China expects FM Wang Yi’s visit to steadily advance China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership: FM spokesperson www.globaltimes.cn

At the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Battsetseg Batmunkh, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will visit Mongolia from June 13 to 15, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday.

At a regular press conference on Thursday, when asked to brief on Wang's visit to Mongolia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that during the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Mongolian leader and hold talks with Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh. The two sides will communicate on bilateral ties, practical cooperation, as well as international and regional issues of mutual concern. 

China and Mongolia are close neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. Under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, China-Mongolia relations have maintained sound momentum of growth. China expects this visit to further implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two nations and steadily advance the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership, Lin said.

By Global Times

The United States Extends Child Protection Compact Partnership with Mongolia Through 2028 www.mn.usembassy.gov

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — The United States and Mongolia are strengthening their partnership to combat child trafficking through an extension of the United States–Mongolia Child Protection Compact (CPC), reaffirming both countries’ commitment to protecting vulnerable children and strengthening the rule of law.

Since the signing of the CPC on April 2, 2020, the United States and Mongolia have worked collaboratively to prevent child trafficking, improve victim protection services, enhance investigations and prosecutions, and strengthen national child protection systems. Through this partnership, the United States has provided $6.5 million in assistance through World Vision and The Asia Foundation to support implementation of CPC objectives across Mongolia.

Recognizing the significant progress achieved under the Compact and the shared commitment of both governments to ending child trafficking, the United States plans to provide an additional $2.25 million in funding, bringing the total to $8.75 million in funding, and extend CPC activities through 2028.

Over the past six years, the CPC has supported the development of stronger national systems and institutional capacities, including multi-disciplinary anti-trafficking coordination mechanisms, child-friendly interviewing and protection services, improved victim identification and case management, border protection measures, cybercrime investigation capabilities, trauma-informed care, forensic interviewing practices, and nationwide training programs for child protection and law enforcement professionals.

The extension will focus on ensuring the long-term sustainability of these achievements by supporting government ownership and institutionalization of key anti-trafficking measures. Priority areas include maintaining a government-led multi-disciplinary task force, implementing approved standards and procedures, expanding child-friendly service spaces, strengthening victim data systems, conducting annual anti-trafficking reviews and prosecution workshops, enhancing border monitoring and online detection capabilities, and sustaining professional training through national e-learning platforms.

This partnership reflects a shared recognition that child trafficking causes lasting harm to victims, undermines public safety and the rule of law, fuels corruption and organized crime, and threatens the well-being of communities. By working together, the United States and Mongolia are helping ensure that children are protected from exploitation and that victims receive the support and services they need.

The United States encourages the Government of Mongolia to continue implementing sustainability measures that will preserve and expand the progress achieved under the CPC beyond the life of the agreement. Strong national ownership will be essential to ensuring that trafficking in persons prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership efforts remain effective and enduring.

The United States commends the Government of Mongolia for its dedication to combating trafficking in persons and looks forward to continued collaboration under the Child Protection Compact to protect children and strengthen justice and accountability for years to come.

Mongolia and Turkey exchanged views on expanding bilateral relations www.open.kg

The Prime Minister of Mongolia, Ochirbat Nyam-Osor, held a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Mongolia, Başak Genç Yüksel, during which issues of bilateral cooperation and relations between the countries were discussed.

Ochirbat noted that the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation with Turkey, which is one of Mongolia's key "third neighbors," is among the priorities of the country's foreign policy. He emphasized that the transition to strategic partnership has opened new horizons in the relations between the two countries.

Ambassador Başak Genç Yüksel confirmed Turkey's readiness to strengthen the strategic partnership, based on long-term friendly ties with Mongolia, as well as to promote cooperation in various socio-economic areas.

The parties noted that Mongolian-Turkish relations are actively developing on the international stage as well. The ambassador reported Turkey's readiness to participate at a high level in the celebration of World Horse Day, scheduled to take place in Ulaanbaatar from July 11 to 13, as well as in the COP17 conference, which will be held in the capital of Mongolia from August 17 to 26, 2026.

Mongolia: Strengthening agriculture through sustainable finance www.hortidaily.com

Agriculture lies at the heart of Mongolia's economy, culture and rural livelihoods. From herders moving cattle across vast rangelands to greenhouse producers growing fresh food in a harsh climate, agriculture remains a cornerstone of food security, employment and resilience.

