphasized the importance of the EBRD's participation in intensifying the development of the capital market and ensuring sustainable growth and discussed the activities to be jointly implemented in the future.
The EBRD has made a valuable contribution to the development of Mongolia's capital market by implementing a variety of technical assistance projects and programs such as capital market development projects, introducing the T+2 settlement system, determining domestic investment capacity, and improving the capacity of MSE.

Source: MSE

IIHF ICE HOCKEY U18 ASIA AND OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIP UNDERWAY

Ice Hockey U18 Asia and Oceania Championship is held in Mongolia for the first time in Mongolia between March 11 and March 17, 2023 at Steppe Arena, Ulaanbaatar. In 2019, Mongolia opened its first international standard “Steppe Arena” winter sport house, which made it possible to organize international competitions.
The opening of the tournament was attended by the President of the Mongolian Ice Hockey Federation B.Javkhlan, the Minister of Environment and Tourism B.Bat-Erdene, Vice President of the Hockey Federation and Advisor of the International Hockey Federation A.Mergen and Vice President of the International Ice Hockey Federation Aivaz Omorkanov, and other officials.
The best teams from Mongolia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are taking part in the junior competition and athletes aged 15 to 18 are participating in the U18 Hockey Tournament. Teams are playing in a round-robin, and each team will play five games to determine the champion.

Source: The UB PostMontsame
See also: Uzbekistan team leads Asian Ice Hockey Championship

FITCH RATING REPORT: MONGOLIAN MINING CORPORATION

The rating of Mongolian Mining Corporation (MMC) is constrained by the company’s small scale, single-product focus on hard coking coal and limited cost competitiveness outside of northern China, its main market. However, MMC has flexibility in capex, which should provide a sufficient buffer to continue generating free cash flow (FCF) during business downturns. The Negative Outlook reflects the uncertainty about MMC's business recovery due to periodic restrictions at the border with China to contain Covid-19’s spread. Fitch Ratings estimates the prolonged border disruptions in 2021 caused MMC's credit metrics to deteriorate from 2020 levels. Border traffic currently remains restricted, but MMC expects the curb to ease soon. However, the credit metrics could remain weak if there is no clear recovery in border traffic. Key Rating Drivers Capex Flexibility: MMC estimates its minimum sustaining capex, mostly for regular maintenance of its mines, mining fleets and coal-hauling trucks, will be around USD2 million in 2022 and USD5 million in 2023. 

Source: Fitch Ratings

ZIJIN AND XANADU TRANSACTION COMPLETED AND KHARMAGTAI PFS UNDERWAY

Xanadu Mines Ltd is pleased to announce the completion on 10 March 2023 of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of its Strategic Partnership with Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd. This provides crucial funding for the Company’s flagship Kharmagtai Copper-Gold Project (Kharmagtai) through the next phase of project evaluation and exploration, leading to formal Decision to Mine. It will also provide funding to Xanadu for activities outside of Kharmagtai such as our second project at Red Mountain.
Xanadu also announces the appointment of Mr Shaoyang Shen as a non-executive director, having been nominated by Zijin in accordance with the Phase 2 Share Subscription Agreement.
Highlights

  • Completed A$7.164,645.28 million placement for 179,116,132 Xanadu shares at $0.04 per share, a 33% premium on the latest market close price, increasing Zijin shareholding to 19.42% of Xanadu.
  • US$35 million invested directly into the Kharmagtai project creating a 50/50 Joint Venture (JV) at the project level.

Source: GlobeNewsWire.com

MINESEC EMPOWERS MONGOL ID AS MONGOLIA'S PIONEERING FINTECH WITH SOFTPOS LAUNCH

MineSec has boosted Mongol iD's capabilities as a leading fintech firm among Mongolia's market players by helping launch a software point of sale (SoftPOS) for the latter. Through the SoftPOS solution, MineSec has enabled Mongol iD to conduct businesses directly through mobile card payments without the need of additional software.
SoftPOS converts smart devices into a secure payment terminal as opposed to traditional POS systems. This revolutionary payment technology enables scalability while minimising terminal and maintenance costs. Mongol iD is seeing opportunities to expand their business using SoftPOS technology. This is in line with a new regulatory push from the Bank of Mongolia which mandates all issued cards to possess contactless capabilities.
Mongol iD will utilise the SoftPOS solution from MineSec for the newly released MinuChat. The unified solution offers merchants various services such as account statement; transfers and payments; as well as credit and loan applications; and invoicing and subscription payments. 

Source: PRNAsia.com

STEPPE GOLD FEATURED ON VIEWPOINT PROJECT, HOSTED BY DENNIS QUAID - VIDEO

Steppe Gold Limited is delighted to share its feature segment on the Viewpoint Project, hosted by Dennis Quaid, in its mission to educate US investors on the Steppe story.
As Mongolia's leading gold producer, and after a year of expansion and growth, including the recent binding agreement to acquire Anacortes Mining, Steppe Gold Ltd is always looking for new ways to share its remarkable story with investors and stakeholders, especially as the Company continues to build its profile in the US market.
We are pleased to have this Steppe feature segment showcased on the Viewpoint Project, with host, Dennis Quaid and aired in the US across various main broadcasting channels, as well as on Public TV (PTV) affiliates, due to its educational nature.
Tune in below to this educational segment to learn more about Steppe's value proposition, and the compelling mining jurisdiction of Mongolia.

Source: Junior Mining Network
See also: Steppe Gold Files Technical Report for ATO Gold Project

E. GENDENJAMTS: WANT TO OPTIMIZE YOUR ONLINE SALES, THEN START WITH ONE PRODUCT - INTERVIEW

Mongolian Economy spoke with E. Gendenjamts, a manager of the Cross Border Trade and Hightech Department at Rakuten France, about Rakuten Group, Inc, its overseas businesses and steps to optimize online sales.
-Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
-First of all, I would like to thank Mongolian Economy for the invitation. My name is Elbegsaikhan Gendenjamts, everyone calls me Gende. Currently, I’m working as a manager of the Cross Border Tade and Hightech Department at Rakuten France. I moved to France with my family, wife and 2 kids, 7 years ago, after working as an e-commerce consultant at Rakuten Group, Inc in Japan for 3 years. In terms of my educational background, I graduated from Kyoto university with a bachelor’s degree in development economics and then I completed my master’s degree at Hitotsubashi University.

Source: Mongolian Economy

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

FED SEEN DELIVERING QUARTER-POINT RATE HIKE NEXT WEEK

The Federal Reserve is seen raising interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point at its meeting next week as the European Central Bank on Thursday delivered its own aggressive rate hike and U.S. economic data came in stronger than expected, outstripping lingering fears of a global banking crisis.
Money market pricing has varied greatly this past week as traders have digested a whirlwind of news, from the collapse of two large regional U.S. banks to Swiss regulators having to pledge assistance to Credit Suisse.
After the ECB's decision to go ahead with a 50 basis point hike to tame too-hot inflation despite volatility in financial markets, traders of U.S. rate futures firmed up their bets that the U.S. central bank will raise interest rates by 25 basis points next week.
The likelihood of a 25 basis point hike at the March 21-22 meeting was also bolstered on Thursday by an unexpected drop in jobless claims…

Source: Reuters
See also: Goldman Sachs no longer expects the Fed to hike rates in March, cites stress on banking system

ECB RAISES RATES AS PLANNED DESPITE BANKING TURMOIL

The European Central Bank raised interest rates by 50 basis points on Thursday as promised, ignoring financial market chaos and calls by investors to dial back policy tightening at least until sentiment stabilises.
The ECB has been raising rates at its fastest pace on record to curb inflation, but a rout in global markets since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the United States last week had threatened to upend those plans at the last moment.
In line with its often-repeated guidance, the central bank for the 20 countries that share the euro lifted its deposit rate to 3%, the highest level since late 2008, as inflation is seen overshooting its 2% target through 2025.
But it offered no commitments for the future, despite previous calls by a long list of policymakers for more big moves in the fight against inflation.

Source: Reuters

CHINA REMOVES ALL REMAINING CURBS ON AUSTRALIAN COAL IMPORTS

China will allow all domestic companies to import Australian coal, signalling an end to trade restrictions imposed in late 2020.
Ports and customs offices have been told to allow the cargoes, according to people familiar with the decision, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. Earlier this year, authorities gave four major importers permission to resume purchases of Australian coal, which began shipping in January.
The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s economic planning agency, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
High-quality Australian coal is much sought after by China’s steelmakers and power plants. Imports could reach one-million tons in the first half of March alone, according to China’s top coal lobbying group. China is the world’s biggest producer and consumer and its imports of the fuel exceeded 290-million tons last year.

Source: Mining Weekly

ANALYSIS: RUSSIAN SANCTIONS SHIFT OIL PRICE-MAKING POWER TO ASIA FROM EUROPE

Western sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil have channelled cheap fuel to Asia and in the process eroded a decades-long trend whereby the continent has paid more for energy than Europe, according to traders, analysts and Refinitiv Eikon data.
Analysts and government officials from consumer countries use the term Asian premium to refer to the higher prices Asian importers have paid for oil sold by big exporters, such as members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
For Asia, a weakened premium amounts to an economic stimulus, highlighting another unintended consequence of the Western sanctions on oil and gas exporter Moscow, which also led to a surge in the amount Europeans have paid for natural gas.
"It's safe to say that some major consumers in Asia, most notably India and China, are the major winners of the sanctions," Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said.

Source: Reuters

US CRUDE OIL EXPORTS HIT RECORD HIGH IN 2022, EIA DATA SHOWS

U.S. crude oil exports hit a record high in 2022 as releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) nearly matched the increase in domestic output to boost U.S. supply to countries looking to replace Russian crude.
Exports of U.S. crude rose by 22% from 2021 to reach a peak of 3.6 million barrels per day (bpd) last year, as greater demand from Europe offset lower exports to India and China, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.
U.S. production in 2022 rose by 629,000 bpd, or 5.6%, to 11.9 million bpd, still off its record high of 12.3 million bpd reached in 2019.
However, combined with 607,000 bpd of releases from the SPR last year, overall U.S. crude oil supplied to the market reached 12.5 million bpd, surpassing the 12.4 million bpd supplied in 2019.
South Korea, the Netherlands, the UK, and Canada were the top destinations for U.S. crude oil.

Source: Reuters

CHINA COULD CONTROL A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S LITHIUM BY 2025

China’s efforts to ramp up lithium extraction could see it accounting for nearly a third of the world’s supply by the middle of the decade, according to UBS.
The bank expects Chinese-controlled mines, including projects in Africa, to raise output to 705 000 t by 2025, from 194,000 t in 2022. That would lift China’s share of the mineral critical to electric-vehicle batteries to 32% of global supply, from 24% last year, according to a note on Friday.
The race to secure lithium is playing out at the highest levels, with nations including the US prioritising access to the materials necessary for making batteries as the world turns away from fossil fuels. China’s needs are particularly acute because it’s home to the world’s biggest market for new energy vehicles.
The rise in Chinese output will include an increase in material derived from lepidolite, a lithium-bearing rock often overlooked as poor quality and environmentally unsound because of its low yield and high energy costs.

Source: MiningWeekly.comMining.com
See also: China to step up deep sea mining efforts

PERU MINING EXPORTS FALL ALMOST 20 PCT YEAR/YEAR IN JANUARY AMID PROTESTS

Peruvian mining exports dropped 19.8% in January compared to the same month last year, the sector’s business chamber said on Tuesday, in the wake of devastating protests that have rocked the country in recent months.
Total mineral exports in the month totaled $2.473 billion dollars compared to the $3.1 billion recorded a year earlier, the National Mining, Oil and Energy Society (SNMPE) said.
For copper, which Peru is the world’s second largest producer of, foreign sales fell 25% year-on-year in the first month of the year, to $1.248 billion.
The association said the drop in copper sales abroad was driven by a 20.3% drop in volumes compared to the same month in 2022, as well as a 5.9% drop in the metal’s price.
Mining minister Oscar Vera said last week that local mines were once again beginning to transport copper concentrate to ports for exporting after protests hampered shipments.

Source: Reuters

JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA AGREE TO MEND TIES AS LEADERS MEET FOLLOWING YEARS OF DISPUTE

The leaders of South Korea and Japan promised to resume ties in a fence-mending summit – the first such meeting in 12 years – as the two neighbors seek to confront threats from North Korea and rising concerns about China.
“From now on, I would like to open a new chapter in Japan-South Korea relations through frequent visits by both sides that are not tied down by formality,” Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in Tokyo after meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Mutual visits by Japanese and South Korean leaders have been suspended for 12 years as ties soured over several issues, including a wartime labor dispute.
The shared security challenges facing both nations were on stark display just hours before the trip when North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile into the waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula – the fourth intercontinental ballistic missile launch in less than one year.

Source: CNNAP
See also: Japan to Lift Tighter Export Controls for S. Korea

COPPER PRICES FALL ON STRONGER DOLLAR AND BANKING WOES

Nickel companies are driving a record year for public listings in Indonesia, in a crucial test of investor enthusiasm for President Joko Widodo’s ambition to make the country a top participant in the global electric car market.
Harita Nickel, a subsidiary of Harita Group with a significant project in North Maluku, is holding its investor roadshow this week and hoping to raise at least $600mn ahead of a book build later in March, two people familiar with the talks said.
Merdeka Battery Materials is also planning a local listing in the first half, the people said. Hillcon, a nickel contractor that went public last week on Indonesia’s stock exchange, is trading 25 per cent higher than its initial public offering price.
Indonesia is already the second-busiest IPO market by both deal value and number of listings in Asia this year, after China, according to data from Dealogic. Bankers expect as much as $4bn in issuance in 2023.

Source: Financial Times

CREDIT SUISSE'S USD 54 BILLION LIFELINE GIVES GLOBAL BANKS TENTATIVE RESPITE

Credit Suisse sought to shore up its liquidity and restore investor confidence on Thursday by borrowing up to $54 billion from Switzerland's central bank, after a slide in its shares intensified fears of a global banking crisis.
Shares in Credit Suisse briefly bounced from a 25% fall on Wednesday after its statement, which came in the middle of the night in Zurich, but then faded and last traded 20% higher.
Europe's banking index initially rose, but was down 0.3% by 1306 GMT, after days of heavy losses on investor fears over potential bank stresses across the world, which have also prompted calls for action by companies in other sectors.
Since March 8, before last week's collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) European banks have lost around $165 billion in market value, Refinitiv data shows.
The concerns about Credit Suisse added to broader fears sparked by last week's collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, two U.S. mid-size firms.

Source: ReutersCNBC

 

 

BCM SUBMITS POLICY PAPER

The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) Secretariat has submitted a Policy Paper to the Government of Mongolia on 13 October 2022.

BCM Secretariat has submitted summary of issues and proposed solutions on newly adopted Corporate Income Tax law drafted by the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Tax & Regulatory Working group (lead by Ms. Kh.Amarjargal, Country Director Mongolia-Rio Tinto, Mr.B.Battushig - Founding Partner of DB&GTS LLP and Mr.R.Khishignemekh -Senior Partner of Ernest and Young TMZ).

The 42 pages of findings and recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry; to Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament);  Standing Committee on the Economic Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Standing Committee on the Budget; Economy and Development Ministry. In collaboration with Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Association.                                        

BCM would like to thank Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Mining Association and BCM Regulatory & Tax Working Group for their efforts to protect legal interests and rights of business entities in Mongolia.

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.

SDG INVESTOR MAPPING PROJECT SURVEY - IDENTIFYING BUSINESS CASES FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The objective of this template is to collect data on businesses aligned with SDGs, and if selected, your provided data will be compiled into SDG Investor Map datasheet which will be eventually uploaded onto Global SDG Investor Platform managed by UNDP SDG Impact. The outcomes of the data will be aggregated to gather insights that will be presented in the form of a report along with other secondary research that we have conducted. Thus, we would like to seek your permission to use your data for business research and documentation purposes.  For any individual information from your business, due permission will be sought before the publishing of the report. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  16 March 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,527.57
Euro EUR   3,748.22
Japanese yen JPY   26.50
British pound GBP   4,267.13
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      449.43
Russian ruble RUB        46.38
Chinese yuan CNY      511.09
South Korean won KRW          2.69
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

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BCM NewsWire 773 – 10 March 2023

 

NewsWire

Issue 773 –  10 March 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


BCM Highlight

  • BCM NewsWire survey

Economy

  • Gross Industrial Output Increases by 2.2 Times More from the Previous Year

  • Domestic Construction Enterprises Account for 98 pct of Construction and Capital Repairs

  • Number of e-cars to increase to 30 percent by 2025

  • New Railway Line Tavan Tolgoi-Zuunbayan to be Open

  • Philippines, Malaysia, Mongolia seal stronger partnership in housing finance

  • Mongolia Is Introducing Effective and Innovative Solid Waste Management with ADB’s Support

  • Is it "harmful" or "helpful" to show the museum for free like this? - Editorial

  • Mongolia to showcase feasible mining projects at PDAC 2023 - Interview

  • Alex Christopher: Mongolia can help provide critical minerals that are needed for a lowcarbon future - Interview

Politics

  • Clean Air High-Level Forum: Air pollution Can Be Reduced Through Collective Efforts

  • Uzbekistan and Mongolia confirmed readiness to intensify mutually beneficial cooperation

  • Law on Regulation Activities of Money Loans has been implemented

  • IRENA: Development of a Strategic Heating Plan for Mongolia

  • Finland’s clean energy solutions raise interest in Mongolia

  • Joint Statement of the UN in Mongolia on the occasion of International Women’s Day

  • FRC exchanges views on cooperation with Canadian Securities Administrators

  • Willingness Expressed to Strengthen Inter-Parliamentary Relations with Japan

  • Embassy of Cuba in Mongolia honored the Mongolian women and the Ambassadors on the occasion of International Women's Day

  • Qatar and Mongolia sign air services agreement

  • U.S. Secretary of State Recognizes Brigadier General Bolor Ganbold at 2023 International Women of Courage Awards

  • Opportunities of UAE companies to participate in infrastructure and mining sector development of Mongolia to be studied

  • “Food Revolution” Gains Momentum

  • Mongolia, China and Russia At The Centre Of A New Multipolarity - Editorial

  • Political Predictions and Why I Struggle with Making Them - Editorial

Business

  • Kincora Copper: Mongolian tax dispute heads to the Supreme Court

  • TMK Energy eyes early commercialisation of Mongolian coal seam gas pilot

  • Steppe Gold intends to acquire Canada’s Anacortes Mining

  • Czechs to sponsor Mongolian leather industry

  • Convenience store chain CU operator opens 300th store in Mongolia

  • Empowering Women in the Energy Efficiency Sector

  • EES Engineering Joins McElroy as Mongolian Distributor

  • Cocaine, Mongolian coal mines and the checkered path of a Vancouver-area penny stock

  • Chanel Métiers D’Arts Barrie Between Mongolia And Scotland

  • Mongolian Mining Corp. delivers shareholders enviable 113 pct CAGR over 3 years, surging 14 pct in the last week alone

  • How Mongolia’s mining and exploration environment has positively impacted ION Energy - Video

Global and Regional Trends

  • China Sets Economic Growth Target Of 'Around 5 pct' For 2023

  • Gender pay gap could cost the world economy USD 7 trillion, Moody’s says

  • China's Jan-Feb coal imports jump 71 pct in stock-building push

  • Miners grow anxious as Canada tightens foreign investment rules

  • South America looks at creating “lithium OPEC”

  • Metals Catch a Chill as Beijing Shies Away From Major Stimulus

  • Generative AI mania brings billions of dollars to developers

  • Sri Lanka to announce debt restructuring strategy in April - cenbank chief

  • Nickel IPOs test Indonesia’s vision of global role in electric vehicles

  • Shortage of metals for EVs is rising up the agenda in automakers’ C-suites

BCM Updates

  • BCM submits policy paper

  • The BCM appoints Raphaël Goué as official BCM representative in Europe

  • SDG Investor Mapping project survey - Identifying business cases for investment opportunities

  • UNICEF: Guidance for employers on flexible work arrangements and other good workplace practices in the context of Covid-19

  • UNICEF: Call for actions of the private sector to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution in UB

  • BCM Guideline for Companies to Combat Air Pollution

  • Member-to-member special offers & benefits

Economic Indicators

  • Inflation

  • Central Bank Policy Rate

  • Sovereign Credit Rating

  • Currency Rates

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

BCM HIGHLIGHT

BCM NEWSWIRE SURVEY

Dear valued members,
 
The Business Council of Mongolia sincerely appreciates its members and always tries to progressively improve the services it provides. With that being said, we would appreciate it dearly if you could kindly take 2-3 minutes of your day to fill out the following survey on our Weekly Friday Newswire. We would like to receive your feedback to ameliorate the content of our newswire. 
 
