On January 27, 2025, Authorized Representative of the Government of Mongolia in Charge of Governing New Zuunmod City Batbayar Munkhuu provided updates on the progress of New Zuunmod City during a briefing with officials.

New Zuunmod satellite city is designated to implement the special functions of the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, and is projected to cover an area of 31,501 hectares. The key infrastructure of the satellite city will be built through public-private partnerships, including 128.5 kilometers of roads, a thermal power plant with a capacity to produce 250 MW of electricity and 465 MW of heat, and a wastewater treatment plant with a capacity to process 20,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day.

The General Development Plan for New Zuunmod City was approved by Resolution No. 143 of the Government of Mongolia in 2022. According to the Plan, the city will feature a free economic zone for trade, services, administration, transport logistics, manufacturing, an international airport, air cargo facilities, and resource management. Furthermore, the Plan includes the construction of university campuses, research and development centers, and wholesale and retail trade hubs.

Authorized Representative of the Government Batbayar Munkhuu stated, “A wastewater treatment plant, with a capacity to process 20,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, will be built between New Zuunmod City and Zuunmod City. In the first phase, a treatment plant with a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day is currently being designed by the “Naran Rashaant” company, with 96 percent of the design work completed. In terms of communication infrastructure, “Mon Cable Systems” is constructing an underground fiber-optic cable network, including a 22-kilometer line with 96 cores and a 17-kilometer line with 48 cores. The construction work is approximately 50 percent complete. Furthermore, a comprehensive plan with the concept of “Zero Energy City” to develop the New Zuunmod City into a smart and sustainable city powered by renewable energy will be presented to the Government.”

Mongolian ballet students from the National Ballet School of Mongolia under the Mongolian Ballet Development Foundation successfully participated in the “World Ballet Grand Prix Tokyo” held on January 21-23, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan, earning a total of eight medals.

In the team category, the "Exotika" group, aged 6-8, led by teacher T. Enkhsuren, and the "Copellia" group, aged 9-11, led by instructors Ch. Ganchimeg and Ts. Jargalan, won gold medals. In the individual category, ballerinas Ch. Gegeen, A. Tanangoo, and Z. Anirlan each secured bronze, while M. Inguumel scored the silver medal and Ts. Amina earned an honorable mention. Notably, in the Best Artist category, A. Tanangoo won the gold medal.

The World Ballet Grand Prix, organized by the International Federation of Ballet Competitions (FIBC) of UNESCO and the international ballet organization “Shoryu,” aims at promoting ballet development. In addition to participating in the competition, students also took part in a joint training program. The competition saw the participation of young ballet dancers from more than 20 countries, competing in four age categories.

Mongolia saw a rise in drug-related crimes in 2024, with the total number of registered cases increasing by 13 percent compared to the previous year, local media reported on Monday, citing the country's State General Prosecutor's Office.

The Asian nation, with a population of 3.5 million, documented 405 drug-related crimes last year, according to the prosecutor's office.

The majority of the 228 individuals involved in these cases were young adults aged 18 to 30, making up 69.4 percent. In terms of gender, 86 percent of those implicated were male, and 63.6 percent of offenders were reported as unemployed.

The country's National Police Agency attributed the rise in drug-related crimes to factors including lack of public knowledge about drugs, curiosity, attempts to make easy money and weak law enforcement.

Under Mongolian law, individuals convicted of drug trafficking face a minimum prison sentence of two years.

The rising prevalence of drug-related offenses highlights the urgent need for enhanced preventive measures, public awareness campaigns, and law enforcement efforts to tackle the issue and safeguard vulnerable groups, particularly unemployed youth.

The 2025 Hatsu Basho, Grand Sumo Tournament, concluded at Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena after 15 days of fierce competition. Mongolian sumo wrestler Ozeki Hoshoryu Byambasuren Sugarragchaa emerged victorious, clinching his second Emperor’s Cup with a 12–3 record.

On the final day, Hoshoryu squared off in two additional bouts, defeating Kazakhstan’s Kinbozan and Ōhō Kōnosuke, the grandson of legendary Yokozuna Taihō, sealing his triumph. This victory marks the 103rd championship captured by Mongolian sumo wrestlers in the 23 years since they entered professional sumo and is Hoshoryu’s first as an Ozeki.

Following his outstanding performance, Hoshoryu Byambasuren’s promotion to the Yokozuna title will be deliberated by the Japan Sumo Association and the Yokozuna Deliberation Council. If approved, Hoshoryu Byambasuren will become the 74th Yokozuna in professional sumo history and the sixth Yokozuna from Mongolia.