At the same time, agriculture is among the sectors most exposed to climate change, land degradation and productivity constraints.

For the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), supporting Mongolia's agribusiness sector is, therefore, both an economic imperative and a climate priority. Through its Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), the EBRD – together with its donors, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Japan – is helping Mongolia's agriculture sector to grow.

Globally, food systems account for more than 30 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, yet climate investment in food systems remains far below what is needed to meet transformational needs over the coming decade.

In Mongolia, the agricultural sector's importance is particularly pronounced. It employs around 30 per cent of the workforce, compared with an EU average of about 4 per cent, and underpins rural livelihoods across the country.

"Over 85 per cent of the provincial economy is reliant on agriculture, underscoring the crucial role that sustainable agriculture plays in contributing to economic resilience, climate adaptation and the achievement of Mongolia's long-term sustainable development priorities," says Beata Paroczai, EBRD Principal, Green Financial Systems, who oversees the GEFF programme in Mongolia, together with Alexander Svininnikov, EBRD Principal, Financial Institutions.

The EBRD supports Mongolia's agribusiness sector through an integrated approach that combines blended finance, advisory support and policy engagement. This enables the Bank to address challenges across the entire value chain, from primary production to processing, logistics and market access, while strengthening resilience to climate and land-degradation risks.

The Bank's approach includes the extension of financing to companies seeking to modernise food processing and logistics, while working with partner financial institutions to expand sustainable lending to agribusiness-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and smallholder producers. Together, these interventions help improve productivity, competitiveness and long-term sustainability.

A key milestone has been the EBRD's pilot sustainable agriculture credit line with Khan Bank, the first such facility in Mongolia delivered through a partner financial institution. The credit line embeds environmental considerations directly into agricultural lending.

Through Khan Bank, eight rural agribusiness projects have been financed so far under the EBRD's ongoing GCF GEFF programme. The financing supported the purchase of modern, energy-efficient equipment, including combine harvesters, tractors and wheeled tractors, heat pumps, insulation materials and four-season greenhouses. Most technologies were selected from the EBRD's Green Technology Selector catalogue of pre-approved technologies, ensuring verified improvements in energy performance and environmental outcomes.

One example is Sansargoo, a Mongolian greenhouse business, established in 2009, which has expanded its activities since 2020 into crop cultivation, children's food production and green infrastructure. The company produces a range of fresh fruit and vegetables, and conducts research into new vegetable varieties suited to Mongolia's climate.

The company sought GEFF financing to address critical operational challenges, including extending the growing season and improving energy efficiency.

"We needed to start seedlings earlier, which required insulating our winter greenhouse and improving the heating system. With this investment, our raw material supply became much more reliable," Mr Badarch says.

The results have been significant.

Despite Mongolia's harsh climate, Mr Badarch sees sustainable technologies as key to long-term viability. "Green technologies and renewable energy are the best solution for our conditions. If the right solutions are chosen, they can deliver the best results," he says.

The company plans to build a 2,000 m² smart greenhouse powered by renewable energy, increasing production fivefold while introducing new technologies to Mongolia's greenhouse sector. It is also implementing an educational "model green programme" in schools, supporting environmental education, food security and waste reduction.

So far, the GEFF agricultural projects in Mongolia have collectively helped to deliver around 750 MWh in annual energy savings and to reduce CO2 emissions by 238 tonnes per year. This is the equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of over 10,000 trees.

By aligning finance with on-the-ground realities, the GEFF is helping to scale up climate-smart agriculture, strengthen resilience and support productivity improvements, demonstrating how sustainable finance can deliver economic, environmental and social impact across Mongolia's agricultural landscape.

Source: EBRD

Ulaanbaatar Hosts 15th Asian Tourism Forum www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar, June 11, 2026 /MONTSAME/. The 15th Asian Tourism Forum is being held in Ulaanbaatar from June 11–13 under the theme “The Asian Paradigm of Hospitality and Tourism.”

The forum is jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, the Ulaanbaatar Tourism Department, the Mongolian Tourism Association, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Tourism Education and Development Society.

More than 100 leading speakers, researchers, and policymakers from 22 countries, including South Korea, Australia, China, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the United States, and Germany, are participating in the event.