Please find the questionnaire here
 
Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Your contribution is highly valuable to us. 


ECONOMY

GROSS INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT INCREASES BY 2.2 TIMES MORE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR

According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, by the preliminary results of January, the gross industrial output reached MNT 2.7 trillion, which increased by MNT 1.4 trillion (2.2 times more) from the previous year.
This increase was mainly due to the mining and quarrying production output increase by MNT 1.3 trillion (2.8 times more) and the manufacturing production output by 62.3 billion (19.0%), respectively. The mining and quarrying gross output reached MNT 2.0 trillion, which increased by MNT 1.3 trillion (2.8 times more) from the previous year. This increase was mainly due to increases in coal and lignite mining by MNT 1.1 trillion (8.9 times more) and mining of metal ores by MNT 117.3 billion (20.4%) from the previous year.
In the manufacturing sector, pure water, soft drink, juice, metal steel, wheat flour, and meat increased by 0.7 percent to 2.4 times more than the previous year.

Source: Montsame

DOMESTIC CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES ACCOUNT FOR 98 PCT OF CONSTRUCTION AND CAPITAL REPAIRS

According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, construction, capital repairs and maintenance reached MNT 6.3 trillion, of which MNT 6.2 trillion (98.0%) were completed by the domestic construction enterprises and MNT 124.4 billion (2.0%) were completed by foreign enterprises in 2022.
By preliminary result of 2022, construction, capital repairs and maintenance increased by MNT 1.7 billion (37.4%) compared to the previous year. It was mainly due to MNT 1.7 billion (37.9%) increase in construction, capital repairs and maintenance completed by domestic enterprises. In the total construction, capital repairs and maintenance completed by domestic enterprises, construction, capital repairs and maintenance completed by private enterprises reached MNT 6.2 trillion, increased by MNT 1.7 billion (37.7%). While, capital repairs and maintenance of state-owned enterprises reached MNT 128.0 billion, decreased by MNT 159.8 billion (55.5%), construction, capital repairs and maintenance completed by joint venture reached MNT 47.2 billion, decreased by MNT 1.9 billion (3.9%) compared to the previous year.

Source: Montsame

NUMBER OF E-CARS TO INCREASE TO 30 PERCENT BY 2025

In order to meet the growing challenges of air pollution, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the United Nations Environment Program are organizing the Asia and the Pacific High-Level Forum on Clean Air on March 2 and 3.
During the forum, it was mentioned that air pollution has a large impact on human health and ecosystems and is the most important global environmental cause of premature deaths. The latest update of the WHO Air Quality Guidelines states that seven million people worldwide annually die prematurely of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases that are attributable to ambient and household air pollution. The greatest number (two-thirds) of these premature deaths occurred in the South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions, which can be attributed to the rapid economical and industrial and urban growth in these areas.

Source: The UB Post

NEW RAILWAY LINE TAVAN TOLGOI-ZUUNBAYAN TO BE OPEN

O. Amarsanaa, the Stationmaster of Tsogttsetsii train station said, “The Memorandum of Cooperation between Mongolian Railway and Mongolian Professional Committee of Petroleum Import was signed and we have been cooperating actively since then.” As a result of this MOC, companies and entities working in the strategy fields are able to be supplied by lower-price gasoline and the overloaded truck traffic will be reduced, increasing the lifespan of roads.
On February 1, 2023, “Mongolian Railway” SOSC, “Tavan Tolgoi Railway” LLC, and “Mongolian Trans Line” LLC jointly launched a trial transportation between Tavantolgoi -Tsagaantsav.
The Tavantolgoi-Gashuunsukhait railway covers Tsogtsetsii, Bayn-Ovoo, and Khanbogd soums of Umnugovi province. It is 240 kilometers long mainline from Tavantolgoi mining to port Gashuunsukhait, with a total of 321.6 kilometers, two stations, and six crossings.
As of today, 21000 tons of coals have been transported successfully.

Source: Montsame

PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA, MONGOLIA SEAL STRONGER PARTNERSHIP IN HOUSING FINANCE

State-owned National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC) strengthened its partnership with its counterparts in member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations through the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Cagamas Berhad of Malaysia and the Mongolian Mortgage Finance Corp. (MIK) in Sentosa, Singapore on Monday.
NHMFC president Renato Tobias, Cagamas Berhad president and CEO Datuk Chung Chee Leong and MIK CEO Gantulga Badamkhatan signed the MOU during the International Secondary Mortgage Market Association meeting held on the same day in Sentosa.
As the government’s sole secondary mortgage institution under the umbrella organization of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), the NHMFC seeks to collaborate with its international counterparts and exchange information on research and programs related to housing finance, mortgage market, mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and other funding instruments.

Source: The Philippine Star

MONGOLIA IS INTRODUCING EFFECTIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT WITH ADB’S SUPPORT

The amount of solid waste generated in Mongolia has significantly increased from 0.3 to 3.3 million tons per year between 2008 and 2019 due to changing urban lifestyles and consumption patterns. Even though more than half of the waste is recyclable, only 7% is reused or exported. Solid waste management in the country is challenged by poor technologies, infrastructure, equipment, and lack of strategic planning for sustainable waste management. 
To address these challenges, ADB is supporting the local governments in their efforts to introduce effective municipal solid waste management and recycling schemes. With a $2 million grant from Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, the Managing Solid Waste in Secondary Cities project is opening new income generating activity and employment opportunities through waste reuse and recycling pilots and skills and business development.
The project launched public information and education campaigns to increase awareness on effective and inclusive waste recycling and reuse.

Source: ADB
See also: Solving the problem of sanitary facilities in the ger areas discussed

IS IT "HARMFUL" OR "HELPFUL" TO SHOW THE MUSEUM FOR FREE LIKE THIS? - EDITORIAL

A 90-year-old grandmother who was watching TV, heard the information about the open days of the museum and said, “If these people see a museum in a bunch like this, can they see the quality content? That old woman criticized the policy and management of the Ministry of Culture with such a single sentence. I don’t want to make it a priority to scan and criticize. However, the “Museum Open Days” campaign is considered to be an exaggeration, no different from other PR measures of the state and government authorities.
What happened in the capital’s state-owned museums on March 1 to 5? For example, more than 4,000 adults and 1,500 children visited the Natural History Museum. Especially, in the last two days of this campaign, it was very difficult for the museum staff to carry out their work. Kindergartens and schools brought their children and students by bus.

Source: The UB Post

MONGOLIA TO SHOWCASE FEASIBLE MINING PROJECTS AT PDAC 2023 - INTERVIEW

Mining Insight’s Ariuntuya.N spoke with Erdenetuya.G, the CEO of the Mongolian National Mining Association (MNMA) on how Mongolia will take part in the 91st PDAC Convention, which will be held in Toronto, Canada from March 5 to 8.
How will Mongolia’s mining industry stakeholders attend the PDAC conference in 2023, the world’s largest mining event? How will they showcase their achievements and opportunities in the “Mongolia Day” event and what will make it different from previous editions?
Mongolia PDAC 2023 is organized by the Mongolian National Mining Association (MNMA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry and other member organizations starting this year.
Our objective is to attract as many investors as possible to the “Mongolia Day” event. We will also showcase our country by establishing an exhibition space for Mongolia. The highlight of this year’s event is that we aim to present feasible projects with detailed investment information.

Source: Mining Insight

ALEX CHRISTOPHER: MONGOLIA CAN HELP PROVIDE CRITICAL MINERALS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR A LOWCARBON FUTURE - INTERVIEW

Mining Insight magazine is covering the 91st Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention, where we are proud to be a media partner for the 2nd year in a row. Today, we have the privilege of speaking with PDAC President Alex Christopher. He shared with us his insights and expectations for this highly anticipated annual gathering of the global mining industry.
What can attendees expect from the 91st PDAC Conference, the world’s leading mineral exploration and mining convention? Is there anything unique in store this year?
After a completely online event in 2021, followed by a successful hybrid event in the summer of 2022, the PDAC 2023 Convention returns to its traditional dates in March for our first fully in-person event since the start of the pandemic. Now spread over 600,000 square feet of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s (MTCC) North and South buildings, this will be one of the largest in its 91-year history.

Source: Mining Insight

POLITICS

CLEAN AIR HIGH-LEVEL FORUM: AIR POLLUTION CAN BE REDUCED THROUGH COLLECTIVE EFFORTS

As one of the activities in preparation for the 17th conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Desertification (COP 17), which will be held in Mongolia in 2026, the High Level Forum on Clean air was successfully organized in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that one of the five most polluted cities in terms of air pollution last week. Besides air pollution, Mongolia is struggling with other environmental challenges such as dust, dirt, soil and water pollution. Air pollution and its attributable health concerns have been worsening year by year in Mongolia.
Air pollution has a large impact on human health and ecosystems and is the most important global environmental cause of premature deaths.  The latest update of the WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2021) states that seven million people worldwide annually die prematurely of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases that are attributable to ambient and household air pollution.

Source: Montsame
See also: High-Level Forum on Clean Air 2023, Ulaanbaatar

UZBEKISTAN AND MONGOLIA CONFIRMED READINESS TO INTENSIFY MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL COOPERATION

On March 8, 2023, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Batmunkh Battsetseg.
The parties exchanged the views on the implementation of the agreements reached during the meeting between the Presidents of our two nations in September 2022.
They also discussed the expansion of the legal basis, holding another round of inter-MFA consultations, to diversify the trade turnover and to implement joint cooperation projects.
An agreement was reached to study the issues of creating the Uzbekistan-Mongolia Working Group on cooperation in the field of agriculture and the Business Council.

Source: Uzbek Ministry of Foreign AffairsMontsame

LAW ON REGULATION ACTIVITIES OF MONEY LOANS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED

Parliament approved the Law on Regulation Activities of Money Loans, and implementation became from 1 March, 2023. The aim of the law is to register and control legal entities engaged in the operation of money loans granted under the collateral lending procedure. It also applies to a citizen who participates in money-lending activities regularly, and for the purpose of making a profit. The Law provides for regulations related to setting the maximum interest rate for loans, paying the loan and its interest, and protecting the rights and legal interests of the client in the operation of money loans.
The Law was defined the following requirements for entities and citizens engaged in money loans:
  • the amount of capital (cash) of citizens – for loan activities - and the amount of capital contributed by legal entities, must not be less than MNT10.0 million,
  • staff (executive management, managers, and related employees) must have attended training,

Source: FRC

IRENA: DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC HEATING PLAN FOR MONGOLIA

IRENA is supporting the Government of Mongolia to develop a Strategic Heating Plan, which examines how its heating sector can be modernised in a socio-economically feasibility way to fulfil the decarbonisation targets and reduce the problems with local pollution in cities and in the long-term, achieve a renewable energy-based heating system.
In Mongolia, the energy sector is dominated by the use of coal, which contributes about 80% of the total primary energy supply. Mongolia’s heating sector is almost entirely dependent on coal for space heating requires (i.e. both district heating systems as well as in individual households units). As a result, the heating sector in Mongolia contributes around 80% of the accounted air pollution in the country.
According to the Mongolia Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) document, the country aims to reduce its greenhouse gases emissions by 22.7% in 2030 compared to 2010.

Source: IRENA

FINLAND’S CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS RAISE INTEREST IN MONGOLIA

This week, a Mongolian delegation composed of public officials from several ministries is visiting Finland to learn about heat pump technology and other energy solutions related to the supply of heat. Besides the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the delegation will meet representatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Business Finland, Nordic Development Fund and Finnish Energy. The visit is part of an energy sector project funded by the Asian Development Bank that aims to find alternative forms of renewable energy production in Mongolia.
Mongolia is actively seeking solutions for the green transition in the energy sector. The country wishes to increase the share of renewable energy and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mongolian people are facing extremely low temperatures in winter, and now they are looking for solutions in Finland. Energy is one of the possible areas of cooperation between Finland and Mongolia where Finnish companies have expertise that is highly relevant to the Mongolian people.

Source: Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE UN IN MONGOLIA ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Harnessing the power of technology and innovation for the voice and the political, social, and economic empowerment of women and girls in Mongolia is essential to deliver transformative impact and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Mongolia.
However, the inclusion of women and girls and their safety in the digital space must be prioritized to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are enjoyed by all equally.
While advancements in digitalization are transforming economies, industries, and societies, women and girls are often being left behind, or worse, harmed by them.
Though Mongolia is making steady progress toward advancing gender equality, the road ahead to full realization of gender equality remains long and arduous. Current global and local crises, including health emergencies, climate change, food insecurity, and cost-of-living crises, are exacerbating the existing inequalities and deeply impacting Mongolia’s most vulnerable, including female-headed households and rural women. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are essential and can play an instrumental role in strengthening their resilience.

Source: UN in Mongolia

FRC EXCHANGES VIEWS ON COOPERATION WITH CANADIAN SECURITIES ADMINISTRATORS

During 1-4 March 2023, an official visit to Canada was undertaken by: Mr D. Bayarsaikhan (Chairman, FRC), Mr T. Enkhtuvshin (Member of Parliament, Chairman of Standing Committee on Industrialization Policy), Mr D.Batlut (Member of Parliament, Member of Standing Committee on Economics), and Mr Kh. Ganhuyag (Member of Parliament, Member of Standing Committee on Economics). The objectives of the visit were to:
  • discuss developments to the financial market (including the capital market),
  • improve the collaboration between regulators and infrastructure organizations of the two countries,
  • increase active interest of the country's investors (to participate in the capital market of Mongolia), and
  • contribute to of the country's economic development.
Accordingly, as well as getting acquainted with the activities of the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), and the Financial Regulatory Authorities of Quebec, the visitors attended official meetings; held with relevant authorities in the area of cooperation.

Source: FRC

WILLINGNESS EXPRESSED TO STRENGTHEN INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

On March 3, over the course of his visit to Japan, the Chairman of the State Great Khural Mr. Zandanshatar met and held official talks with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Hiroyuki Hosoda, and the Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Fumio Kishida.
During the meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Hiroyuki Hosoda, the Speaker Mr. Zandanshatar reaffirmed the significance that Mongolia is attaching to the relations and cooperation with Japan, our third neighbor, and his commitment to further strengthen this “human-centered” relations and cooperation in all sectors.
In response, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Hiroyuki Hosoda said that he is extremely happy that this official visit is taking place to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations along with the revival of people-to-people relations between our two countries, which were interrupted due to the impact of the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Source: Montsame
See also: Chairman of the State Great Khural Pays Courtesy Call on the Emperor of Japan Naruhito

EMBASSY OF CUBA IN MONGOLIA HONORED THE MONGOLIAN WOMEN AND THE AMBASSADORS ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

The Ambassador of Cuba in Mongolia, Jorge Ferrer, paid tribute and congratulated the Mongolian women in the area of international relations and Ambassadors on the occasion of the Women´s  International Day.
The activity was attended by the Vice Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, officials from various institutions and companies related to Cuba and the Ambassadors of the European Union, Italy, Canada and UNDP.
The Ambassador recalled the origin of the commemoration; detailed the inequalities in the world in terms of gender and outlined the changes in the situation of women in Cuba with the Revolution.
He quoted the National Hero, José Martí for whom "(...) the campaigns of the peoples are only weak, when the heart of the woman is not enlisted in them and alluded that for Fidel Castro "Without women, the enormous work of the Revolution it would not have been possible. (…)”

Source: Embassy of Cuba in Mongolia

QATAR AND MONGOLIA SIGN AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT

Minister of Transport in Qatar H.E. Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti and Minister of Road and Transport Development of Mongolia H.E. Byambatsogt Sandag signed an air services agreement between the State of Qatar and the Mongolian People's Republic.
The agreement comes in the context of connecting Qatar with more such agreements that open airspaces for the national carrier to fly to more destinations around the world.
After the signing ceremony, the two ministers discussed Qatar-Mongolia relations in the fields of transportation, civil aviation, air transportation activities, and means to further enhance them.

Source: Arab Air Carriers' Organization
See also: Qatar-Mongolian business meeting seeks enhancing commercial cooperation

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE RECOGNIZES BRIGADIER GENERAL BOLOR GANBOLD AT 2023 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE AWARDS

On March 8, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, along with the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, will host the annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards in an award ceremony at the White House and present awards to each of the eleven 2023 IWOC awardees, recognizing their exceptional courage, strength, and leadership.
Brigadier General Bolor Ganbold will be honored for her nearly 30 years of courageous service to Mongolia and the series of firsts she has achieved, which have broken barriers and opened the door for other women to follow. On March 18, 2022, Brigadier General Bolor earned yet another first, becoming the first woman general in the Mongolian Armed Forces. Her experiences as a member of both the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad in 2010 and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in 2013, as well as…

Source: U.S. Embassy in MongoliaMontsame

OPPORTUNITIES OF UAE COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND MINING SECTOR DEVELOPMENT OF MONGOLIA TO BE STUDIED

Ya.Sodbaatar, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President, paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on March 1-3. During his visit, Ya.Sodbaatar held a meeting with Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State (UAE) and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market. 
Two parties exchanged views on the current state of relations between the two countries and expressed their desire to develop cooperation in all fields, especially the opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, economy, investment, climate change, green development, infrastructure, and agriculture.
Furthermore, the two parties agreed to continue working on the agreement of the documents between the government and organizations that are important for strengthening the legal basis of relations between the two countries.
The United Arab Emirates asked to submit the necessary grounds for studying the possibility of participation of UAE enterprises in the development process of Mongolia's infrastructure, mining and tourism, and the Mongolian party agreed to provide relevant information in the near future.

Source: GoGo News
See also: Legal Basis of Relations Between Mongolia and UEA to be Enhanced

“FOOD REVOLUTION” GAINS MOMENTUM

Public, private and international organizations, and food producers have been joining and actively supporting the “Food Supply and Safety” national campaign, initiated by the President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. The food and agriculture sector representatives, joined the national campaign which is abbreviated as the “Food Revolution”, assembled at the Government Palace last week to discuss the issues they have faced.
The pandemic and geopolitical tensions have resulted in food crises worldwide. During this trying time, ensuring food safety has become the immediate goal for countries around the world.
Within the framework of the "Food Revolution", we, Mongolians, have set the goal of fully meeting our domestic needs of 19 major food products in the next 5 years, becoming a food exporting country, and creating a healthy region free of animal diseases.

Source: Montsame

MONGOLIA, CHINA AND RUSSIA AT THE CENTRE OF A NEW MULTIPOLARITY - EDITORIAL

The ongoing transformation of the world order is inevitably affecting the regional subsystems of international relations. Mongolia is the only country in the region that has practically no significant disputes or disagreements with any states. Due to the specifics of its geographical location, its main partners are China and Russia. Ulaan Baatar appreciates the potential for the formation of a multipolar world, free from conflict. Probably, the current geopolitical conditions may both give a new impetus to the development of the country, and, on the contrary, initiate chaos in domestic and foreign policy.
The idea of Mongolia’s vulnerability is however being actively promoted in the West and could lead to some political uncertainty. For example, the UK Guardian stated in May 2022 that due to “Renewed pressure from its authoritarian neighbours, China and Russia, the Mongolian economy is suffering, the standard of living of the population is declining, and the chances of establishing cooperation with the West are decreasing.”

Source: SilkRoadBriefing.com

POLITICAL PREDICTIONS AND WHY I STRUGGLE WITH MAKING THEM - EDITORIAL

People expect political predictions from me as a longtime Mongolia observer and country specialist. Even when I feel relatively certain of some predictions I would make, there is always that nagging doubt that strange things might happen and I will look foolish for having made the wrong prediction. Oh well, that is the nature of this game of country risk assessment and understanding of a political system, I suppose. Let me think through some current examples to illustrate.
New/Snap Elections in 2023?
You have heard the rumours! There are all kinds of constitutional change discussions afoot to enable snap elections.
My prediction: less than 10% probability that there will be a general parliamentary election this year. Phrased differently, if there were 100 alternative universes playing out political developments in Mongolian in 2023, I would expect to see elections in 10 of them.

Source: Mongolia Focus

BUSINESS

KINCORA COPPER: MONGOLIAN TAX DISPUTE HEADS TO THE SUPREME COURT

  • Mongolian Appeal Court dismisses prior annulment of retrospective tax assessment against Kincora Copper Limited
    • In 2021, a Mongolian subsidiary of Kincora received a reassessed tax claim for 2.7 billion MNT, approximately US$800,000, from the Mongolian Tax Authority (MTA) relating primarily to the 2016 merger with IBEX (Reassessed Tax Act1
    • In late 2022, an Administrative Court acknowledged many failings of the Reassessed Tax Act and ruled to dismiss it should the MTA not lodge another revised Act within 3 months
    • Subsequently an Appeal Court ruled outside of its authority, over-turned the Administrative Court, went further to re-endorse the disputed Reassessed Tax Act, and in a hearing lasting less than 2-hours overturned a 2-year legal defence and judicial process 
    • The Appeal Court ruling and Reassessed Tax Act are contrary to a 2016 Tax Act and resulting tax payments that were relied upon by Kincora, three Mongolian government agencies to close the IBEX mergers and underpinned significant foreign investment

Source: Kincora Copper

TMK ENERGY EYES EARLY COMMERCIALISATION OF MONGOLIAN COAL SEAM GAS PILOT

TMK is investigating options for early commercialisation of the upcoming pilot production program at its Gurvantes XXXV coal seam gas project in Mongolia.
The company has outlined the potential for onsite power generation of up to 10 megawatts using gas produced from the three planned pilot production wells to power operations at the project and adjacent mining operations.
Studies are underway to grow this power generation capacity to meet about 70MW of local demand while other commercialisation concepts being considered by TMK Energy (ASX:TMK) include CNG (compressed natural gas), mini LNG (liquefied natural gas) and large scale power generation in the South Gobi province.
Discussions are also continuing with PetroChina on strategic partnership and longer-term commercialisation opportunities.
“Operations for the upcoming Pilot Well Program are in full swing with construction of the camp well underway and long lead items and equipment being delivered to site in preparation for the commencement of drilling in early April,” chief executive officer Brendan Stats said.

Source: Stockhead.com.au
View the TMK Energy release

STEPPE GOLD INTENDS TO ACQUIRE CANADA’S ANACORTES MINING

Mongolia’s precious metals company Steppe Gold has signed a binding letter of intent (LOI) to purchase Canada-based Anacortes Mining in an all-stock deal.
The planned acquisition is expected to result in the creation of a leading diversified precious metals producer with the potential for ‘significant’ near-term growth.
It will see the shareholders of Anacortes getting 0.4532 of a Steppe Gold common share for each share held.
This implies a price of C$0.48 for every Anacortes common share, marking a 36% premium to the two companies’ last stock close.
Upon deal completion, Steppe Gold shareholders will hold a 79% stake in the combined business while Anacortes shareholders will own the remaining 21%.
Steppe Gold executive chairman Matthew Wood said: “This transaction transforms Steppe Gold into a multi-asset, multi-jurisdiction gold company with existing production and development projects in two of the most exciting and still untapped gold provinces in the world in both Mongolia and Peru.”

Source: Mining-Technology.com
View the Steppe Gold release

CZECHS TO SPONSOR MONGOLIAN LEATHER INDUSTRY

The Embassy of the Czech Republic is pleased to announce the upcoming signing of a contract between the Czech Development Cooperation and the Mongolian Association of Leather Industry.
On Thursday, 9th of March, 2023 at 12:00 in the Khan uul District, 20 khoroo, leather industrial area, Bayangongor LLC, Mr Jan Vytopil, the Czech Ambassador will sign the contract with the Mongolian Association of Leather Industry. The contract provides for the transfer of Czech technology for cleaning wastewater in wool processing, with a total amount of 77,000,000 tugrik will be provided to the Mongolian company.
A new waste water treatment station will enable the Mongolian Association of Leather Industry to improve their environmental protection efforts and increase the efficiency of their wool processing operations. It represents a significant step forward in Czechia’s commitment to sustainable development and international cooperation.

Source: GoGo News

CONVENIENCE STORE CHAIN CU OPERATOR OPENS 300TH STORE IN MONGOLIA

South Korea's top convenience store franchise CU has opened its 300th store in Mongolia. The store located in Ulaanbaatar provides various Mongolian food such as Khuushuur, a dumpling usually made with beef, mutton, or camel. Along with Mongolian food and snacks, visitors can also enjoy South Korean snacks including tteokbokki, a menu of finger-sized rice cakes simmered in fiery-red spicy chili sauce.
BGF Retail said in a statement that the 300th convenience store was open in Mongolia's capital city. The company said the store has more convenient heat-and-eat food packages and desserts than stores in other regions because Ulaanbaatar has more young people familiar with South Korean culture. Without disclosing the sales amount, BFG Retail said tteokbokki and South Korean-style fried menus were especially popular among Mongolian consumers.
"Before we expanded our market into Mongolia, the idea of convenience store did not really exist in the country," BGF Retail's spokesperson Kim Seong-mo told Aju Daily on March 9.

Source: Aju Business Daily

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SECTOR

Promoting women’s employment opportunities and improving the capacity of women-led MSMEs is key to the economic and social development of women, especially in male-dominated sectors such as the insulation and energy efficiency industry.
 
After completing her training as a heating and ventilation engineer, Tseyeeregzen worked for 18 years in the construction industry before she noticed an online posting about the brigade recruitment opportunity for the Switch Off Air Pollution (SOAP) project in 2021, funded by the European Union. She decided to join the project as she had a growing interest in insulation and insulating her own summer house. However, as she participated in the training and learned more about insulation technologies, Tseyeeregzen developed a true desire to become an energy advisor. 
She is one of 73 brigade leaders and energy advisors trained under the SOAP project implemented from 2018 to 2022 with funding from the European Union’s Switch-Asia II Programme.

Source: Montsame

EES ENGINEERING JOINS MCELROY AS MONGOLIAN DISTRIBUTOR

McElroy is pleased to announce the addition of a new distributor to sell and service fusion machinery in Mongolia.
EES Engineering is based in Khoroo, Mongolia and caters to the country’s fast-growing mining industry.
Munkherdene Sanjdorj, head of Business Development at EES Engineering, said his company was first introduced to McElroy equipment while working with the Oyu Tolgoi Mine in the southern part of the country.
“Our company was founded in 2015, at which time the mining industry in Mongolia was still quite young,” said Sanjdorj. “The core of our business is mining equipment and maintenance, so when we were introduced to McElroy equipment, we were quite excited to get involved.”
“EES, LLC is a new and growing company, and we’re excited to help play a part in their success,” said McElroy CEO and President Chip McElroy.
The company prides itself on promoting the latest technology, services, and equipment to boost productivity, quality, and safety in Mongolia.

Source: Water-Technology.net

COCAINE, MONGOLIAN COAL MINES AND THE CHECKERED PATH OF A VANCOUVER-AREA PENNY STOCK

With its mountains, beaches and movie star good-looks, Vancouver is a world-class urban jewel, despite having been home to a historical bit of world-renowned funny business known as the Vancouver Stock Exchange (VSE).
Anyone old enough to remember the VSE will recall it was the premiere playground for mining stock promoters, smooth talkers and crooks who would sell investors on the promise of striking it rich, just as soon as this or that highly speculative resource sector play turned out to be the genuine El Dorado.
There were some honest-to-goodness El Dorados, lest the legendary Eskay Creek gold bonanza be forgotten, but right alongside the winners were the characters of ill repute, pumping the price of otherwise worthless penny stocks and cashing out ahead of the inevitable crash. Forbes magazine knew the score, and famously dubbed the VSE the “scam capital of the world” in its May 1989 issue.

Source: Yahoo Finance

CHANEL MÉTIERS D’ARTS BARRIE BETWEEN MONGOLIA AND SCOTLAND

To understand what makes Barrie different from other luxury cashmere brands, you have to understand its history. The manufacture is located in the small town of Hawick in the Scottish borders. One hour and a half drive south from Edinburgh into pure magnificent nature, meadows, sheep. The magnificent Scottish landscape postcard we all have in mind.
Barrie was founded in 1903 on the banks of the Teviot river and developed a unique savoir faire throughout the years. It is really after the second world war that cashmere really started to be used: instead of being a wool based product, it became more oriented towards the luxury market. Barrie started to work with Chanel in 1984, one year after Karl Lagerfeld entered the company. Since then, the brand has gone from strength to strength and has become a reference in the field. In 2012, Chanel acquired Barrie and became part of its “Métiers d’Art”.

Source: Forbes

MONGOLIAN MINING CORP. DELIVERS SHAREHOLDERS ENVIABLE 113 PCT CAGR OVER 3 YEARS, SURGING 14 PCT IN THE LAST WEEK ALONE

Investing can be hard but the potential fo an individual stock to pay off big time inspires us. But when you hold the right stock for the right time period, the rewards can be truly huge. One bright shining star stock has been Mongolian Mining Corporation, which is 864% higher than three years ago. Also pleasing for shareholders was the 92% gain in the last three months. It really delights us to see such great share price performance for investors.
Since the stock has added HK$480m to its market cap in the past week alone, let's see if underlying performance has been driving long-term returns.
There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Source: SimplyWall.st

HOW MONGOLIA’S MINING AND EXPLORATION ENVIRONMENT HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED ION ENERGY - VIDEO

ION Energy CEO Ali Haji details Mongolia’s mining and exploration environment and how the current geopolitical conditions impact the company’s operations.

Source: Investing News

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

CHINA SETS ECONOMIC GROWTH TARGET OF 'AROUND 5 PCT' FOR 2023

China on Sunday set an economic growth target of "around 5 percent" for 2023, one of the lowest in decades, as its annual National People's Congress opened in Beijing.
The target was announced in a work report delivered by outgoing Premier Li Keqiang as the rubber-stamp parliament opened at the capital's Great Hall of the People.
The figure was slightly lower than the average of forecasts of economists surveyed by AFP, who predicted a goal of around 5.3 percent.
Li said China would aim to add "around 12 million new urban jobs" this year and bring the urban unemployment rate to around 5.5 percent.
He said Beijing would also target a rise in the consumer price index of around three percent.
"China's economy is staging a steady recovery and demonstrating vast potential and momentum for further growth," said Li in an hour-long speech punctuated by ripples of applause from thousands of delegates.

Source: Barron's
See also: Xi Jinping secures unprecedented third term as China’s president in ceremonial vote

GENDER PAY GAP COULD COST THE WORLD ECONOMY USD 7 TRILLION, MOODY’S SAYS

Narrowing the difference in wages between men and women in the labor force can boost the world’s economy by about 7% — or $7 trillion, according to a Moody’s Analytics report.
At this rate, it may take 132 years for the world to close the economic gender gap, Moody’s said.
The economic boost will come as more women join the labor force and there’s an increase in productivity. A greater share of women holding more productive managerial and professional roles will also help, the report said.
“Closing the gender gap in labour force participation and the gender gap in management in OECD countries can raise global economic activity by approximately 7%, or about $7 trillion in today’s dollars,” directors Dawn Holland and Katrina Ell wrote in the report.
The report said narrowing the pay gap in emerging markets, such as India, would raise that potential even further.

Source: CNBC

CHINA'S JAN-FEB COAL IMPORTS JUMP 71 PCT IN STOCK-BUILDING PUSH

China's coal imports in the first two months of 2023 surged 71% from a low base a year earlier as utilities replenished stocks in anticipation of greater demand after the country abandoned its zero-COVID policies.
China, the world's largest coal consumer, imported 60.64 million tonnes of coal during January and February, up from 35.39 million tonnes in the same period last year, customs data showed on Tuesday. Data for the two months is combined due to the week-long Lunar New Year holiday that began in late January.
Utilities stepped up purchases of cheap thermal coal from Indonesia, while arrivals from Mongolia also picked up following the easing of COVID restrictions.
Beijing's U-turn on its COVID-19 strategy in late 2022 has stoked hopes for an economic rebound this year that would boost power and coal consumption.
Analysts from Wood Mackenzie said in December they expected China's coal demand to increase 2% this year.

Source: Reuters

MINERS GROW ANXIOUS AS CANADA TIGHTENS FOREIGN INVESTMENT RULES

Junior mining companies hoping to produce lithium, nickel and other green energy metals are worried that Canada's crackdown on some overseas investors may limit their ability to raise funds for mines and related facilities.
Ottawa last fall proposed bolstering its Investment Canada Act (ICA) to give government ministers power to block or unwind critical minerals investments if they believe such deals threaten national security. The changes would essentially give the government greater control over companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and are expected to be finalized this spring.
That tension will be top of mind at this week's annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, one of the world's largest gatherings of mining companies and their financiers.
Nearly half of the world's mining companies are listed in Toronto and the city has long been a premier destination for junior mining companies to raise funds, above even rival exchanges in Sydney, New York and London.

Source: Reuters

SOUTH AMERICA LOOKS AT CREATING “LITHIUM OPEC”

Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil are analyzing the creation of a lithium cartel of sorts in charge of expanding South America’s processing capacity, turning more of their mined lithium into batteries and tapping into the electric vehicles (EVs) manufacturing sector. 
The group would emulate similar schemes, such as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in terms of coordinating production flows, pricing and good practices, representatives of the Argentinean delegation said at the annual PDAC Convention, held this week in Toronto, Canada. 
Argentina, Chile, Bolivia have been negotiating since July last year, when foreign ministers of each country met at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) conference in Buenos Aires.
The three countries make up the so-called lithium triangle, which has about 65% of the world’s known resources of lithium and reached 29.5% of world production in 2020.

Source: Mining.com
See also: Bank of America sees lithium surplus in 2023 as demand eases

METALS CATCH A CHILL AS BEIJING SHIES AWAY FROM MAJOR STIMULUS

Commodities from copper to iron ore fell after China set a cautious economic growth target of about 5% for the year and didn’t announce any major new stimulus.
Copper dropped as much as 1.9% before trimming losses to 0.3% as China’s growth target fell below expectations.  
The goal unveiled at the National People’s Congress gives Beijing more room to maneuver after it missed last year’s target by a wide margin. The absence of a landmark announcement to boost real estate and infrastructure is damping enthusiasm among metals investors, many of whom were looking for more stimulus to support this year’s rally.
None of the official documents released so far at the NPC suggest authorities are keen on the kind of massive boost deployed to right the economy after the global financial crisis or at the beginning of the pandemic. The target for local government bond sales — the backbone of infrastructure investment that drives the bulk of raw materials demand — also was modest.

Source: Bloomberg

GENERATIVE AI MANIA BRINGS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DEVELOPERS

A frenzy of investment over generative artificial intelligence is heating up, with Microsoft-backed OpenAI and other startups raising large sums of money to develop tools that can generate prose, imagery or other content on command. The combined corporate value of generative AI companies jumped sixfold in two years to $48 billion.
Israeli startup AI21 Labs launched an AI-based writing tool in January, citing its mission as providing new power to writers. The company raised $64 million last year and developed a tool that can be used by a wide range of writers to edit and rewrite work.
Since OpenAI's ChatGPT unleashed a chatbot technology boom late last year, numerous applications that understand human speech and text hit the market, including copywriting software developed by U.S. startup Jasper AI and a merchandise description platform created by Toronto-based Cohere.

Source: Nikkei Asia

SRI LANKA TO ANNOUNCE DEBT RESTRUCTURING STRATEGY IN APRIL - CENBANK CHIEF

Sri Lanka aims to announce a debt-restructuring strategy in April and step up talks with commercial creditors ahead of an International Monetary Fund review of a bailout package in six months, the nation's central bank governor told Reuters.
The crisis-hit island has secured financing assurances from all its major bilateral creditors, including India and China, and so has set the stage for the IMF to give its final approval for a $2.9 billion, four-year bailout package on March 20, the multilateral lender said on Tuesday.
The bailout is the culmination of months of negotiations as Sri Lanka looks to emerge from its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades.
"When you see the staff level agreement published - that will contain our commitment to debt restructuring and that will also reveal medium-term debt targets for us to restore debt sustainability on a long-term basis," central bank Governor P. Nandalal Weerasinghe said on Thursday.

Source: Reuters
See also: Fallout of Sri Lanka's economic crisis: Long power cuts, food shortage

NICKEL IPOS TEST INDONESIA’S VISION OF GLOBAL ROLE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Nickel companies are driving a record year for public listings in Indonesia, in a crucial test of investor enthusiasm for President Joko Widodo’s ambition to make the country a top participant in the global electric car market.
Harita Nickel, a subsidiary of Harita Group with a significant project in North Maluku, is holding its investor roadshow this week and hoping to raise at least $600mn ahead of a book build later in March, two people familiar with the talks said.
Merdeka Battery Materials is also planning a local listing in the first half, the people said. Hillcon, a nickel contractor that went public last week on Indonesia’s stock exchange, is trading 25 per cent higher than its initial public offering price.
Indonesia is already the second-busiest IPO market by both deal value and number of listings in Asia this year, after China, according to data from Dealogic. Bankers expect as much as $4bn in issuance in 2023.

Source: Financial Times

SHORTAGE OF METALS FOR EVS IS RISING UP THE AGENDA IN AUTOMAKERS’ C-SUITES

The merry-go-round of private meetings at an annual mining industry conference at Florida’s Hollywood Beach had a cast of new faces this year: auto sector executives increasingly anxious about surging prices and tighter supply of metals used in electric vehicle batteries.
Tesla Inc., Ford Motor Co. and Mercedes-Benz Group AG were among automakers which sent senior staff to mingle with about 1,500 delegates at the BMO Global Metals & Mining Conference, an event normally attended mainly by iron ore and aluminum producers. Their presence underscores the growing popularity of battery-powered cars, helped by a global push toward clean energy, which is estimated to require $10 trillion worth of metals through 2050, according to BloombergNEF.
Car producers “had room-to-room meetings with a lot of companies, like ourselves, trying to understand how to address their own supply chain,” said Trent Mell, an attendee and chief executive officer of Electra Battery Materials Corp., a Toronto-based developer of mining and refining projects.

Source: Mining.com

 

 

BCM SUBMITS POLICY PAPER

The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) Secretariat has submitted a Policy Paper to the Government of Mongolia on 13 October 2022.

BCM Secretariat has submitted summary of issues and proposed solutions on newly adopted Corporate Income Tax law drafted by the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Tax & Regulatory Working group (lead by Ms. Kh.Amarjargal, Country Director Mongolia-Rio Tinto, Mr.B.Battushig - Founding Partner of DB&GTS LLP and Mr.R.Khishignemekh -Senior Partner of Ernest and Young TMZ).

The 42 pages of findings and recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry; to Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament);  Standing Committee on the Economic Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Standing Committee on the Budget; Economy and Development Ministry. In collaboration with Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Association.                                        

BCM would like to thank Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Mining Association and BCM Regulatory & Tax Working Group for their efforts to protect legal interests and rights of business entities in Mongolia.

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.