Participants are discussing current issues shaping the tourism and hospitality industry in Asia, including development trends, sustainable solutions, opportunities for regional cooperation, digital transformation, the use of artificial intelligence and service robots, and environmental, social, and governance policies.

Batbold D., Vice President of the Mongolian Tourism Association, highlighted that the forum is being held within the framework of Mongolia’s 2023–2028 Long-Term Tourism Development Strategy and aims to promote the country's tourism sector internationally. He expressed hope that the event would help connect academic research with industry practice, attract foreign investment, open new marketing opportunities, and strengthen regional cooperation.

Since its establishment in 1993, the forum has served as a platform for discussing tourism development trends, hospitality management, marketing, and sustainability challenges facing Asia's tourism industry.

By Ooluun.B

In Washington, DC, Mongolia and IUCN elevate opportunities to support land restoration, rangeland stewardship ahead of UNCCD COP17 www.iucn.org

Yesterday, the Embassy of Mongolia in the United States, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) delivered a joint briefing on the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), set to be hosted in Ulaanbaatar in August 2026.

The event, hosted at the Embassy of Mongolia in Washington, DC, explored the importance of investing in land restoration and environmental and economic security. Remarks were delivered by representatives of the Government of Mongolia and IUCN, as well as partners from the World Bank Group, the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) Secretariat, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Discussions centred around COP17’s theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope” and the actionable steps needed to ensure the longevity of rangeland ecosystems, as well as the local communities which rely on them. Additionally, the strategic initiatives led by the Government of Mongolia were highlighted, including the Steppe Action Agenda, the Coalition of Rangeland States, and the soon-to-be established Eurasian Centre for Climate and Land.

“Mongolia’s rangelands, which cover the majority of our country’s land surface and are deeply linked to our cultural heritage, are facing severe threats from degradation. We must recognize land as vital environmental and economic infrastructure,” said H.E. Munkhtamir Batbayar, Mongolia’s Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “In doing so, we can also make progress towards restoring these ecosystems and ensuring the people who rely on them have secure livelihoods. We look forward to seeing Parties participate in COP17 and embrace the vision to restore land and restore hope.”

“Bringing so many partners together today reinforces that the challenges facing rangelands are real, but they’re also solvable if we work together towards solutions,” said H.E. Batbayar Ulziidelger, Ambassador of Mongolia to the USA. “The Embassy of Mongolia is proud to host today’s event and demonstrate our commitment to rangelands and pastoralists, and we’re pleased to see many other actors—from Parties to partners to community members—mobilised to join us in the mission of UNCCD COP17.”

“Today's conversation is a testament to what happens when political will meets practical partnership. Mongolia's leadership—from the Steppe Action Agenda to the proposed Eurasian Centre for Climate and Land—signals that COP17 in Ulaanbaatar will advance real solutions to the global land crisis,” said Tracy Farrell, Regional Director, IUCN North America. “IUCN's Members made formal commitments to grassland and rangeland conservation at our World Conservation Congress last year, and we are honoured to carry those commitments alongside Mongolia to Ulaanbaatar this August.” 

“IUCN is working alongside partners such as the Government of Mongolia, civil society, and local communities to ensure rangelands are conserved and restored for the benefit of the millions of people who depend on them, while safeguarding biodiversity and climate resilience,” said Chetan Kumar, Global Head, IUCN Forest and Grasslands. “Through capacity building, financing, and action on the ground, IUCN is committed to delivering lasting impact for grasslands, rangelands, and pastoral communities at UNCCD COP17 and beyond.”

Discussions were followed by a networking reception. This event builds on the existing partnership between IUCN and the Government of Mongolia, which was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2025 and a new GEF-funded UNCCD Mongolia COP17 Legacy Project.

For more information on IUCN’s engagement with UNCCD, visit the IUCN website.

Smuggled dinosaur fossils return to Mongolia after two decades www.afp.com

Mongolia has recovered a rare dinosaur skeleton and a trove of fossils illegally exported two decades ago, authorities said Wednesday, concluding years of efforts to return the palaeontological treasures.

The collection includes a Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton, estimated to be more than 50 percent intact, along with 28 groups of fossilised dinosaur remains originally found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert ,according to police.

The bones had been illegally taken from Mongolia in 2006 “with the aim of making a profit”, said D. Munkhkhuyag, head of the police public relations department.