SDG INVESTOR MAPPING PROJECT SURVEY - IDENTIFYING BUSINESS CASES FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The objective of this template is to collect data on businesses aligned with SDGs, and if selected, your provided data will be compiled into SDG Investor Map datasheet which will be eventually uploaded onto Global SDG Investor Platform managed by UNDP SDG Impact. The outcomes of the data will be aggregated to gather insights that will be presented in the form of a report along with other secondary research that we have conducted. Thus, we would like to seek your permission to use your data for business research and documentation purposes.  For any individual information from your business, due permission will be sought before the publishing of the report. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  9 March 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,526.08
Euro EUR   3,722.31
Japanese yen JPY   25.77
British pound GBP   4,178.23
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      449.19
Russian ruble RUB        46.39
Chinese yuan CNY      505.68
South Korean won KRW          2.67
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

BCM NewsWire 772 – 03 March 2023




NewsWire

Issue 772 –  3 March 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


BCM Highlight

  • BCM NewsWire survey

Economy

  • Trade turnover up 61 pct in Jan y/y, exports down 23 pct m/m

  • Balance of Payments in deficit of USD 2.9 bln, up 36 pct y/y

  • Mongolia builds about 900-km of railways in 2022

  • "Sustainable Cashmere of Mongolia PGI" - European Certification process started

  • Flights to 105 destinations in 50 countries to be made this year

  • Gashuun Sukhait Checkpoint to Become International Port

  • E-Passports To Be Available in March

  • Dry Ports to be Built in Mongolia

  • Mortgage loans of MNT 79.3 billion disbursed to 752 borrowers in 2023

  • New Open Skies Agreement to Increase Trade and Tourism Opportunities With United States

  • Oxford: Mitigating the impact of mining in Mongolia

  • Mongolian Women Grab Their Slice of the Beauty Industry - Editorial

Politics

  • Mongolia to host High-Level Forum on Clean Air

  • “Tokyo Declaration 2023” issued

  • Mongolia and South Korea Emphasize Deeper Economic Ties

  • Joint Statement on Advancing the U.S.-Mongolia Economic Partnership

  • Chairman of State Great Khural to Pay Official Visit to Japan

  • Government to exercise ownership of oil refinery through Erdenes Mongol LLC

  • Kalmyk Activist With Expired Russian Passport On His Way To U.S. After Mongolia Refused Entry

  • Women Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be Held in Mongolia

  • Putting Mongolia on the digital map: Bolor-Erdene Battsengel - Interview

  • Can the Minister of Border Checkpoints revitalise and expand them? - Editorial

  • Higher Education Policy: Governance and Endowments - Editorial

  • Elbegdorj: Ukraine: A Non-Negotiable Win – OpEd

  • A big step towards “Systematic Change” - Editorial

  • Former Ambassador to U.S.: External Pillar Supporting Mongolia's Independence – USA - Interview

  • Mongolian president on shared visions, growing trade and closer cultural ties with China - Video

  • Civil society raises concerns about detention of activist and restrictive social media law as anti-corruption protests erupt in Mongolia - Editorial

Business

  • Conference explains implications of Law on Mining Exchange to coal traders

  • Jade Gas begins Mongolia natural gas drilling program

  • Elixir Energy passes daily flow rate milestone at CBM pilot project in Mongolia

  • ION Energy restarts lithium brine drilling in Mongolia

  • China approves Zijin-Xanadu JV

  • Mongolian Filmmakers United to Make a Content for Netflix

  • Rio Tinto’s Oyu Tolgoi copper mine receives its first battery electric vehicle

  • Entravision Communication Announced as the Authorized Sales Partner of Meta in Mongolia

  • Steppe Gold’s New Life-of-Mine Plan & Future Dual HKEx Listing - Video

Global and Regional Trends

  • India GDP outpaces China despite slowdown to 4.4 pct last quarter

  • China’s factory activity grows further, marks its highest reading in nearly 11 years

  • G20 talks in India end without consensus on Ukraine war amid soaring tensions

  • Eurozone inflation drops to 8.5 pct in February: Eurostat

  • Copper price rises as China’s economy shows strong recovery

  • U.S. labor market resilient; inflation hotter in fourth quarter

  • Foreign investment in China slumps to 18-year low

  • Japan births fall to record low as population crisis deepens

  • CO2 emissions may be starting to plateau, says global energy watchdog

  • Panama and Canada's First Quantum nearing agreement over copper mine -lawyer

BCM Updates

  • BCM submits policy paper

  • The BCM appoints Raphaël Goué as official BCM representative in Europe

  • SDG Investor Mapping project survey - Identifying business cases for investment opportunities

  • UNICEF: Guidance for employers on flexible work arrangements and other good workplace practices in the context of Covid-19

  • UNICEF: Call for actions of the private sector to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution in UB

  • BCM Guideline for Companies to Combat Air Pollution

  • Member-to-member special offers & benefits

Economic Indicators

  • Inflation

  • Central Bank Policy Rate

  • Sovereign Credit Rating

  • Currency Rates

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

BCM HIGHLIGHT

BCM NEWSWIRE SURVEY

Dear valued members,
 
The Business Council of Mongolia sincerely appreciates its members and always tries to progressively improve the services it provides. With that being said, we would appreciate it dearly if you could kindly take 2-3 minutes of your day to fill out the following survey on our Weekly Friday Newswire. We would like to receive your feedback to ameliorate the content of our newswire. 
 
Please find the questionnaire here
 
Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Your contribution is highly valuable to us. 


ECONOMY

TRADE TURNOVER UP 61 PCT IN JAN Y/Y, EXPORTS DOWN 23 PCT M/M

Mongolia traded with 107 countries worldwide in January 2023, and the total trade turnover reached USD 1.8 billion, of which exports were USD 1.1 billion and imports were USD 688.0 million.
The total foreign trade turnover increased by USD 669.5 (61.1%) million, where exports increased by USD 538.1 (99.7%) million and imports increased by USD 131.5 (23.6%) million compared to the same period of the previous year. In January 2023, exports decreased by USD 318.0 (22.8%) million, and imports decreased by USD 145.1 (17.4%) million compared to the previous month. The foreign trade balance was in surplus of USD 389.7 million in January 2023, which increased by USD 406.6 million compared to the same period of the previous year, while it decreased by USD 172.9 million from the previous month. Trade with China reached USD 1.2 billion in January 2023, accounting 66.8% of the total trade turnover.

Source: Montsame

BALANCE OF PAYMENTS IN DEFICIT OF USD 2.9 BLN, UP 36 PCT Y/Y

According to the National Statistics Office, the current account balance of payment was in deficit of USD 2.9 billion in 2022 and increased by USD 767.3 (36.4%) million compared to the previous year.
This deficit in the current account was mainly due to increase in deficit of USD 263.2 million in trade in goods and increase in deficit of USD 661.6 million in the trade in service deficit compared to the previous year. In December 2022, the current account was in deficit of USD 195.3 million and increased by USD 189.0 million from the previous month.
In 2022, by the preliminary results, credit of trade in services reached USD 1.1 billion, increased by USD 265.3 million, and debit of service trade reached USD 3.4 billion, increased by USD 926.9 million compared to the previous year. The trade in service balance deficit reached USD 2.3 billion and increased by USD 661.6 million compared to the previous year.

Source: Montsame
See also: 

MONGOLIA BUILDS ABOUT 900-KM OF RAILWAYS IN 2022

Mongolia has built around 900-km railway lines in 2022, local media reported on Saturday, citing the country's Ministry of Road and Transport Development.
"A total of 876.4 km of new railways, namely Zuunbayan-Khangi railway, Tavantolgoi-Zuunbayan railway and Tavantolgoi-Gashuunsukhait railway were built and put into operation last year," the ministry said in a statement.
Mongolian authorities believe that these strategic railways will provide high efficiency to the Asian country's economy and make a great contribution to the improvement of people's life and the development of the country.
Currently, the landlocked country's railways in service have stretched to a total length of 2,965 km, according to the ministry.

Source: Xinhua

"SUSTAINABLE CASHMERE OF MONGOLIA PGI" - EUROPEAN CERTIFICATION PROCESS STARTED

The European Union Commission has officially confirmed to the Mongolian National Federation of Pasture User Groups (MNPUGs) the official opening of the EUROPEAN PROTECTED GEOGRAPHIC INDICATION OF ORIGIN (PGI/IGP) CERTIFICATION process of the “SUSTAINABLE CASHMERE” produced in Mongolia.
MNFPUGs today has become the herders’ largest collective organization in Mongolia, whose 1.754 associated PUGs of herders and cooperatives and its 93.000+ member herder families (equivalent to 1/3 of the total Mongolian population and 70% of the rural population), produce about 28% of the worldwide cashmere fibre.
MNFPUG’s new “business model” for a “GI certified” and fully traceable value chain has won Milan EXPO 2015 award as the best project for a Sustainable and Community driven initiative for Natural Resource management in the world. SDC’s Green Gold’s “Responsible Nomads” (RN) Code of Best Herding Practices, following intense work with the MoFALI, has been recognized as the Mongolian Government’s only National Standard for Sustainable Herding and Rangeland Management.

Source: Montsame

FLIGHTS TO 105 DESTINATIONS IN 50 COUNTRIES TO BE MADE THIS YEAR

The Government of Mongolia announced 2023-2025 as the year of “Welcome to Mongolia”. In 2023, an air travel agreement will be signed with 50 countries, and the possibility of 105 destinations will be created.
As a result of the visit of L.Oyun-Erdene, the Prime Minister of Mongolia, to the Republic of Korea this year, the frequency of flights between Korea and Mongolia increased from 44 to 80 flights per week. In other words, 11 flights per day are available. Following amendments have also been made.

  • Frequency of flights to Japan will increase from 26 per week to 62
  • Frequency of flights to Thailand will increase from 10 per week to 30
  • Frequency of flights to Turkey will increase from 6 per week to 34 
  • Frequency of flights to Beijing will be 42 flights per week
  • An air communication agreement with Qatar and Kuwait has been granted.

Source: GoGo News

GASHUUN SUKHAIT CHECKPOINT TO BECOME INTERNATIONAL PORT

During the discussion on “Electronic Trading of Export Coal” that was held on February 27, The Minister of Mongolia and the Chairman of the National Committee for Port Revitalization Kh. Bulgantuya said, “The coal export is carried out by four types of terminals: railway, road transport, container, and automatic AGV transport.” She also informed that the export coal sold during the e-auction should be delivered through the container terminal, one of the four gateways designated for electronic trading.
The Chairman of the Committee continued, “The coal importers and transporters proposed to make Gashuunsukhait port, which handles 50-60 percent of coal exports, as an international port that operates 24/7. We have officially put forward this proposal to the Chinese side and received a response to settle the necessary infrastructure and investments from our side. Both sides agreed on bringing the port up to the international standards.”

Source: Montsame

E-PASSPORTS TO BE AVAILABLE IN MARCH

Mongolia joined the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) as the 82nd member country in 2021. As a result, Mongolians have become able to use electronic foreign passports with high confidentiality in accordance with international standards. 
E-passport, which contains an electronic chip, holds the same information on the passport's data page: the holder's name, date of birth, and other biographic information, and helps to securely identify the traveler, provide protection against identity theft, protect privacy, and reduce fraud. The automatic e-passport reader machine facilitates the fast clearance of travelers at immigration checks. 
Starting from March 1st, people can apply for either the new edition of the ordinary national passport or an e-passport.  
In Mongolia, the first reader machine has been installed at "Chinggis Khaan Airport."

Source: Montsame

DRY PORTS TO BE BUILT IN MONGOLIA

The Government of Mongolia and the Ministry of Road and Transport Development have been paying attention to expanding the capacity and operation of the transport and logistics sector. Last year, AH 4a – a road corridor connecting Xinjiang of the PRC to the Russian Federation via the Yarant /Ulaanbaishint/ Tsagaanuur road was opened for transportation. In addition, the national railway network has been expanding and the projects for Artssuuri-Shiveekhuren western railway and Ereentsav-Bichigt eastern railway have been started. 
Mongolia has joined the Asian Highway Network, Trans-Asian Railway Network, and Intergovernmental Agreement on Dry Ports, initiated by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and has been actively working toward common commitments.  Minister of Road and Transport Development S. Byambatsogt met with the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and agreed to cooperate on projects and programs to build dry ports.

Source: Montsame

MORTGAGE LOANS OF MNT 79.3 BILLION DISBURSED TO 752 BORROWERS IN 2023

Since the beginning of this year, the financing of mortgage loans has continued normally, and a total of 752 borrowers have received mortgage loans of MNT 79.3 billion.
According to the report of the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development, a cooperation with the Bank of Mongolia, commercial banks, and Credit guarantee fund of Mongolia is being intensified within the framework of finalizing the draft of the General Agreement related to the interest and down payment discounts for mortgage loan to be disbursed in rural area. 

Source: GoGo News

NEW OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT TO INCREASE TRADE AND TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES WITH UNITED STATES

The United States and Mongolia have taken a major step towards establishing non-stop flights between the two countries with the signing of an Open Skies Agreement. The agreement, which was signed on January 24th in Washington D.C., is the first bilateral agreement in the aviation industry between the two countries.
The agreement is a liberal one, allowing air carriers to share flight numbers, as well as the capacity and frequency of flights to any destination, in line with the US "Open Skies" policy.
The Open Skies Agreement is expected to improve the economic and trade circulation between the two countries, creating new opportunities for air carriers and tourism companies.
However, while the agreement marks real progress, there is still work to be done before flights can begin. The two countries must complete internal procedures and Mongolia must be certified in technical, safety, and security areas before flights can start.

Source: Mongolia Weekly

OXFORD: MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF MINING IN MONGOLIA

Mongolia’s vast territory, ranging from the Gobi Desert in the south to the mountainous Taiga, is home to nomadic pastoralists who depend on mobile herding of Bactrian camels, yak, goat, sheep and horses to provide them with food, goods, and income. The area also supports widespread mining activities and licenses and taxes generated from these are an important source of government revenue.
But the social impact of mining is significant and can result in forced displacement and loss of income, without adequate compensation. Mining operations can also affect pastoralists’ mental and physical health and their social and spiritual well-being.
Whilst large international companies are usually held to the high environmental and social impact standards expected by donors such as the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, smaller national companies need comply only with the more basic environmental legal standards set by the Mongolian government.

Source: University of Oxford

MONGOLIAN WOMEN GRAB THEIR SLICE OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY - EDITORIAL

At a small organic beauty workshop, Tuuvee Dash lays out skin care products — hand and body soaps, moisturizing creams, shampoos and lip balms — all infused with ingredients native to the southern Gobi region of Mongolia: camel milk, sheep’s tail oil, herbs such as thyme, nettle and tsulkhir, a plant with edible seeds that grows in sandy soil. Many of these have long been used by Mongolians as traditional remedies for a vast array of conditions. Now, they are being introduced to the world by a new generation of Mongolian businesswomen.
A beautician by training, Tuuvee opened a yoga center in 2018. When the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shut down, she decided to throw herself into producing cosmetics that capitalized on Mongolia’s natural abundance.
Organic skin care is a relatively new sector for Mongolia: The country only produced a single type of soap until 1990, when it transitioned to a free market economy.

Source: Global Press Journal

POLITICS

MONGOLIA TO HOST HIGH-LEVEL FORUM ON CLEAN AIR

The High-Level Forum on Clean Air will be co-organized by the Minister of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific /UNESCAP/, and the United Nations Environment Programme on March 2 and 3 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 
The forum will be attended by high-level representatives from 53 countries, such as the USA, the Republic of India, the UK, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Russia, Turkey, China, and New Zealand, which are members of the UNESCAP, as well as over 200 representatives of international research and development organizations. 
During the form, events and discussions will be held to clarify the mechanism of action on regional air pollution issues, share the best practices, introduce the methodologies for capacity building and advanced technologies, and strengthen cooperation. 
This forum is one of the activities in preparation for the 17th conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Desertification (COP 17), which will be held in Mongolia in 2026. 

Source: Montsame
Click here for details

“TOKYO DECLARATION 2023” ISSUED

"G-NETS or Global City Network for Sustainability" Forum of Mayors was held in Tokyo, Japan. The leaders of the city shared their experiences and discussed overcoming the problems and challenges facing the world, humanity and cities, and to create a fair and stable society together in the future. Opening a new way for further cooperation, the participants issued a joint statement "Tokyo Declaration 2023" with 18 clauses.
The declaration includes clauses for creating more accessible and safer cities and building sustainable and fair societies. For example, ensuring gender equality and creating a friendly environment for people with disabilities were emphasized. Moreover, the declaration includes initiatives for cities to join to help reduce the damage caused by natural disasters, such as earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Mayor of Tokyo, Japan, Yuriko Koike:
-Climate change, air, water, soil pollution and waste are common problems we face. "G-NETS" forum was organized with the participation of representatives of more than 30 cities from five continents…

Source: Mayor's Office
See also: City leaders held discussion and shared experiences
G-NETS or Forum of Mayors for Sustainable Development takes place
Experience of “Tokyo Metro” JSC studied
Two Mongolian companies participating in the “City-Tech.Tokyo 2023” exhibition
JICA to support the training of personnel in the field of public-private partnership
Mongolia-Japan to Cooperate on Professional Training and Information Technology

MONGOLIA AND SOUTH KOREA EMPHASIZE DEEPER ECONOMIC TIES

Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai paid a four-day working visit to South Korea from February 14-18. Since establishing a strategic partnerships in 2021, Ulaanbaatar and Seoul have made efforts to bolster economic relations, particularly in mineral extraction, tourism, and urban development.
Oyun-Erdene’s visit to Seoul marked the first time in 12 years that a Mongolian prime minister had visited South Korea. During the meetings of the heads of government, Han highlighted the significance of Mongolia-South Korea bilateral relations within Seoul’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.
For his part, Oyun-Erdene emphasized the importance of South Korea as both a trading partner and a gateway through which landlocked Mongolia could send its goods farther abroad. “We see South Korea as one of our customers, and the newly signed agreement between our two countries will help Mongolia trade globally through seaports such as Busan,” he told Reuters.

Source: The Diplomat
See also: Outcomes of the Prime Minister’s Official Visit Discussed

JOINT STATEMENT ON ADVANCING THE U.S.-MONGOLIA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Mongolia on the occasion of the 4th U.S.-Mongolia Economic Policy Dialogue.
Begin Text:
To strengthen further the U.S.-Mongolia Strategic Partnership and economic relationship, representatives of Mongolia and the United States held the 4th bilateral Economic Policy Dialogue on February 2, 2023, in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, the two nations discussed joint responses to economic challenges, explored opportunities to deepen bilateral trade and investment, and decided to pursue cooperation in key areas, including critical minerals, clean energy, and the digital economy.
U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Whitney Baird and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Ankhbayar Nyamdorj co-chaired the dialogue. U.S. participants included representatives from the Department of State, National Security Council, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)…

Source: U.S. Department of State

CHAIRMAN OF STATE GREAT KHURAL TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO JAPAN

Speaker of Parliament G. Zandanshatar will pay an Official Visit to Japan at the invitation of the President of the House of Councilors of the National Diet of Japan Mr. Otsuji Hidehisa between March 1-5, 2023.
The aim of this visit is to deepen the relations of “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” between Mongolia and Japan, maintain the frequency of exchanges of high-level visits, strengthen the ties between supreme legislative bodies of our two countries, and expand the cooperation between Parliamentary Friendship Group and office of the State Great Khural.
Within the framework of his visit, Speaker Zandanshatar is planning to hold official talks with the President of the House of Councilors of the National Diet of Japan Hidehisa Otsuji, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hiroyuki Hosoda, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Yasutoshi Nishimura and the President of JICA Akihiko Tanaka and exchange views on cooperation between the two countries.

Source: MontsameGoGo News
See also: Chairman of the State Great Khural Holds Official Talks with President of the House of Councilors of the National Diet of Japan

GOVERNMENT TO EXERCISE OWNERSHIP OF OIL REFINERY THROUGH ERDENES MONGOL LLC

During its regular session on March 1, 2023, the Cabinet made the following decisions: 
The Government of Mongolia will exercise its ownership right in Mongolian Oil Refinery plant through the Erdenes Mongol LLC.  
The Cabinet made a decision to exercise its ownership right in Mongolian Oil Refinery plant through the Erdenes Mongol LLC. Accordingly, the Executive Director of Erdenes Mongol LLC was tasked to amend the company charter. Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry J. Ganbaatar was tasked to control over the construction process of oil refinery plant and crude oil pipelines in accordance with the policy of relevant ministry.
About 210 thousand tons of coal have been traded via Mongolian Stock Exchange
In order to organize the market trade of mining products in an open, transparent and fair manner, create favorable condition where the prices are set by exchanges, attract investors into mining sector through integrated export policy, openly disseminate the information on trading…

Source: Montsame

KALMYK ACTIVIST WITH EXPIRED RUSSIAN PASSPORT ON HIS WAY TO U.S. AFTER MONGOLIA REFUSED ENTRY

A leading Kalmyk activist whom Mongolian officials did not allow to enter their country because his Russian passport had expired has left Ulan Bator international airport for the United States.
The #1ROOT and #NoWar groups said on March 1 that Batyr Boromangnaev, the deputy chairman of Kalmyk’s self-governing Congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk people and former leader of the Yabloko party’s branch in Kalmykia, was allowed to leave Mongolia for the United States. It is unclear how and under what conditions Boromangnaev was allowed to travel to the United States.
Former Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj placed a video on Twitter on March 1 showing Boromangnaev leaving the airport's gates with an added caption: "Good-bye, Hero."
A day earlier, Boromangnaev told RFE/RL that his passport expired while he was temporarily detained in Kazakhstan, which he passed through en route to Mongolia.