French customs agencies confiscated the fossils between 2013 and 2015 , and began returning them a year later to Mongolia under international conventions to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage.

Following the lengthy process of returning the fossils, they arrived in the capital Ulaanbaatar on Thursday and will be housed in Mongolia’s new National Museum of Natural History, where they will be studied and eventually put on public display.

“The dinosaur fossil is priceless and a unique piece of heritage,” Manchuk Nuramkhan, the museum’s director, told a news conference.

“We are delighted that children and young people will have the opportunity to see Mongolia’s dinosaur heritage firsthand and learn from it,” she said.

Tarbosaurus bataar, a close relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, lived around 70 million years ago, with evidence of its existence almost almost exclusively found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert.

Manchuk said the return of the fossils was an important victory for efforts to recover cultural and scientific heritage taken from Mongolia and highlights growing international cooperation against the illegal trade in antiquities and fossils.

Mongolia has intensified efforts in recent years to recover dinosaur fossils smuggled abroad, as demand from private collectors and auction houses has fuelled an international black market in rare palaeontological specimens.

Can Northeast Asia’s New Geopolitical Reality Create Opportunities for Mongolia? www.thediplomat.com

Within the emerging geopolitical landscape, Mongolia may have opportunities to diversify its economic partners.

Northeast Asia’s geopolitical environment is transforming rapidly. While Russia’s war in Ukraine created opportunities for North Korea to re-engage the world, the recent joint declaration by Russia and China signals to global actors that deeper regional cooperation mechanisms are at play. In this evolving geopolitical environment, Mongolia, too, will have options to diversify its partners and expand economic opportunities. 

Since the end of World War II, Mongolia has positioned itself as an active player in promoting peaceful dialogues and conflict resolution to global and regional conflicts. Particularly in Northeast Asia’s context, Mongolia has been a voice of diplomacy, and preferenced soft power over hard power when dealing with issues such as the denuclearization of North Korea, the unification of the two Koreas, and building a robust system of regional connectivity. 

In Mongolia’s diplomatic efforts and by maintaining strong historical links with both Seoul and Pyongyang, Ulaanbaatar became a vessel for diplomacy and cultural engagement with both countries. Strategically, by strengthening these relationships, Mongolia aims to reduce its landlocked economic vulnerability. Within the emerging geopolitical landscape, Mongolia may have opportunities to diversify its economic partners.

Considering Mongolia and North Korea’s historic diplomatic ties, there are existing cooperation mechanisms and projects at hand. For example, in 2013, during a historic visit of the Mongolian President Elbegdorj Tsakhia to Pyongyang, the two countries signed an economic package which included the utilization of North Korea’s Rajin port. The Rajin Port is located in the Rason Special Economic Zone and serves as a strategic access that could unlock Mongolia’s landlocked position, generating a cold-water maritime outlet. By utilizing the port, Mongolia will be able to diversify its ports and not solely depend on China’s port of Tianjin.

Moreover, Mongolia has the potential to export coal to North Korea. Given the current geopolitical environment where both Russia and China are seeking opportunities with North Korea, Mongolia’s position is equally crucial.

The Rajin port discussion began back in the 1990s, with the backing of the United Nations under the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI), and has been an economic pillar between Mongolia and North Korea despite changes of leadership.

During this year’s Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security, which took place on June 5, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young made a special address on the on “The Path to Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and Common Prosperity in Northeast Asia.” Chung met with Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and called for Mongolia’s support in advancing peace in the Korean Peninsula. 

Moreover, in an effort to include North Korea in the changing geopolitical scene in Northeast Asia, Chung called for Pyongyang’s active participation in the security dialogues and the Tumen River development. 

The Tumen River development project, in essence, involves a deeper cooperation of regional actors on the Arctic Sea Route and developing regional connectivity between the proposed Seoul-Beijing high-speed rail link, and the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Trans-China Railway, and the Trans-Mongolian Railway systems. 

These initiatives highlight the geopolitical shift in Northeast Asia and the emergence of partnerships that can create new diplomatic channels and economic engagement for regional actors. North Korea, with the support of Russia and China, as well as increasingly Southeast Asian and Eastern European actors, will continue to aim to function as a somewhat normal state despite the protracted discussions on nuclearization and governance. 