Source: RFE/RL
See also: Kalmyk Activist Who Fled Russia Unable To Enter Mongolia Due To Expired Passport

WOMEN FOREIGN MINISTERS’ MEETING TO BE HELD IN MONGOLIA

During the 59th Munich Security Conference (MSC), the Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg met with women foreign ministers of some countries on February 18.
Women Foreign Ministers from 11 countries attended this annual conference and exchanged views on global governance, armed conflict, climate change, trade and overcoming the international and regional challenges.
On the occasion of this meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg handed the invitation for the Women Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which will be held in Ulaanbaatar between June 29-30 over to the ministers and gave information about the meeting.

Source: Montsame

PUTTING MONGOLIA ON THE DIGITAL MAP: BOLOR-ERDENE BATTSENGEL - INTERVIEW

Bolor-Erdene Battsengel wants to transform Mongolia into a “digital first” country — and help young people, especially girls in this sparsely populated nation of 3.3 million, to learn how to code.
During her time with Mongolia’s digital development and communications authority, including a year as vice minister, Battsengel, 30, worked on digitizing the country’s government services so people in remote areas don’t have to spend long days traveling and waiting in lines for access to things like passport renewals or filing taxes.
Today Battsengel is completing a policy fellowship at Oxford University and runs Girls Code, which teaches girls from disadvantaged communities and nomadic families computer programming.
She spoke to The Associated Press about facing online harassment as a young woman in politics and about Mongolia’s unique position as a democracy nestled between Russia and China. Over 84% of Mongolia’s population is connected to the internet, up from just 18% a decade ago, according to the World Bank.

Source: Associated Press

CAN THE MINISTER OF BORDER CHECKPOINTS REVITALISE AND EXPAND THEM? - EDITORIAL

Mongolia's border checkpoints now have a minister in charge of them. This minister does not have her own ministry, office, and even budget. The success or failure of the MPP in the next parliamentary elections will depend on the performance of this minister.
For the rest of the period, no matter how many railroads are put into service and no matter how many hundreds of trillions of MNT of thefts are discovered, if inflation does not fall and the national currency does not stabilize, it is doubtful that the Oyun-Erdene government will get good marks. Every time he announces the start of the fight against a large criminal group, protesters come to his door because the prices of consumer goods have soared, their supply has shrunk, and economic hardship is directly felt by households.
It is clear how this is happening and how to fix it. But it is not clear who can fix it.

Source: Mongolian Mining Journal

HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY: GOVERNANCE AND ENDOWMENTS - EDITORIAL

On Nov 14 2022 I was invited to speak to the parliamentary working group for draft education laws.
One of the topics that I prepared to speak about was university governance. Over the years, I had heard many complaints about political appointees at Mongolian universities and their lack of academic sensitivity and understanding, but also professors’ resentment at having non-academics appointed to the presidency of their universities in particular or at not being involved in that appointment at all.
In my presentation to the UIX’ working group I had thus expected to provide an overview of UBC governance structures to compare to those relevant to Mongolian public universities. But, somewhat to my surprise, I found fairly few structural differences. The main difference is probably that the UBC Board of Governors does put together hiring committees for appointments to some of the main university positions, including those of the president and the provost.

Source: Mongolia Focus

ELBEGDORJ: UKRAINE: A NON-NEGOTIABLE WIN – OPED

Slava Heroyam! Ukraine will be glorious again!  To the wounded hills of Ukraine life will return. The destroyed homes and streets will be rebuilt. Separated families and loved ones will be united.  The dead will be mourned but Ukraine will celebrate freedom and peace.  I attended the Munich Security Conference and these were the sentiments of many world leaders.  
I have great trust in standing together as one, totally united in the face of Putin’s aggression. I have a firm conviction in the power of freedom. No power, authoritarian dictator, or militant junta can stand against the will of people determined to be free. The voice of the people and their resolve are far more powerful than any gunfire. Freedom is non-negotiable when it faces extermination.
Freedom is an opportunity for all. But despots offer solutions and opportunities that only comfort themselves. They claim they bring justice. But their justice is selective.

Source: Eurasia Review

A BIG STEP TOWARDS “SYSTEMATIC CHANGE” - EDITORIAL

Recommendations were made based on the results of the national consultation “Let’s decide by consultation” organized in two stages. Generally, the authorities are one step closer to achieving their goal of increasing the number of members of Parliament by amending the Constitution. They also raised the pledge to conduct the mixed electoral system instead of a 100 percent majority, but a proportional or a combination of the majority version. They define these as “system change” in general, and it can be said that they are remembered by the public.
In connection with the change of the system, the authorities started a national consensus, meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, political parties, and protesters one after another, and gathered the opinions of citizens through a recent consultation. In order to change the constitution, social consensus must be met.

Source: The UB Post

FORMER AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: EXTERNAL PILLAR SUPPORTING MONGOLIA'S INDEPENDENCE – USA - INTERVIEW

We commemorated the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the United States in 2022. In honor of this milestone, a MONTSAME correspondent interviewed Jalbuu Choinkhor, Mongolia’s former Ambassador to the U.S., about the history and current state of relations and cooperation between Mongolia and the U.S.
- Last year we commemorated the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the U.S. What role did you play in the initial development of diplomatic relations between the two countries?
I cannot claim to have played a big role in the initial phases. Throughout the main events of the process of establishing diplomatic ties in 1985-1987, I was studying at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. But I also cannot say that I played no role because before departing for studies in 1984, I met and became acquainted with Donald Johnson, who first played an active role on the American side in establishing diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the U.S.

Source: Montsame

MONGOLIAN PRESIDENT ON SHARED VISIONS, GROWING TRADE AND CLOSER CULTURAL TIES WITH CHINA - VIDEO

Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh envisions his country becoming a developed economy within decades. In this exclusive edition of Leaders Talk, he speaks to CMG’s Li Tongtong about how China’s Belt and Road Initiative has supported Mongolia’s progress by building infrastructure, especially the “railways of development” that have widened exports. The two neighboring countries have agreed to double their trade to $20 billion and align climate change combat strategies through Mongolia’s national campaign to plant one billion trees in 10 years. He also talks about young Mongolians’ keenness to learn Chinese and cultural exchanges that have enhanced mutual understanding. Besides, there are glimpses into the president as a man – a former soldier who values exercise and physical fitness as well as a guitarist whose music dream came true at the age of 50.

Source: TheGlobalHerald.com

CIVIL SOCIETY RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT DETENTION OF ACTIVIST AND RESTRICTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA LAW AS ANTI-CORRUPTION PROTESTS ERUPT IN MONGOLIA - EDITORIAL

Civic space in Mongolia is rated as ‘narrowed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Ongoing concerns raised by civil society include reports of harassment, intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders, including those working to defend economic, social and cultural rights, by government authorities and private corporations. Further, provisions of the Criminal Code related to cooperation with foreign intelligence agencies (article 19.4) and sabotage (article 19.6) have been used to prosecute human rights defenders for legitimate activities. There are also concerns about press freedom.
In recent months, human rights groups have called for the release of jailed human rights defender Munkhbayar Chuluundorj. A new social media law - that could be used to silence online dissent - has been returned to parliament. There were protests against against corruption in the coal industry in December 2022.

Source: CIVICUS

BUSINESS

CONFERENCE EXPLAINS IMPLICATIONS OF LAW ON MINING EXCHANGE TO COAL TRADERS

Road transportation plays a vital role in the electronic trading of coal, as transportation costs account massive part of the coal trade. According to the Plenipotentiary Representative of Government for “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” Company J. Ganbat, tendering the transportation companies aims to make coal transportation more transparent and reduce transportation costs.
Temporary resolutions for mining companies to participate in electronic trading with their own delivery options are now being changed as well in order to make the operation transparent.
Representatives of about 200 Chinese coal-purchasing companies attended this meeting, jointly organized by the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry and the Financial Regulatory Commission. During the meeting, the organizers presented and explained the Law on Mining Exchange, which will come into force from July 1 of this year, and the Regulation on electronic trading of export coal. In addition, the participants also discussed how electronic trading takes place after law enforcement and how to make long-term and short-term contracts.

Source: Montsame
See also: Discussion on “Electronic Trading of Export Coal” Organized Successfully

JADE GAS BEGINS MONGOLIA NATURAL GAS DRILLING PROGRAM

Jade Gas Holdings Ltd. will explore for natural gas in the south Gobi region of Mongolia.
During the 2023 exploration program, the company will drill four exploration wells targeting three coal seams of interest in the northern extension of the Red Lake area within its TTCBM Project permit. The drilling program is expected to begin in March.
Successful drilling will expand the size of the current 246 bcf unrisked gross 2C contingent resources, the company said.
At the same time, Jade will test Red Lake-5 and Red Lake-7 to provide data about permeability that will be used to design the pilot production program later in the year. Red Lake-5 was drilled to a total depth (TD) of 687 m and intersected 36 m of gassy coal in the target coal seams. Red Lake-7 reached TD at 501 m with 62 m of gassy coal intersected.

Source: Oil and Gas Journal
View the Jade Gas release

ELIXIR ENERGY PASSES DAILY FLOW RATE MILESTONE AT CBM PILOT PROJECT IN MONGOLIA

Elixir Energy Ltd has notched up another milestone at its Nomgon IX Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Production Sharing Contract (PSC) in Mongolia with the pilot production project achieving a daily gas flow rate of 200,000 cubic feet.
The extended pilot production project in the country’s resource-rich South Gobi Basin has been operating successfully for more than 100 days.
This week the combined production from the Nomgon-8 and 9 wells reached 200,000 standard cubic feet per day (scfpd) of gas for the first time, as the pilot continues to depressurize.
Elixir’s managing director Neil Young said: “Our Nomgon pilot project continues to deliver the goods with an excellent flow rate from what are simple and shallow vertical wells.
"The pilot will continue in the weeks to come and we will provide further updates as it moves towards its conclusion.”
Impressively, the Nomgon-9 well exceeded 150,000 scfpd, or 75%, of the total.

Source: Proactive InvestorsThe Market HeraldNatural Gas World

ION ENERGY RESTARTS LITHIUM BRINE DRILLING IN MONGOLIA

ION Energy Ltd. told investors it has restarted water well drilling at the Urgakh Naran lithium project, in Mongolia.
The company, which aims to specialise in lithium brine exploration and development, in a statement said that three water wells have so far been drilled at the project, for a total of 682 metres of drilling, to return lithium values.
Drill holes UNWH-01 and UNWH-02 were each drilled to a depth of 300 metres, whilst UNWH-03 currently at 82 metres and is continuing.
“Having previously reported strong results from the lithological holes, the company is now pleased to share that we are completing our third water well at the highly encouraging Urgakh Naran project," said chief executive Ali Haji.
"Until recently, ION's team had anticipated not being able to return to the site and resume this phase of our drilling program until much warmer weather, later in March.”

Source: Proactive Investors
 

CHINA APPROVES ZIJIN-XANADU JV

China just approved its third largest miner, Zijin Mining Group, to proceed with a JV alongside ASX-listed microcap Xanadu Mines on Friday.
Zijin notified Xanadu management the company has now cleared its final regulatory hurdle to progress the Kharmagtai copper-gold project in Mongolia, meaning Xanadu and Zijin’s 50/50 JV is now legally ratified.
“It is pleasing to now have PRC regulatory approval, clearing the final hurdle to launch our partnership with Zijin,” Xanadu chief Colin Moorhead said.
The mine is in the same jurisdiction as Rio Tinto’s flagship Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine. Rio recently boosted its stake in that project to 66%, and it expects to double copper production by 2030.
Xanadu raised $1.1m in capital to finalise the approvals process last month. The company also reported a “remaining $7.2m [will be] invested into Xanadu at the company level.”
“The company will now proceed to finalise arrangements with Zijin to progress to completion,” Xanadu wrote on Friday.

Source: MarketIndex.com.au

MONGOLIAN FILMMAKERS UNITED TO MAKE A CONTENT FOR NETFLIX

Mongolian filmmakers are jointly working on new Netflix content about Chinggis Khaan. This project aims to promote The Great Khaan’s pearls of wisdom to the world. 
The film is based on the novel “The Secret History of Chinggis Khaan” by S. Jargalsaikhan. Filmmakers said, “It’s time to make Mongolian content that meets with Netflix standard.”
Crew members for film production include:
-Director:  M. Batbold, Director of the National Academic Drama Theatre and the Orfey Theater 
-Exclusive Producers: J. Bilguun, President of the “Sorogdogiin Jargalsaikhan Foundation”
                                    T. Ariunchimeg, Executive director of the  Orfey Theater
Screenwriter: Ya. Bayaraa. 
The project is open to everyone who wants to promote The Great Khaan's legacy and Mongolian heritage to the world.

Source: Montsame

RIO TINTO’S OYU TOLGOI COPPER MINE RECEIVES ITS FIRST BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Oyu Tolgoi, one of the largest copper-gold mines in the world located in Mongolia, has received its first battery-powered mining vehicle for trials. The Normet Utimec MF100 Material SD is designed for bulk material transportation in underground mines and tunnels, with a 10-tonne payload capacity and a fast charging capability.
The fast-charging vehicle also has two high-torque direct drive electric motors, energy recuperation technology, and efficient hydraulic dual-circuit oil immersed multi-disc brakes. The vehicle has a front axle suspension system, improving safety, driving comfort, and increasing component lifetime. The batteries get charged when the model during movement downhill and deacceleration, leading to better efficiency.
The maximum speed of the Utimec is 20 km/h. It features a fully reversible 4WD with high traction capability and instant torque to ensure safe and sure movement in difficult ground conditions.

Source: Energy and Mines

ENTRAVISION COMMUNICATION ANNOUNCED AS THE AUTHORIZED SALES PARTNER OF META IN MONGOLIA

Entravision, a leading global advertising solutions, media and technology company, announced today that its Asia-based digital business unit has become the Authorized Sales Partner in Mongolia of Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
“This partnership reinforces our commitment to advertisers and their agencies to connect brands to consumers through local strategic support, creative expertise and relevant in-market training,” said Pieter-Jan de Kroon, Chief Executive Officer of Entravision Asia. “As we continue to expand our presence throughout Asia, we are thrilled to partner with Meta as their Authorized Sales Partner in Mongolia to equip and empower local businesses with the most advanced and effective advertising solutions.”
As an Authorized Sales Partner of Meta, Entravision will provide a dedicated local team, strategic direction, support, training, lines of credit and local billing to advertisers in the Mongolian market to enable them to meet their business objectives.

Source: Investing.comBusinessWire.com

STEPPE GOLD’S NEW LIFE-OF-MINE PLAN & FUTURE DUAL HKEX LISTING - VIDEO

Our EVP, Aneel Waraich, shared details of Steppe's updated life-of-mine plan for our flagship ATO #gold project in #Mongolia, with Proactive Investors. This update adds a further 1.5 years to our Phase II fresh rock expansion for a 12-year aggregate mine life.
Tune into the latest #STGO interview, to also hear about our plans to move forward with a dual primary listing of our common shares on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEx), the premier listing venue for Asia-based companies. We're looking forward to raising our company's profile with a growing regional investor base.
Learn more: steppegold.com

Source: Proactive Investors

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

INDIA GDP OUTPACES CHINA DESPITE SLOWDOWN TO 4.4 PCT LAST QUARTER

India's economic growth rate slowed to 4.4% in the third quarter of the current fiscal year, official figures showed on Tuesday, although the country is zipping ahead of regional rival China.
India's gross domestic product growth for the October-December period matched the Reserve Bank of India's 4.4% year-on-year estimate. Before the data release, 42 economists polled by Reuters had given a median forecast of 4.6%.
The growth rate has been slipping since the revised 13.2% logged for the first fiscal quarter, from April to June. The figure for July to September came in at 6.3%. In the October-December period of the previous year, the South Asian nation's GDP grew 5.2%, according to the latest numbers.
Nevertheless, India remains one of the world's better-performing economies, with the government maintaining its full fiscal year projection of 7%, after an upgraded 9.1% for the previous 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Source: Nikkei Asia
See also: Here’s how much economists expect China’s GDP to grow this year

CHINA’S FACTORY ACTIVITY GROWS FURTHER, MARKS ITS HIGHEST READING IN NEARLY 11 YEARS

China’s factory activity for February bounced further into expansion territory, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 52.6 in February – above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction. That marks the highest reading since April 2012, when it hit 53.5.
February’s PMI reading is also higher than the 50.1 reported for January and above expectations of 50.5, according to economists surveyed by Reuters.
Non-manufacturing PMI also grew further to 56.3 from January’s print of 54.4, when it saw a sharp improvement backed by a recovery in services and construction activity.
The government said February’s reading showed continued improvement in the climate for production and business, noting that the total volume of activity “significantly increased” as well.
Shortly after China’s factory activity data was released, Moody’s announced that it expects China’s economy to grow by 5% for 2023, an upgrade from its previous outlook of 4% growth.

Source: CNBC

G20 TALKS IN INDIA END WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON UKRAINE WAR AMID SOARING TENSIONS

A meeting of top diplomats of the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations ended Thursday in New Delhi without a consensus on the Ukraine war, India’s foreign minister said, as members grappled with deepening rifts in their ranks and held contentious talks dominated by Russia’s war and China’s moves to boost its global influence.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said there were “divergences” on the issue of war in Ukraine “which we could not reconcile as various parties held differing views.”
“If we had a perfect meeting of minds on all issues, it would have been a collective statement,” Jaishankar said. He added that members agreed on most issues involving the concerns of less-developed nations, “like strengthening multilateralism, promoting food and energy security, climate change, gender issues and counter-terrorism.”
Host India had appealed for all members of the fractured Group of 20 to reach consensus on issues of deep concern to poorer countries even if the broader East-West split over Ukraine could not be resolved.

Source: France24
See also: Blinken, Lavrov speak briefly at G-20 meeting

EUROZONE INFLATION DROPS TO 8.5 PCT IN FEBRUARY: EUROSTAT

The annual rate of inflation within the eurozone was 8.5% in February, the EU's statistics agency said Thursday.
The fall from last month's figure of 8.6%, though, was less than expected, with analysts at financial data firm FactSet predicting a sharper fall to 8.2%, while the Bloomberg forecast was 8.3%.
While inflation was lower than the 10.6% high in October, fears lingered that the earlier surge in energy prices is now having a larger impact on the economy among the 20 countries that use the euro.
Annual inflation still remains higher than the European Central Bank's (ECB) objective of 2%.
A continued decline in energy costs had pushed consumer prices lower, but in February the rise in food and drink costs outpaced that of energy.
Eurostat showed that food and drink prices soared by 15% last month.
Germany's federal statistics office Destatis said on Wednesday that February's inflation rate was 8.7%, the same as the previous month

Source: Deutsche Welle

COPPER PRICE RISES AS CHINA’S ECONOMY SHOWS STRONG RECOVERY

The copper price rose on Wednesday after better-than-expected manufacturing activity data from China underpinned demand hopes.
The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 52.6 last month, the National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday, the highest reading since April 2012. A non-manufacturing gauge measuring activity in both the services and construction sectors improved to 56.3. Both indexes beat economists’ expectations.
“Overall trend still points to a solid recovery at the beginning of 2023,” said Zhou Hao, chief economist at Guotai Junan International.
“The decent PMI readings provide a positive note for the upcoming National People’s Congress,” with the government expected to roll out further supportive policies to cement the recovery, he said.
Copper for delivery in May on the Comex market in New York touched $4.16 per pound ($9,152 per tonne), up 1.9% compared to Tuesday’s closing.
China is expected to set its GDP growth rate target at 5.5%-6% this year…

Source: Mining.com
See also: Iron ore price jumps on China data, bullish steel demand outlook

U.S. LABOR MARKET RESILIENT; INFLATION HOTTER IN FOURTH QUARTER

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, pointing to a persistently tight labor market, and further fueling fears that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates higher than anticipated.
Those worries were amplified by other data on Thursday showing inflation was much stronger than initially thought in the fourth quarter, which raises the risk of higher readings when the government publishes January's personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price data on Friday.
While the Fed is expected to deliver two additional rate hikes of 25 basis points in March and May, financial markets are betting on another increase in June. The U.S. central bank has raised its policy rate by 450 basis points since last March from near zero to a 4.50%-4.75% range.
Higher inflation chipped at consumer spending, resulting in the fourth-quarter gross domestic product growth estimate being trimmed to a 2.7% annualized rate from the previously reported 2.9% pace.