In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent state visit to Pyongyang further demonstrates a deepening of regional cooperation and improved mechanisms. In early  May, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to China, with the hope of reassuring the rest of the world that Moscow and Beijing’s relations remain strong and will continue to be. The Russia-China Joint Declaration recognized the shifts and transformations in the post-WWII international order and that both Moscow and Beijing will, while adhering to certain principles, seek new partnerships and engage the world. 

Aligning with Mongolia’s strategic interest and its efforts in diversifying opportunities with regional connectivity, there is another major project at hand, which involves the Moscow-Ulaanbaatar-Beijing trilateral mechanism. 

The Power of Siberia 2 is a major trilateral development that Ulaanbaatar cannot miss and hopes to launch with its only two neighbors. With the ongoing war in Ukraine and China’s hesitancy to finalize the details and the terms of the project, the Power of Siberia 2 has been slow to progress. At the same time, while the implementation of the Power of Siberia 2 is in the interest of Mongolia’s economic and regional connectivity ambitions, with the general outlook for geopolitical instability, Ulaanbaatar, too, may not be keen to rush into major commitments. 

From Northeast Asia’s geopolitical point of view, there are notable changes and pending opportunities. Particularly to a landlocked, small economy like Mongolia, strategic stability and diplomatic resilience go hand-in-hand. To Ulaanbaatar’s diplomatic strength, Mongolia maintains its position as a trustworthy partner and actor, but with new opportunities emerging on the horizon, Ulaanbaatar must navigate even more strategically. While both Power of Siberia 2 and the utilization of North Korea’s Rajin port are gateways to Mongolia’s economic goals, these will likely take time and depend on many factors that will not only involve international relations of Russia, China, and North Korea, but also the United States, South Korea, and how the international community views the emerging geopolitical reality.

by Bolor Lkhaajav:
Bolor Lkhaajav is a researcher specializing in Mongolia, China, Russia, Japan, East Asia, and the Americas. She holds an M.A. in Asia-Pacific Studies from the University of San Francisco.

Mongolian farmers are concerned about the prospect of grain imports from the EAEU www.logos-pres.md

Mongolia has signed an interim trade agreement with the EAEU, which will take effect in July 2026. One of the consequences for the country is a reduction in customs duties on grain. Cheaper imported grain will enter the Mongolian market from Russia and Kazakhstan—countries that practice agriculture on a continental scale with industrial efficiency.

MongolianNews has expressed concern over this issue. The situation in Mongolia’s grain market could become a serious problem for local farmers who are unprepared for such a challenge, according to Central Fsia.media. 

Of Mongolia’s 1.27 million hectares of arable land, half is cultivated partly thanks to a crop rotation system with fallow periods. In the western mountainous region, 82% of agricultural land remains uncultivated. In response to this structural inefficiency, the government has concentrated more resources in the central region, which already produces the vast majority of the country’s grain, while the rest of the country’s agricultural land remains unused.
This centralization has long been a known vulnerability. 

Currently, the Mongolian agricultural sector is already undergoing massive structural changes due to a sharp increase in imports of cheap Russian wheat, devastating droughts within the country, and new free trade frameworks.

Russian wheat exports to Mongolia during the 2025/2026 marketing season have increased 5.5-fold compared to the same period last year, reaching 94,000 tons. According to forecasts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), total grain imports to Mongolia this season will double, reaching 255,000 tons.

KT Partners with Mongolia's TDB and Woori Bank for Foreigner-Focused Telecom, Finance Services www.en.sedaily.com

Woori Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia and KT to provide specialized financial and telecommunications services for foreigners, the bank said.

Through the agreement, the three companies will offer integrated financial and telecommunications services to Mongolian nationals working or studying in Korea, covering everything from before their arrival to settling into life in the country.

Specifically, when customers use the Trade and Development Bank in Mongolia, they will receive preferential benefits on loans and deposits if they commit to subscribing to Woori Bank's overseas remittance service and KT's telecommunications network.

After arriving in Korea, Woori Bank will help them open remittance accounts through its specialized branches for foreigners and Sunday-operating branches, and provide preferential benefits on exchange rates and overseas remittance fees.

KT will apply its lowest-priced mobile telecommunications plan and link the telecommunications bill payment account to Woori Bank.