Source: Reuters

FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN CHINA SLUMPS TO 18-YEAR LOW

Investment by foreign companies in China tumbled to its lowest level in 18 years in the second half of last year, buffeted by tensions with the U.S., a dimming growth outlook and fears of possible backsliding on economic reforms.
Foreign direct investment into China totaled $42.5 billion between July and December 2022, according to an official balance of payments. That constituted a 73% decline on the year, the sharpest drop dating back to data in 1999. Half-year totals had averaged more than $160 billion between late 2020 and early 2022.
Meanwhile, foreign direct investment by Chinese companies grew 21% to $84.2 billion. The $41.7 billion net outflow marked the first in five and a half years.
Companies' reluctance to make new investments in China has been fueled in part by fallout from the country's zero-COVID policy. Actually utilized foreign direct investment in the last quarter of 2022 fell 35% on the year to $33.8 billion…

Source: Nikkei Asia
See also: China’s FDI decline: Why are foreign companies decreasing their dependency on Asian giant?

JAPAN BIRTHS FALL TO RECORD LOW AS POPULATION CRISIS DEEPENS

The number of births registered in Japan plummeted to another record low last year – the latest worrying statistic in a decades-long decline that the country’s authorities have failed to reverse despite their extensive efforts.
The country saw 799,728 births in 2022, the lowest number on record and the first ever dip below 800,000, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday. That number has nearly halved in the past 40 years; by contrast, Japan recorded more than 1.5 million births in 1982.
Japan also reported a record high for post-war deaths last year, at more than 1.58 million.
Deaths have outpaced births in Japan for more than a decade, posing a growing problem for leaders of the world’s third-largest economy. They now face a ballooning elderly population, along with a shrinking workforce to fund pensions and health care as demand from the aging population surges.

Source: CNN
See also: Deaths jumped 8.9% in Japan in 2022 to almost double birth total

CO2 EMISSIONS MAY BE STARTING TO PLATEAU, SAYS GLOBAL ENERGY WATCHDOG

Global carbon dioxide emissions are still rising but may at least be reaching a plateau, research from the International Energy Agency has shown.
CO2 from energy – by far the biggest source of emissions – increased by less than 1% in 2022. This was despite the turmoil in energy the markets caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The rise is smaller than the 6% increase in emissions from energy recorded by the IEA in 2021, a leap that came on the back of the rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, a 7% reduction is needed every year to meet the goal of halving emissions this decade.
Many experts had feared the soaring price of gas could push countries back towards using coal, which has much higher carbon emissions. But renewable energy seems to have been a big beneficiary, as countries opted for solar and wind power, and encouraged the take-up of heat pumps and electric vehicles.

Source: The Guardian

PANAMA AND CANADA'S FIRST QUANTUM NEARING AGREEMENT OVER COPPER MINE -LAWYER

The Panamanian government and Canada's First Quantum are nearing an agreement on their negotiations over the contract to operate a major copper mine, Ebrahim Asvat, a lawyer advising the government on the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday.
An agreement could be reached in less than two weeks, Asvat said, noting there are only three issues left to be solved, with two of them being in the final stage of negotiations.
Asvat said the third issue was an "economic aspect" which involved the company asking for more tax deductions that would hurt the government's income from the mine in times of high production and copper prices.
Nevertheless, Asvat said he believes "an agreement is imminent".
The company and Panama's government have been locked in a prolonged contract dispute with tax and royalties at the forefront of the stalemate.
In a latest twist, an order from Panama's maritime authority banning cargo operations at a port forced the firm to halt its ore processing operations.

Source: Reuters

 

 

BCM SUBMITS POLICY PAPER

The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) Secretariat has submitted a Policy Paper to the Government of Mongolia on 13 October 2022.

BCM Secretariat has submitted summary of issues and proposed solutions on newly adopted Corporate Income Tax law drafted by the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Tax & Regulatory Working group (lead by Ms. Kh.Amarjargal, Country Director Mongolia-Rio Tinto, Mr.B.Battushig - Founding Partner of DB&GTS LLP and Mr.R.Khishignemekh -Senior Partner of Ernest and Young TMZ).

The 42 pages of findings and recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry; to Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament);  Standing Committee on the Economic Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Standing Committee on the Budget; Economy and Development Ministry. In collaboration with Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Association.                                        

BCM would like to thank Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Mining Association and BCM Regulatory & Tax Working Group for their efforts to protect legal interests and rights of business entities in Mongolia.

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.

SDG INVESTOR MAPPING PROJECT SURVEY - IDENTIFYING BUSINESS CASES FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The objective of this template is to collect data on businesses aligned with SDGs, and if selected, your provided data will be compiled into SDG Investor Map datasheet which will be eventually uploaded onto Global SDG Investor Platform managed by UNDP SDG Impact. The outcomes of the data will be aggregated to gather insights that will be presented in the form of a report along with other secondary research that we have conducted. Thus, we would like to seek your permission to use your data for business research and documentation purposes.  For any individual information from your business, due permission will be sought before the publishing of the report. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  2 March 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,521.70
Euro EUR   3,746.03
Japanese yen JPY   25.75
British pound GBP   4,218.64
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      448.65
Russian ruble RUB        46.64
Chinese yuan CNY      509.80
South Korean won KRW          2.68
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.

BCM NewsWire 771 – 24 February 2023

 
NewsWire

Issue 771 –  24 February 2023


BCM NewsWire provides short summaries of news collected from around the world. Each article is kept to a maximum of 150 words for brevity, but click on the link next to “Source” to read the full article.


BCM Highlight

  • Annual Investment Meeting 2023 (AIM), 8-10 May 2023 at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, UAE

  • BCM NewsWire survey

Economy

  • GDP of Mongolia Increased by 4.8 Percent

  • Mongolia’s Jan coal output up almost 200 pct y/y, but down 10.6 pct m/m

  • Monthly Average Household Income Increases by 12.4 pct

  • International Transport Forum meeting in Mongolia, 20-23 March 2023

  • ADB: Three Ways to Improve Air Quality and Build Climate Resilience in Mongolia

  • “World Export Development Forum 2023 Mongolia” launched in Geneva

  • Geres: In Ulaanbaatar, our actions to fight against air pollution are extended until 2026

  • Money Supply Increases by 10.9 Percent y/y

  • The State of Street Homelessness in Ulaanbaatar

  • Asian Physics Olympiad to be held in Ulaanbaatar with expense of MNT 3.2 billion

  • Climate Change Threatens Fragile Economy and Vulnerable Ecology - Editorial

Politics

  • The Korea Herald: Mongolian PM wants to use Busan as outlet for trade corridor

  • Mongolian Economic Forum to be organized in July

  • President Holds a Telephone Conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

  • President of Mongolia Visits the Zamiin Uud Border Port

  • Czech Republic Ratifies Pending SSA with Mongolia — Orbitax Tax News & Alerts

  • Lunar New Year Greetings of Ambassadors

  • Discussions held on visa exemption agreement between Maldives, Mongolia

  • Rescue team returns home from Turkey

  • Mongolia's Challenges and Opportunities - A new report

  • Mongolia’s only winter time traditional celebration is Tsagaan Sar - Editorial

  • Mongolia: the democracy between Russia and China - Video

  • Elbegdorj: Why Ukraine Must Win - Editorial

Business

  • Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine to be Opened on March 13

  • MIAT Mongolian Airlines Plans Nonstop Flights To San Francisco

  • Fitch Affirms Mongolian Mining at 'B'; Outlook Negative

  • Parabellum Resources trades 80 pct of Khotgor Rare Earths Project to Temarise for USD 15 million

  • Elixir, SB Energy progress Gobi H2 plan in Mongolia

  • Mongolia to Export Organic Products to Europe

  • Carrefour Enters Mongolia, Opens Two Stores

  • 48.9 billion MNT kept in-country through Lunar New Year trade fair

  • MSE: “Electronic Trading of Export Coal” agenda of meeting

  • Steppe Gold Announces Plans to Pursue Dual Listing of Common Shares in Hong Kong

  • Mongolian-Austrian Business Forum by WKO in Vienna

Global and Regional Trends

  • EU carbon price hits record high nearing 100 euros/tonne

  • China boosts Australian coal imports on hopes for more easing of curbs -traders, data

  • OECD says global economic outlook ‘slightly better’ for 2023 but inflation risks linger

  • Copper price rises despite weak Chinese demand

  • Governments spent record USD 1 trillion last year subsidizing fossil fuels

  • G-20 finance heads to meet in India with debt, Ukraine top of mind

  • Iron ore price surges to 8-month high on renewed optimism around China’s reopening

  • Mexico's Lopez Obrador orders ministry to step up lithium nationalization

  • Taiwan revises down 2023 GDP growth forecast on export slump

  • Bangladesh private power producers seek USD 1 bln in foreign currency for fuel imports

  • Chinese reopening rally stalls as foreign investors cut purchases - Editorial

  • After a year of death and destruction, Ukraine braces itself for a major escalation in the war - Editorial

BCM Updates

  • BCM submits policy paper

  • The BCM appoints Raphaël Goué as official BCM representative in Europe

  • SDG Investor Mapping project survey - Identifying business cases for investment opportunities

  • UNICEF: Guidance for employers on flexible work arrangements and other good workplace practices in the context of Covid-19

  • UNICEF: Call for actions of the private sector to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution in UB

  • BCM Guideline for Companies to Combat Air Pollution

  • Member-to-member special offers & benefits

Economic Indicators

  • Inflation

  • Central Bank Policy Rate

  • Sovereign Credit Rating

  • Currency Rates

 
Sponsors:
 

 

 




 

 

BCM HIGHLIGHT

ANNUAL INVESTMENT MEETING 2023 (AIM), 8-10 MAY 2023 AT ADNEC IN ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES



Dear BCM members and partners, 

We’re delighted to announce that the Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) is a supporting partner at The Annual Investment Meeting 2023 (AIM), which will take place 8 – 10 May 2023 at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 
 
We’re excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring and look forward to working together to make a positive impact on the global investment landscape. 
 
Don't miss out on this opportunity to network with industry leaders! 

Register Now
 

About AIM Global 

The Annual Investment Meeting has established itself as a leading investment platform in the Middle East, aspiring to ignite positive transformation by creating investment opportunities, upholding solidarity, and developing economic relations among nations, as well as addressing the global ordeals that will make a profound impact on global economic growth. 

To register for the AIM Global 2023, please visit https://www.aimcongress.com/. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to stay informed and connected with the latest updates in investment opportunities. 

Join us at AIM Global 2023 as we unveil new windows of opportunities for economic growth, welfare and progress!

 


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BCM NEWSWIRE SURVEY

Dear valued members,
 
The Business Council of Mongolia sincerely appreciates its members and always tries to progressively improve the services it provides. With that being said, we would appreciate it dearly if you could kindly take 2-3 minutes of your day to fill out the following survey on our Weekly Friday Newswire. We would like to receive your feedback to ameliorate the content of our newswire. 
 
Please find the questionnaire here
 
Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Your contribution is highly valuable to us. 


ECONOMY

GDP OF MONGOLIA INCREASED BY 4.8 PERCENT

In 2022, by preliminary estimation of production approach, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices was MNT 52.9 trillion, which is increased by MNT 9.3 trillion (21.4%) compared to the previous year. GDP at 2015 constant prices was MNT 28.4 trillion, which is increased by MNT 1.3 trillion (4.8%) compared to the previous year.
According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, GDP at 2015 constant prices decreased by 4.6% in 2020 but increased by 1.6%, 4.8 in 2021, and 2022. In the fourth quarter of 2022, seasonally adjusted GDP at 2015 constant prices increased by 3.2% compared to the previous quarter.
To 4.8% increase in GDP at 2015 constant prices in 2022,

  • agriculture sector contributed 1.7 percentage points,
  • mining and quarrying sector contributed -1.6 percentage points,
  • industry and construction sectors contributed 0.8 percentage points,
  • service sector contributed 2.6 percentage points and
  • net taxes on products contributed 1.4 percentage points.

Source: Montsame

MONGOLIA’S JAN COAL OUTPUT UP ALMOST 200 PCT Y/Y, BUT DOWN 10.6 PCT M/M

Coal production of Mongolia came in at 5.97 million tonnes in January, surging 194.57% year on year but falling 10.61% month on month, showed data from the National Statistical Office of Mongolia.
In 2022, the inland country produced a total 36.96 million tonnes of coal, up 22.74% from 2021.
In January, the country's coal production snapped an eight-month rising streak but still was at a relatively high range.
Mongolia's iron ore production was 338,800 tonnes in January, down 15.13% on the year but up 36.94% on the month.
Iron sand output was 229,000 tonnes in January, down 15.9% year on year but up 43.93% from December, while iron concentrate production was 109,800 tonnes, falling 13.48% from a year ago but rising 24.35% month on month.
Production of iron ore in Mongolia totaled 9.2 million tonnes in 2022, slumping 28.77% year on year.

Source: sxcoal.com
See also: Mongolia's rail coal shipment up for 6th mth in Jan; iron ore also rises

MONTHLY AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME INCREASES BY 12.4 PCT

According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, in January 2023, the consumer price index at the national level increased by 1.2% from the previous month and by 12.3% from the same period of the last year. It includes:

  • Food and non-alcoholic beverages group - 14.0% increase in prices
  • Alcoholic beverages - 8.7% increase in prices
  • Clothing, cloth, and footwear group - 15.6% increase in prices.

Ten products that mainly caused the increase in consumer prices is explaining the 25.9 percent of the total inflation. It includes the price increase of bread, flour, and rice by 32.4 percent and gasoline by 15.5 percent.
Household Income and Expenditure
According to the Household Socio-Economic Survey result in the fourth quarter of 2022, the monthly average household income was MNT 1.8 million, which increased by MNT 204.1 (12.4%) thousand compared to the same period of the previous year.

Source: Montsame

INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FORUM MEETING IN MONGOLIA, 20-23 MARCH 2023

TF Secretary-General Young Tae Kim leads a delegation of ITF experts to Mongolia for a dissemination event in on 22 March 2023 to conclude the project “Decarbonising Pathways for Urban Passenger Transport in Ulaanbaatar”. This event is ITF Secretary-General Young Tae Kim's first visit to Mongolia since Mongolia joined the ITF in May 2020.
The event will be kicked off by high-level keynote speakers, including the Minister of Transport of Mongolia and the ITF Secretary-General. Representatives from the Ministry, local government, the city of Ulaanbaatar, public agencies and international organisations will come together to exchange on various topics related to the current state and future development of urban passenger mobility in Ulaanbaatar. The main findings of the ITF project will set the scene and guide political and technical dialogues. In addition, several panel discussions and informal breaks are added to the agenda to promote diverse interaction between the project partners and local stakeholders. 

Source: International Transport Forum

ADB: THREE WAYS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND BUILD CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN MONGOLIA

To tackle the persistent air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, several key issues must be addressed: affordability, more innovative urban planning, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. In the immediate term, however, the severity of the public health situation necessitates faster measures to bring down air pollution to more acceptable levels, even if this initially relies heavily on electricity from non-renewable energy sources.    
The most effective way to significantly reduce air pollution in Ulaanbaatar is to transition from traditional coal burning in ger areas to electrification of heating. Two major constraints are slowing down this process. First, coal is typically the easiest and cheapest energy source in Mongolia. The poorest in Ulaanbaatar do not have much of a choice—either they burn coal or risk freezing to death. Hence, subsidies targeting the poor for upfront costs of conversion to electric heat and for increased ongoing electricity costs can help address this problem. 

Source: ADB Blog

“WORLD EXPORT DEVELOPMENT FORUM 2023 MONGOLIA” LAUNCHED IN GENEVA

International Trade Center’s (ITC) flagship annual event, the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) is underway to be organized in Ulaanbaatar on June 27-28, 2023, under the auspices of the President of Mongolia H.E. Mr. Khurelsukh Ukhnaa under the theme of “Diversifying Green Trade: Organic, Digital, Sustainable”.  The launch event of WEDF 2023 was held on February 15th, 2023, on the premises of ITC headquarters in Geneva. 
Mr. Tuvdendorj Gantumur, Vice Minister of Economic Development, Ms. Gerelmaa Davaasuren, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations Office at Geneva delivered opening remarks. Representing the UN and the ITC, Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC, and Mr. Vinod Ahuja, interim UNRC in Mongolia delivered opening remarks.
Parties interested in the 20th World Export Development Forum, which will be held in Mongolia on June 27-28, under the theme “Diversification of Green Trade: Organic, Digital, and Sustainable” can register with the following link: https://indico.un.org/event/1004191/ 

Source: Montsame

GERES: IN ULAANBAATAR, OUR ACTIONS TO FIGHT AGAINST AIR POLLUTION ARE EXTENDED UNTIL 2026

Ulaanbaatar is the most polluted city in winter. Since 2018, Geres and its partners have been working to reduce the city’s air pollution by tackling housing insulation and promoting the reduction of coal consumption for heating. Four years later, the results are very conclusive. Now it’s time for 2026 to extend the actions to other provinces.
Here is an overview and outlook.
Context. The 8-month long heating season, temperatures hitting for several months -20 to -40°C and the absence of central heating systems for more than half of the urban population force them to rely on cheap and low-quality coal for satisfying household heating and cooking needs. On the other hand, in recent years the population has also started to exploit a coal that generates less smoke but a lot of pollution.
Building on Geres’ 20 years of experience in Asia’s cold climate, the project « Switch off Air pollution » was implemented between 2018 and 2022 in the Mongolian capital.

Source: Geres

MONEY SUPPLY INCREASES BY 10.9 PERCENT Y/Y

The money supply (M2) reached MNT 29.7 trillion at the end of January 2023, which increased by MNT 2.9 (10.9%) trillion compared with the same period of the previous year, as reported by the preliminary results. The main reasons for this increase were MNT 2.7 (2.2 times more) trillion increase in the current account in foreign currency and MNT 1.4 (35.7%) trillion increase in time deposits in foreign currency.
Based on the preliminary results, at the end of January 2023, the money supply (M1) amounted to MNT 6.6 trillion, decreased by MNT 568.1 (7.9%) billion from the previous month while increasing by MNT 792.7 (13.6%) billion from the same period of the previous year. In money supply (M1), MNT 5.9 (88.3%) trillion was demand deposits and MNT 775.7 (11.7%) billion was the currency outside depository corporations.

Source: Montsame

THE STATE OF STREET HOMELESSNESS IN ULAANBAATAR

According to research conducted by the Capital City Social Welfare Department and recently issued Asian Development Bank’s report, there were 1,375 street homeless people living in Ulaanbaatar city as of December 2020.
Of these individuals, 79 percent were male, and more than half were aged between 18-45 years old, with around 40 percent being aged between 46-59.
Approximately half of the street homeless had been homeless for 1-5 years, with 24 percent for 6-9 years and 2 percent for more than 10 years. Nearly 80 percent of the street homeless had residential address registration in one of the Ulaanbaatar districts.
In a world where globalization has made it easier to move from one place to another, the story of the homeless population in Ulaanbaatar is a reminder that mobility does not always equal progress.
The city has almost doubled in size over the last decade and is now home to roughly half of Mongolia's total population.

Source: Mongolia Weekly

ASIAN PHYSICS OLYMPIAD TO BE HELD IN ULAANBAATAR WITH EXPENSE OF MNT 3.2 BILLION

At today's cabinet meeting /2023.02.20/, a decision to organize the 23rd Asian Physics Olympiad in Ulaanbaatar was made. 
The Asian Physics Olympiad will be held on May 22-30, and 140 students and 54 professors from 18 countries will participate. 
The working group for organizing this event will be led by L.Enkh-Amgalan, the Minister of Education and Science, and the Minister of Finance was obliged to solve the financing of MNT 3.2 billion which is the expense of organizing the Olympiad. 
This olympiad has a high importance of evaluating the quality of physics education, encouraging talented and promising children and young people in physics, providing opportunities for advancement at the professional level, getting to know the cultural diversity, promoting Mongolian heritage, and strengthening its position in the international community.

Source: GoGo News

CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS FRAGILE ECONOMY AND VULNERABLE ECOLOGY - EDITORIAL

Mongolia is facing multiple risks outlined in the recent World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2023. The country's fragile economy, heavily dependent on mining and agriculture, is particularly vulnerable to the risks of a cost-of-living crisis, energy insecurity, and geopolitical fragmentation.
Climate change poses a significant threat to Mongolia, as the country's economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and livestock, both of which are vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods. Additionally, the country's vast grassland and rich biodiversity are at risk of collapse due to climate change. The country's weak infrastructure also makes it difficult to mitigate these effects, with limited access to electricity and clean water, exacerbating the country's economic vulnerability.
One such extreme weather event unique to Mongolia is "dzud," which occurs when heavy snowfalls in winter follow a severe drought in summer, causing animals to perish due to…

Source: Mongolia Weekly

POLITICS

THE KOREA HERALD: MONGOLIAN PM WANTS TO USE BUSAN AS OUTLET FOR TRADE CORRIDOR

Mongolia wants South Korea's largest port city, Busan, to become an integral part of a trade corridor for the landlocked country, its Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene told The Korea Herald in an interview Friday.
Mongolia currently relies on the sea ports of Russia and China to import foreign goods and sell products to other countries. This means international sanctions imposed on Moscow and Beijing, as well as port lockdowns due to internal policies like zero-COVID, often led to freight bottlenecks for Mongolia as well.
This has spurred Mongolia to look for other options. Busan is one of the most likely candidates, given its strong ties to both Tianjin and Vladivostok, which are connected with its trading cities, like Altanbulag and Sukhbaatar bordering Russia, and Zamiin-Uud on the border with China.
If shipping through China's Tianjin port became less viable, Busan, for example, could be used as a logistics hub.

Source: The Korea Herald
See also: MOTIE to host public hearing for EPAs with Mongolia & Georgia

MONGOLIAN ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE ORGANIZED IN JULY

The Cabinet held an irregular meeting on February 20 and discussed the following issues. 
Mongolian Economic Forum to be organized in july
The Cabinet decided to organize the Mongolian Economic Forum-2023 in June as the government announced 2023-2025 as the years to Visit Mongolia, identifying the tourism industry as a priority.
Minister of Economy and Development Ch. Khurelbaatar will be the chairperson of the Working Group for organizing the Mongolian Economic Forum and Ch. Nomin, the Minister of Culture, will be the vice-chairperson.
Ch. Khurelbaatar: The economic growth of our country will be higher this year than last year
The Cabinet discussed the outcomes of the official visit of Mongolian Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erden to the Republic of Korea, obliging the Minister of Foreign Affairs to present it to the National Security Council.

Source: Government of Mongolia

PRESIDENT HOLDS A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY

The President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh spoke with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky by telephone at his request on February 21, 2023.
Conveying his wishes for the Tsagaan Sar to the people of Mongolia, the President of Ukraine Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to Mongolia for sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine, highlighted his satisfaction with the cooperation between our two countries, and recalled his childhood in Mongolia.
​In response, President Mr.Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh expressed his gratitude to him for sparing time and conveying wishes for the Tsagaan Sar to the people of Mongolia.
Expressing his deep concern over the current situation in Ukraine, he emphasized that intensifying the international community efforts and diplomatic actions, especially peace negotiations would be the best solution to the conflict.  
Moreover, President U. Khurelsukh highlighted the Mongolian commitment to maintaining balanced relations with our two neighbors and third neighbors and its peace-loving, open, independent, and multi-pillar foreign policy.

Source: Montsame

PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA VISITS THE ZAMIIN UUD BORDER PORT

The President of Mongolia, U.Khurelsukh, visited the Zamiin-Uud border port, which is one of the main logistics centers in Dornogovi region. The Zamiin-Uud border port ensures the passage of about 70% of cargo and 30% of passengers across the state border and generates 15% of customs revenues.
Since 2019, construction works have begun to upgrade the infrastructure of the Zamiin-Uud Port in cooperation with China. Within the framework of the "New Revival Policy", developed by the Government of Mongolia, the project "Construction and Infrastructure of Zamiin-Uud port" is being currently implemented. As part of this project, the following works are planned:
- Construction of 30 buildings and facilities in the passenger-transport section;
- Construction of 28 buildings and structures in the cargo section;
- Heavy-duty road construction;
- Installation work of common utilities and communication lines;
- The construction of the external power supply line and the completion of the project is about 91%.

Source: Montsame

CZECH REPUBLIC RATIFIES PENDING SSA WITH MONGOLIA — ORBITAX TAX NEWS & ALERTS

According to recent reports, Czech President Miloš Zeman signed the law for the ratification of the pending social security agreement with Mongolia on 8 December 2022. The agreement, signed 20 May 2019, is the first of its kind between the two countries and will enter into force on the first day of the month after the ratification instruments are exchanged.

Source: Orbitax.com

LUNAR NEW YEAR GREETINGS OF AMBASSADORS

Ambassadors in Mongolia shared their thoughts about the Lunar New Year and sent greetings with GoGo.mn

Source: GoGo News
See also: Lunar New Year greetings from UN Country Team Mongolia

DISCUSSIONS HELD ON VISA EXEMPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN MALDIVES, MONGOLIA

Discussions have been held on the signing of a visa exemption agreement between Maldives and Mongolia.
This was done during a courtesy call Ambassador of Mongolia to the Maldives Ganbold Dambajav paid on Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid on Sunday.
Dambajav presented his Letter of Credence to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as the newly appointed Ambassador of Mongolia to Maldives on Sunday.
Following the credentials ceremony, the new Mongolian Ambassador paid a courtesy call on FM Shahid where he expressed commitment to work to continue working closely in the multilateral arena.
The Mongolian Ambassador also called on Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel following the credentials ceremony, where discussions were held on ways to further strengthen existing friendly ties.
Views on further strengthening the existing bilateral relations between Maldives and Mongolia, were also exchanged.
Under these efforts come the signing of a visa exemption agreement between the two countries.

Source: Raajje.mv

RESCUE TEAM RETURNS HOME FROM TURKEY

Mongolian rescue team, led by the deputy head of NEMA, Brigadier General B.Uuganbayar, returned home on February 17, after serving in Turkey on February 8 to 16.
The rescue team worked in three groups: Search Team, Rescue Team, and Medical Team, and two search dogs named Balu and Marta who played important roles in the rescue team. The rescue team rescued 8 people (including 2 children) from under the rubble of the building and took them to the health care facility, and the bodies of 19 people (including 6 children) were handed over to the relevant authorities. Furthermore, five tons of meat, one ton of candles, 1000 blankets, and 20 complete Mongolian gers were sent to Turkey by the decision of the government and the gers were built and handed over to humanitarian aid. On the other hand, the medical group, based on the local hospital, fully expanded the secondary field hospital and provided medical care to 649 people.

Source: The UB PostGoGo News
See also: Turkish Ambassador thanks to Mongolia

MONGOLIA'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES - A NEW REPORT

In this talk, hosted by Professor Kerry Brown, of King’s College, London, the Deputy Prime Minster of Mongolia, His Excellency Amarsaikhan Sainbuyan, the Minister for Border Ports of Mongolia, Her Excellency Khürelbaataryn Bulgantuya, the British Trade Envoy for Mongolia, Daniel Kawczynski MP, and Dr Elizabeth Fox from the Mongolia and Inner Asia Research Studies Unit (MIASU), Cambridge University highlight the prospects for Mongolia as well the challenges to its development and growth.
Speaking of the Government’s new current policy, Vision 2050, His Excellency discussed their ambition to tackle the country’s significant economic constraints in relation to trade, digitalisation, energy, economic growth, and efficient governance with the aim of making Mongolia one of the leading countries in Asia by 2050.
A key aspect of the vision is on improvement to the country’s border ports. Her Excellency, Khürelbaataryn Bulgantuya noted that, “Over 90% of exports are mineral resources, exported through few borders of the country…

Source: King's College London
Click here to view the report

MONGOLIA’S ONLY WINTER TIME TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION IS TSAGAAN SAR - EDITORIAL

Tsagaan Sar, which literally means “White Moon”, is the biggest national and traditional winter holiday in Mongolia celebrated since the 13th century. Tsagaan sar is the Mongolian Lunar New Year Celebration and celebrated actively from the first through third days of the first lunar month indicating the spring beginning in Mongolia. In 1206, when Temuujin established the Great Mongol Empire and proclaimed himself as the Chinggis Khaan, he ordered to celebration Tsagaan Sar in spring aiming to raise peace, kindness, and respect among the people. Mongols used to celebrate the holiday by wearing all white, riding white horses, eating white foods made from dairy products (dairy products in Mongolia are called “white food”), and exchanging white gifts.
From 1950 to the 1960s, Tsagaan Sar was celebrated only in the countryside as a Herder Festival and banned in the city. Later in 1988, this important traditional holiday re-began to be celebrated as the first day of the Lunar New Year nationwide.

Source: The UB Post

MONGOLIA: THE DEMOCRACY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA - VIDEO

After a peaceful revolution in 1990, Mongolia established a democracy that remains strong today. Freedom House, a nonprofit devoted to promoting democracy globally, rates Mongolia as “free,” with high marks for both political rights and civil liberties.
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj is one of the founders of Mongolia’s democracy and served as both President and Prime Minister of his nation. As he continues to advocate for freedom globally, he’s speaking out about the importance of supporting Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression.
At the Munich Security Conference, President Elbegdorj sat down with GZERO’s Tony Maciulis to talk about a country sandwiched between Russia and China, what Vladimir Putin is really like, and this vulnerable moment for democracy.

Source: GZEROmedia.com

ELBEGDORJ: WHY UKRAINE MUST WIN - EDITORIAL

As a former president who was democratically elected, I have a firm conviction in the cause of freedom, and in the power of the people, united as one, to defend it when under attack. This cause, and this faith, are now being tested on the blood-stained soil of Ukraine in a way we have not seen in many decades.
As the war in Ukraine grinds into its second year, the world’s democracies must rally with even greater resolve to declare that freedom is non-negotiable, and to give Ukraine the weapons it needs to win.
Freedom is an opportunity for all. By contrast, despots offer solutions and opportunities that only comfort themselves. They claim they bring justice. But their justice is selective. They dictate their chosen way of life to others. Their obsession is their own survival and longevity in power, not the prosperity of their people.

Source: Stanford University

BUSINESS

OYU TOLGOI UNDERGROUND MINE TO BE OPENED ON MARCH 13

The Prime Minister of Mongolia L. Oyun-Erdene reported during his interview with MNB that the opening ceremony of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine would be held on March 13, 2023.
Noting the investor side's letter to write off Mongolia's USD 2.3 billion debt, for its share (34 percent) of Oyu Tolgoi owned by the Government of Mongolia, the Prime Minister of Mongolia said that further developments had been impossible to accomplish due to this 34 percent debt. This bottleneck has held up for over ten years and become one of the hottest political topics.
The opening ceremony of the OT underground mine will be a milestone in the history of Mongolia and the underground mine. Furthermore, it will also provide an opportunity to increase Mongolia's GDP two times. In other words, our future is on the bright side.

Source: Montsame

MIAT MONGOLIAN AIRLINES PLANS NONSTOP FLIGHTS TO SAN FRANCISCO

Direct flights between the United States of America and Mongolia? Yes. MIAT Mongolian Airlines is acquiring two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and reports are suggesting the airline wishes to connect to an airport in California.
The flag carrier of Mongolia has acquired a Boeing 787 and intends to acquire another. The 787-9 variant, with a range of 7,565 NM (14,010 km), is more than sufficient for a nonstop flight to cover the 5,025 NM (9,306 km) distance between Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar airport (UBN) and San Francisco International (SFO).
The aircraft was air leased back in 2019 from Air Lease Corporation. In a October 3, 2019 statement, Battur Davaakhuu, President and CEO of MIAT Mongolian Airlines, said;
According to Ishrion Aviation, MIAT Mongolian Airlines intends to use codeshares to obtain connections to the United States of America. Already there are codeshare agreements between MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

Source: SimpleFlying.com

FITCH AFFIRMS MONGOLIAN MINING AT 'B'; OUTLOOK NEGATIVE

Fitch Ratings has affirmed coal producer Mongolian Mining Corporation's (MMC) Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'B'. The Outlook is Negative. Fitch has also affirmed MMC's senior unsecured notes due 2024 at 'B' with a Recovery Rating of 'RR4'. The notes are co-issued by MMC and its wholly owned subsidiary, Energy Resources LLC, and guaranteed by most of MMC's operating subsidiaries.
The Negative Outlook reflects uncertainties related to sustained price realisation following China's rapid recovery due to its reopening and regulatory risks related to effective royalty rates, which could lead to a potential shortfall in repayment of the 2024 notes.
MMC's rating is constrained by its small scale, single-product focus on hard coking coal and limited cost competitiveness outside of northern China, its main market.

Source: Fitch Ratings

PARABELLUM RESOURCES TRADES 80 PCT OF KHOTGOR RARE EARTHS PROJECT TO TEMARISE FOR USD 15 MILLION

Parabellum Resources Ltd has traded 80% Khotgor Rare Earths project in Mongolia to Temarise Limited after the latter exercised its exclusive option to acquire the equity in the project.
On 13 February 2023, the company updated shareholders on the results of the 2022 infill drilling program and presented the project's updated mineral resource estimate.
Temarise now owns 80% of Khotgor
Back in August 2022, Parabellum entered into an agreement to sell the project to Temarise, which has now informed its shareholders that it has exercised the option.
At the time, Parabellum Resources non-executive chairman Mark Hohnen said: “The Board of Parabellum is excited to enter into an agreement with Temarise Limited (UK) that holds the exclusive option to acquire 80% of Khotgor Project, Mongolia.
“Khotgor is one of the world's largest rare earth deposits and has the potential to be a major supplier of NdPr; the vital material needed for magnets and therefore the future of wind power generation.

Source: Proactive Investors
View the Parabellum Resources release

ELIXIR, SB ENERGY PROGRESS GOBI H2 PLAN IN MONGOLIA

Australia-headquartered Elixir Energy and Japanese independent power producer SB Energy are progressing plans to develop a green hydrogen project in the south Gobi region of Mongolia.
The Gobi H2 project is planned to initially focus on a 10MW electrolyser pilot to produce green hydrogen, powered by new wind and solar facilities, Elixir's managing director Neil Young said on 21 February. A pre-feasibility study indicates that the pilot can produce 1,440 t/yr.
Elixir announced the signing of a non-binding agreement with SB Energy on 20 February, with an eye on entering a formal joint development deal and a 50:50 joint venture, after a front-end engineering design (FEED) decision on the pilot later this year.
"The scalability provided by starting with a pilot is a big competitive advantage over e.g. marine transport-based green H2 projects — which will tend to have to be very large from their inception," Young said.

Source: ArgusMedia.comProactive Investors
See also: Podcast from Elixir Energy’s Managing Director Neil Young

MONGOLIA TO EXPORT ORGANIC PRODUCTS TO EUROPE

BioFach 2023, the number one exhibition for the organic food industry sector, took place from February 14th to the 17th at the Messe Nuremberg, Germany.
In this exhibition, 12 representatives of the Standing Committee on Environment, Food and Agriculture of the State Great Khural, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, Mongolian Agency for Standardization and Metrology, Mongolian National Authority for Accreditation, Food and Agriculture Department of Dundgovi aimag, and SFCS Certification LLC participated with the support of Export Promotion Project, financed by the World Bank and UNIDO.  
“The 34th round of BioFach-2023 attracted 36,000 trade visitors and approximately 51 000 trade visitors from 135 countries this year. This exhibition is regarded as the most important trend-and-order platform for professionals and manufacturers and, therefore, as the best B2B event of the year. “

Source: Montsame
 

CARREFOUR ENTERS MONGOLIA, OPENS TWO STORES

French retailer Carrefour has entered the Mongolian market, in association with partner Altan Joloo and its subsidiary Sansar.
The retailer has opened two new stores in the country, operating under the Carrefour hypermarket and Carrefour Market banners.
The partnership will also enable all Sansar stores, more than 20 to date, to gain access to Carrefour brand products.
Rebranding of Sansar Stores
Oyundari Enkhbaatar, CEO of Altan Joloo Trade LLC, commented, “We are extremely proud and delighted to partner with Carrefour, one of the world's leading retailers. We plan to rebrand our 20 Sansar stores and create a minimum of 20 new Carrefour supermarkets and hypermarkets in the coming years to strengthen our position in Mongolia."
Enkhbaatar added that the new stores offer a wide range of products at competitive prices, including fresh products, Carrefour private-label items and a selection of French wines.

Source: ESMagazine.com

48.9 BILLION MNT KEPT IN-COUNTRY THROUGH LUNAR NEW YEAR TRADE FAIR

At the initiative of the Governor of the capital city and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D.Sumiyabazar, the SMES Support Center of Ulaanbaatar organized a complex event of trade fairs and investment cooperation for the Lunar New Year "Amar baina uu 2023". The trade fair lasted for a month and the sales results were presented.
Mongolians buy 1.3 trillion MNT worth of goods during the Lunar New Year. Therefore, the Mayor's initiative, which emphasizes that 940,000 households in the country should not receive handouts from abroad, support the national production, and keep around one trillion MNT in the country, put into practice.
371 national dress makers, 190 souvenir manufacturers, 453 food product manufacturers or more than 1000 SMES providers from nine districts of the capital and 21 provinces participated in the trade fair and sold their products without paying any rent.

Source: Mayor's Office

MSE: “ELECTRONIC TRADING OF EXPORT COAL” AGENDA OF MEETING

Purpose: Within the framework of the "Rules on Electronic Trading of Export Coal " approved by the Resolution No. 466 of the Government of Mongolia, export coal that meet "Coal Classification MNS 6457:2022" will be traded in an open, transparent and fair method. It will establish the prerequisites for  fair market price determination as well as delivery of accurate and timely information of the trading to all participants including buyers, sellers and other parties. 
The meeting will provide comprehensive information of stock exchange’s current operation and electronic trading-related rules and regulations and instructions on how to participate in auctions. The meeting will be conducted with Chinese and English translations.
Attendees: Representatives of the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry, prospective purchasers, trading participants, sellers and the Mongolian Stock Exchange.
Date: February 27, 2023
Venue: Soyombo Hall of Premier Tuushin Hotel

Source: MSE

STEPPE GOLD ANNOUNCES PLANS TO PURSUE DUAL LISTING OF COMMON SHARES IN HONG KONG

Steppe Gold Limited is pleased to announce that it plans to pursue a dual primary listing of its common shares on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, the premier listing venue for Asia-based companies, anticipated to occur later in 2023.
The Company believes that a listing of its common shares on the HKEx will assist with historical liquidity and valuation issues and will also serve as a better venue for trading for its Asian based shareholders, as Hong Kong and Mongolia are in the same time zone.
Bataa Tumur-Ochir, President and CEO of Steppe Gold, commented, "With approximately 40% of Steppe Gold's shareholders now based in Asian time zones, the Company has decided to pursue a dual primary listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2023….

Source: Yahoo Finance
See also: Steppe Gold announces updated life-of-mine plan for ATO gold mine to 2036, revealing higher revenues and profits

MONGOLIAN-AUSTRIAN BUSINESS FORUM BY WKO IN VIENNA

The Embassy of Mongolia in Austria, the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO) will jointly organize Mongolian-Austrian Business Forum on March 16-22 in Vienna at WKO Building.
According to the organizers, the Austrian Economic Chamber functions as the federal parent organization for the State Chambers and trade associations of Austria. The representatives of banking and financial institutions, pharmaceutical, food, and technological companies from the Austrian side, on the Mongolian side, gold mining, wool, cashmere, and food-related enterprises side have registered to participate in this forum. 
During the forum, the sides will exchange information on the development of business and economic relations and discuss the opportunities to cooperate in increasing the trade volume between the two countries.
The business forum for the business communities of our two countries has been paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the last two years.

Source: Montsame

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

EU CARBON PRICE HITS RECORD HIGH NEARING 100 EUROS/TONNE

The benchmark European carbon contract hit a record high approaching 100 euros a tonne on Monday, with cooler weather forecasts and expectations of lower wind power output driving up demand.
The benchmark EU Allowance (EUA) December 2023 contract closed at 98.30 euros a tonne, up 2.1% since Friday's close and having earlier touched a record high of 99.99 euros tonne.
EUAs are the main currency used in the European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS) which forces manufacturers, power companies and airlines to pay for each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit as part of the bloc's efforts to meet its climate targets.
Traders said cooler temperatures combined with lower wind speeds means there is likely to be more demand for power from Europe’s fossil fuel-powered plants which need to buy carbon permits to cover their emissions.

Source: Reuters

CHINA BOOSTS AUSTRALIAN COAL IMPORTS ON HOPES FOR MORE EASING OF CURBS -TRADERS, DATA

Chinese utilities and traders have stepped up purchases of Australian coal in February, encouraged by signs of further policy relaxation after trade partially resumed last month following a two-year hiatus.
In early January, Beijing gave permission to four government-backed firms, comprising steel giant Baowu Group and three state utilities, to ship in Australian coal, the first sign of an easing of the unofficial import ban in place since late 2020. The ban was imposed after relations between Beijing and Canberra turned sour over several political and public health matters.
A full resumption in trade between the world's biggest coal consumer and the world's No. 2 exporter could support global prices for the fuel used in power generation and steel production.
At least 15 vessels hauling about 1.4 million tonnes of February-loading Australian coal are bound for China, according to shiptracking data from Refinitiv and Kpler.

Source: Reuters

OECD SAYS GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK ‘SLIGHTLY BETTER’ FOR 2023 BUT INFLATION RISKS LINGER

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said the global economic outlook is “slightly brighter” this year but inflation challenges remain.
“The outlook for the world is slightly brighter at the beginning of 2023 than what we thought it would be just two or three months ago,” he told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Friday.
“Indeed, energy and food prices are substantially lower than what they were at their peaks,” noted the OECD chief, ahead of a G-20 financial leaders meeting this week in Bengaluru, India.
Energy prices have fallen significantly because Europe was able to “successfully” diversify its sources of energy, Cormann noted. In addition, a “benign winter” helped to reduce energy demand which kept gas prices low, he said.
In November, the OECD said “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has provoked a massive energy price shock not seen since the 1970s.”

Source: CNBC

COPPER PRICE RISES DESPITE WEAK CHINESE DEMAND

The copper price rose on Tuesday despite concerns over tepid consumption in China.
Copper for delivery in March rose on the Comex market in New York, touching $4.23 per pound ($9,306 per tonne), up 3.1% compared to Monday’s closing.
The most-traded March copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 1% to 69,740 yuan a tonne.
Hopes for a demand recovery in China post-covid-19 have supported prices, but some market participants now expect the rebound to kick in by March, disappointing those who had hoped for an early recovery in February.
“There was some demand improvement compared with two weeks ago, but it has not yet returned to normal as the market is sensitive to (rising) copper prices,” said He Tianyu, a China copper analyst at CRU Group.
“Most people think (demand recovery will happen) in mid or late March, or early in the second quarter.”

Source: Mining.com

GOVERNMENTS SPENT RECORD USD 1 TRILLION LAST YEAR SUBSIDIZING FOSSIL FUELS

Even as global governments raise their ambitions to cut fossil fuels in the future, they spent a record $1 trillion last year subsidizing energy sources that are the main driver of climate change.
That’s the finding from the International Energy Agency, which estimates that the combined subsidies for oil, natural gas, electricity and coal hit an all-time high in 2022 as soaring energy prices crippled economies. It underlines the challenge for policy makers trying to grapple with the immediate threat of runaway fuel inflation, while still trying to push a shift to low-carbon sources.
The spending by governments in 2022 was more than double total global investment in renewable energy sources, according to figures from BloombergNEF. The splash of state cash on energy last year followed climate talks in November 2021 when world leaders pledged to end such subsidies.

Source: Mining.com
See also: 'No excuse': IEA tells energy firms as methane emissions rise

G-20 FINANCE HEADS TO MEET IN INDIA WITH DEBT, UKRAINE TOP OF MIND

Finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of 20 nations are set to gather near the southern Indian tech hub of Bengaluru on Friday, with the first anniversary of the Ukraine war looming and the debts of developing countries high on the agenda.
This is the first major conference of India's G-20 presidency, and the world is watching how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government will guide a global grouping that includes geopolitical archrivals the U.S. and China, as well as Russia.
Deputies were meeting on Wednesday and Thursday before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Reserve Bank of India Gov. Shaktikanta Das co-host the main events on Friday and Saturday. A new debt roundtable involving the International Monetary Fund is expected to be launched on the sidelines as a forum for discussing issues faced by struggling countries, such as Sri Lanka.

Source: Nikkei Asia

IRON ORE PRICE SURGES TO 8-MONTH HIGH ON RENEWED OPTIMISM AROUND CHINA’S REOPENING

Iron ore prices rose on Tuesday on renewed optimism around China’s reopening.
Benchmark 62% Fe fines imported into Northern China rose 1.55%, to $131.57 per tonne, the highest since June 2022.
The most-traded May iron ore on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange ended daytime trade 3.4% higher at 919 yuan ($133.80) a tonne. It earlier hit 922 yuan, the strongest for the Dalian-traded commodity since July 2021.
On Tuesday, BHP Group flagged a brightening demand outlook in China.
BHP’s confidence in China’s economy was buoyed by green shoots since the start of the calendar year, including new loans, house prices, and business sentiment surveys, CEO Mike Henry said.
“There’s a lot there that is giving us confidence that we will see an acceleration in the Chinese domestic economy,” he told reporters on a conference call.

Source: Mining.com

MEXICO'S LOPEZ OBRADOR ORDERS MINISTRY TO STEP UP LITHIUM NATIONALIZATION

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Saturday signed a decree handing over responsibility for lithium reserves to the energy ministry, after nationalizing lithium deposits last April.
During an event in Sonora, Lopez Obrador signed the decree that orders the energy ministry "to take the actions necessary to carry out" the nationalization process.
It also declares 234,855 hectares (907 square miles) in Sonora as a mining zone known as Li-MX 1.
"(Let's make) the nation be the owner of this strategic mineral," Lopez Obrador said during the event.
Mexico holds important potential lithium deposits, a highly sought material for the production of electric vehicle batteries.
Studies suggest Mexico may have some 1.7 million tonnes of lithium. While close to a dozen foreign companies have active mining concessions that aim to develop potential lithium deposits, Lopez Obrador has said all of them will be "reviewed," which has cast a cloud over the sector's future prospects.

Source: Reuters

TAIWAN REVISES DOWN 2023 GDP GROWTH FORECAST ON EXPORT SLUMP

Taiwan's trade-dependent economy is likely to grow more slowly this year than previously forecast, hit by a slump in exports on weakening external demand due to global inflation, rate rises and impact of the war in Ukraine, the government said.
Taiwan, home to major tech companies including the world's largest contract chip maker TSMC, has seen exports contract for five months in a row as consumers tighten their purse strings around the world, while China, Taiwan's largest export market, has yet to bounce back from COVID-19-related turmoil.
Taiwan's gross domestic product (GDP) for 2023 is now expected to be 2.12% higher than last year, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said on Wednesday, revising down the 2.75% forecast it issued in November.
That would mark a slowdown from the 2.45% logged for 2022, which was itself far slower than 2021's 6.53% expansion.

Source: Reuters

BANGLADESH PRIVATE POWER PRODUCERS SEEK USD 1 BLN IN FOREIGN CURRENCY FOR FUEL IMPORTS

Bangladesh's private power producers will need $1 billion in foreign currency to import fuel oil and avert an energy crisis this summer, their industry association said in a letter to the central bank seen by Reuters.
Analysts expect power cuts in Bangladesh to worsen this year, as a rapid decline in the value of its currency and foreign exchange reserves have limited its ability to import power generation fuels, whose prices have surged following Western sanctions on major energy exporter Russia.
Outages have already hampered commercial operations in Bangladesh, hitting lucrative garment industry supplies to clients such as Walmart, Gap Inc, H&M and Inditex's Zara.
The Bangladesh Independent Power Producers' Association (BIPPA) flagged a shortage of U.S. dollars to pay for crucial energy imports, and said private generators would need over $250 million a month until June to pay for fuel shipments.

Source: Reuters

CHINESE REOPENING RALLY STALLS AS FOREIGN INVESTORS CUT PURCHASES - EDITORIAL

Foreign investors are scaling back their purchases of Chinese stocks as hopes for a reopening rally in the world's second-biggest economy give way to concerns about falling cargo shipments and lackluster sales of homes and cars.
After jumping 18.47% in the three months ending in January, the widely followed CSI 300 equities index has slipped 2.94% in February to 4034.51, with foreign purchases of Chinese stocks via the trading link between Hong Kong and the mainland slowing significantly.
So far in February, foreign investors have bought a net 16.6 billion yuan ($2.41 billion) in mainland stocks using the trading link, down from 89.1 billion yuan in the same period last month and a record 141.2 billion yuan for all of January, according to data provider Wind. There has been an outflow of foreign investment in six of the 13 trading days in February, compared with only one net negative day in January.

Source: Nikkei Asia

AFTER A YEAR OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, UKRAINE BRACES ITSELF FOR A MAJOR ESCALATION IN THE WAR - EDITORIAL

As the war enters its second year, military analysts believe that capturing the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk (regions where two self-proclaimed, pro-Russian “republics” are located), remains a key aim for Russia as it launches a new large-scale offensive using several hundred-thousand conscripts drafted by Putin last September.
How that offensive proceeds, and how quickly and effectively Ukraine can counter it, will be decisive, defense experts warn.
Russia’s “main strategic goal remains to destroy Ukraine, all of it,” Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Ukraine’s former defense minister, told CNBC ahead of the one-year anniversary.
“But since they cannot do that, they obviously have some reduced goals and the main one that they’ll be selling internally is the capture of the Donbas, and they’ll sell that a completion of their main objective [if they succeed],” he noted.

Source: CNBC

 

 

BCM SUBMITS POLICY PAPER

The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) Secretariat has submitted a Policy Paper to the Government of Mongolia on 13 October 2022.

BCM Secretariat has submitted summary of issues and proposed solutions on newly adopted Corporate Income Tax law drafted by the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Tax & Regulatory Working group (lead by Ms. Kh.Amarjargal, Country Director Mongolia-Rio Tinto, Mr.B.Battushig - Founding Partner of DB&GTS LLP and Mr.R.Khishignemekh -Senior Partner of Ernest and Young TMZ).

The 42 pages of findings and recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry; to Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament);  Standing Committee on the Economic Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Standing Committee on the Budget; Economy and Development Ministry. In collaboration with Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Association.                                        

BCM would like to thank Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce and Mongolian National Mining Association and BCM Regulatory & Tax Working Group for their efforts to protect legal interests and rights of business entities in Mongolia.

Source: BCM

THE BCM APPOINTS RAPHAËL GOUÉ AS OFFICIAL BCM REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

The Business Council of Mongolia is pleased to announce Mr. Raphaël Goué as an official BCM Representative in Europe.

Raphaël Goué is an expert in energy and banking, having spent more than 12 years in Asia as well as being involved in Europe-Asia cross-border projects since the mid-90s, with a focus on financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Mr. Goué has a wealth of experience in supporting global financial institutions and energy companies in their strategies in Asia, as well their development and M&A. He has previously held various positions in organizations such as Société Générale, Vivendi Universal, Booz & Co and Capital One in Europe, Africa and Asia. As a senior advisor of the global retail banking association EFMA, Raphaël has been supporting the development of banking’s leading association in selected Asian markets, and supporting EFMA in the fintech sector in Europe.

He holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie in Nancy, France, a master in material science from École de Mines de Nancy, and a MBA from HEC (Paris) he finalized at the Columbia Business School (New York).

The BCM is looking forward to expanding its reach to Europe with Mr. Goué’s leadership and assistance.

SDG INVESTOR MAPPING PROJECT SURVEY - IDENTIFYING BUSINESS CASES FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The objective of this template is to collect data on businesses aligned with SDGs, and if selected, your provided data will be compiled into SDG Investor Map datasheet which will be eventually uploaded onto Global SDG Investor Platform managed by UNDP SDG Impact. The outcomes of the data will be aggregated to gather insights that will be presented in the form of a report along with other secondary research that we have conducted. Thus, we would like to seek your permission to use your data for business research and documentation purposes.  For any individual information from your business, due permission will be sought before the publishing of the report. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

UNICEF: GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER GOOD WORKPLACE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19


A family friendly workplace or employer is one whose policies and practices make it possible for employees and/or workers to more easily achieving work-life balance, and to fulfil both their work and family obligations. These policies may include, but are not limited to, childcare, breastfeeding rooms, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, safe transport, parenting education and so on. 
In Mongolia and various other countries, authorities have enforced kindergarten- and school closure policies as part of the preparedness and response to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition to the impacts on children’s education, there are concerns about children’s protection and well-being as children are left alone or without adequate care as many parents still need to go to work. COVID-19 may also have negative effects on mental health and wellbeing of patients (if any), caregivers, children and adolescents and the public, such as experiencing fear of the consequences of infection with a new virus, and triggering stigma. Those placed in quarantine (or self-isolated) may experience boredom, loneliness, and anger.
By promoting flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working hours, working from home and/or support childcare, your employees will be in better position to address any childcare challenges and not be distracted by concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing at home.

Click here to view in English.

Click here to view in Mongolian.

UNICEF: CALL FOR ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION IN UB
 
Too many children are at risk of dying in UB due to air pollution each year. In addition to longer-term measures to reduce overall levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, UNICEF recommends that companies address some of their CSR activities in the following ways:
  1. Provision of air purifiers to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Children spend a considerable amount of their time in school. Air purification systems are demonstrated to be effective in reducing air pollution levels within a home or classroom. Recent innovations have made these more affordable, durable and effective. Every classroom should have an air purifier.
  2. Provision of electric heaters to kindergartens, schools and clinics. Electric heaters can help to reduce ambient air pollution. Reducing financial barriers to access can also help improve use of electric heaters.
  3. Improved construction and insulation in kindergartens, schools and clinics. This can help reduce the amount of air pollution that enters facilities where children spend most of their time. It also saves considerably on heating costs. Studies show some improvements can decrease air exchange by up to 40%.
  4. Provision of air pollution monitoring devices in kindergartens, schools and clinics. Monitoring devices are often a first, major step to understanding one’s own risk to air pollution. It can not only inform improved practices to reduce exposure, but it is also an effective mechanism for communities to better understand what is causing air pollution, and when it is particularly harmful.
  5. Improved awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. Low awareness amongst communities about the impacts of air pollution on child health and how to respond is a key barrier to addressing the air pollution crisis. There is a need to influence policymakers, relevant government institutions, businesses, CSOs, development partners, and the general public (including families and children) about the risks that air pollution poses to their health, as well as provide guidance and recommendations on various ways to address some of the most immediate threats.
These actions will reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, safeguarding them from the worst impacts at the same time as building momentum and creating an enabling environment for longer plans that reduce air pollution. UNICEF will provide guidance on these recommendations where possible. UNICEF can also help facilitate connections between actors, agencies and institutions, including schools/ clinics where children are particularly affected. However, in order to maximize efficiency, these projects should be planned, developed, implemented and monitored by the private sector company involved. Nor will any funding go through UNICEF. This helps enhance accountability, and allows private sector donors to be more actively involved in the solution of directly supporting children in UB to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Amy Wickham, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa Jamba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
 
BCM GUIDELINE FOR COMPANIES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION

Purpose: This Guideline document is to help CEOs and business leaders quickly identify possible actions they can implement in their organizations against air pollution.

Resources for information on Air Pollution

Specific ACTIONS that companies can take NOW:

Educate employees about air pollution; invite guest speakers; encourage employees to share information with friends and family; discuss possible solutions with employees

  • Possible topics: damages and causes of air pollution, protection measures, energy consumption & efficiency; indoor air quality (smoking indoors); breastfeeding & healthy diet; vehicle idling; vehicle maintenance;

Work environment:

  • Improve energy efficiency in building/office to reduce energy consumption;
  • Plant & maintain trees; install air cleansing plants in the office;
  • Install HEPA air filter and air purifiers to tackle indoor air pollution (For an affordable solution, visit http://smartairfilters.com/mn/en/;
  • Install monitoring devices;
  • Smart Air Mongolia masks

Work activities:

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained to reduce pollution emissions;
  • Drivers/employees instructed to not idle & to turn off vehicle engine when not moving;
  • Implement carpooling activities;
  • In polluted air, ensure employees wear pollution masks;

Social responsibility:

  • Focus CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives to tackle air pollution
  • Tackle air pollution in UB: UNICEF recommends focusing on areas where children are especially affected, and where urgent interventions need to be put in place to protect them as soon as possible. These include the provision of air filtration systems and electric heaters in kindergartens and schools in some of the worst-affected regions. For more information and guidance, please contact UNICEF for (Nicholas Rees, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Sunjidmaa, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.);
  • Run marketing/PR campaigns & contests that raise awareness about air pollution.

List of distributors for pollution masks:

  • BRB – 70119967, 99658555
  • BOX shop – 99062387, 75557007, 90878111 – Facebook: RZ утааны маск
  • CATD LLC – 11327308, 99114346
  • Mmarket – 75758001 – Facebook: Утааны Маск
  • MONOS Pharmacy – 99190858
  • Seven summits – 11317923
  • 3M Mongolia Premier Service - 9400-3088, 9910-3335
  • Utaanii Mask – 99906643 – Facebook: Утааны маск + Агаар шүүгч
  • Cycling World Mongolia LLC authorized distributor of RESPRO pollution masks- 77110444
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER SPECIAL OFFERS & BENEFITS:
 
Orchuulga 24 is providing a 15% discount on written translation services to BCM Members
Ombol LLC is offering free Hepatitis C medication to employees of BCM member organizations, provided that the individual pays into state health insurance.
 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HISTORIC ANNUAL INFLATION

Year 2009   *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2012 *14.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2013 *12.5% [source: NSOM]
Year 2014 *11.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2015   *1.9% [source: NSOM]
Year 2016   *1.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2017   *6.4% [source: NSOM]
Year 2018   *8.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *5.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2020   *2.3% [source: NSOM]
Year 2019   *13.4% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide

CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE

December 31, 2008 - 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 - 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 - 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 - 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 - 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 - 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 - 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 - 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 - 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 - 13.25% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 25, 2013 - 12.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 8, 2013 - 11.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 25, 2013 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
July 30, 2014 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2015 - 13.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 14, 2016 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
May 6, 2016 - 10.50% [source: Mongol Bank]
August 18, 2016 - 15.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 19, 2016 - 14.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
June 15, 2017 - 12.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
December 22, 2017 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 23, 2018 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 27, 2018 - 11.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
March 11, 2019 - 10.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 13, 2020 - 9.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
September 14, 2020 - 8.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
November 11, 2020 - 6.00% [source: Mongol Bank]
January 1, 2022 - 6.50% [source: Mongol Bank]

SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Moody’s Fitch S&P
B3     – stable – 16 Mar 2021
B3     – negative – 8 May 2020
B3     – stable – 18 Jan 2018
Caa1 – stable – 30 Mar 2017
Caa1 – neg. watch – 15 Feb 2017
Caa1 – stable – 18 Nov 2016
B   – stable – 9 Jul 2018
B-  – positive – 17 Nov 2017
B-  – stable – 22 Nov 2016
  – stable – 24 Nov 2015
B+ – negative – 13 Dec 2013
B   – stable – 10 Nov 2018
B-  – stable – 19 Aug 2016
B   – stable – 03 Nov 2015
B+ –   neg.  – 29 Apr 2015


CURRENCY RATES –  23 February 2023

Currency     Rate
U.S. dollar USD   3,516.97
Euro EUR   3,763.51
Japanese yen JPY   26.24
British pound GBP   4,238.83
Hong Kong Dollar HKD      448.96
Russian ruble RUB        47.61
Chinese yuan CNY      512.75
South Korean won KRW          2.72
Copyright © 2023 *Business Council of Mongolia*, All rights reserved.
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