In the history of professional sumo, Grand Champion Hakuho Davaajargal holds a record 45 championships, followed by Asashoryu Dagvadorj 25, Yokozuna Terunofuji Gan-Erdene 10, Harumafuji Byambadorj 9, and Kakuryu Anand with six championships. Hoshoryu Byambasuren is now a two-time champion, joining Maegashira Tamawashi Munkh-Orgil and Kirishima Lkhagvasuren, who also hold two championship titles each. Kyokutenho Tsevegnyam and Ichinojo Ichinnorov have each won one championship.

Kirishima Lkhagvasuren made an impressive comeback after three straight losses at the start of the tournament, ultimately finishing with 11 wins and earning the Kanto-Sho or the Fighting Spirit Prize. He is set to compete at the rank of Komusubi in the Spring Basho. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Tamawashi Munkh-Orgil posted nine wins, while Oshoma Delgerbayar finished with eight, Tamashoho Erdenebileg six, Onokatsu Choijilsuren seven, and Chiyoshoma Munkhsaikhan nine wins.

Of the 19 Mongolian wrestlers who competed in the Hatsu Basho, one secured the championship title, while 11 achieved kachikoshi, finishing with more wins than losses. Additionally, Yokozuna Terunofuji Gan-Erdene, the 73rd Grand Champion, withdrew from the tournament midway through and announced his retirement.

The Ulaanbaatar Electricity Distribution Network (UEDN) reported on January 24 that households can potentially reduce their electricity bills by switching from two-tariff meters to three-tariff meters. They also highlighted that adjusting electricity usage during peak hours, particularly between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., can lower bills by 20 percent or more.

For households with two-tariff meters, electricity tariffs are structured based on consumption levels. For consumption between 0 and 150 kWh, the tariff is 182 MNT during the day and 147 MNT at night. For consumption between 150 and 300 kWh, the tariff is 225 MNT during the day and 160 MNT at night. For consumption exceeding 300 kWh, the tariff is 265 MNT during the day and 160 MNT at night.

Electricity bills increase significantly as consumption rises. For households using more than 300 kWh, the bill increases by more than 60 percent, while for those consuming over 150 kWh, the bill increases by less than 30 percent. Therefore, the UEDN advises consumers to optimize their electricity usage patterns and consider switching to three-tariff meters to save on energy costs.

Energy Project Manager in the Capital City R.Dagdan also shared an update on the current state of the energy system. This winter, the total energy load on the system has reached 1,500 to 1,600 MW. Ulaanbaatar, which accounts for over 60 percent of the country’s total energy consumption, has an average load of 1,245 MW. Notably, Ulaanbaatar has successfully addressed the energy deficit it faced during the 2023-2024 winter. The city has managed to make up for the 200 MW capacity shortage it experienced last year. This was achieved with the addition of the 150 MW Buuruljuut power plant and the 50 MW Baganuur battery storage plant, both of which began supplying energy to the central system in December 2024. These new sources have played a crucial role in stabilizing the energy supply and meeting the city’s growing demand, he said.

The 12th meeting of the Mongolia-Laos Intergovernmental Commission is currently taking place in Laos, with a delegation led by Mongolia's Minister of Road and Transport Development, B. Delgersaikhan, in attendance.

Laotian entrepreneurs have expressed interest in importing leather, meat products, and Mongolian vodka into their market. According to Ambassador Khoungeun Souvannalath, these products could also be distributed to ASEAN countries through the Lao market.

Meanwhile, Laos is ready to export coffee, tea, rice, and fruits to the Mongolian market.

B. Saruul, Secretary-General of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), is participating in the meeting, along with L. Turod, President of the MNCCI. They aim to strengthen cooperation between the chambers of the two countries and explore business opportunities by meeting with relevant officials.

MBD (Mongolian Business Database) is opening a full time permanent operation in Thailand in order to strengthen bilateral trade ties and promote B2B (Business to Business) communication between Mongolia and Thailand.

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He has successfully led digital marketing initiatives in various roles, including as a Digital Marketing Executive at Pinecone Coding Academy (USA), Chief Executive Officer at TenGer Systems, Chief Marketing Officer at Ard Financial Group, and Digital Marketing Executive at AND Global (AND Solutions) where he played a pivotal role in scaling operations and increasing user engagement.

Dashnyam's leadership and innovative strategies have also contributed to the growth of fintech solutions at Ard Financial Group, where he drove successful digital campaigns, increased user engagement, and significantly grew the active user base. He co-founded and led BZP Digital & Inbound, a digital marketing agency that pioneered conversion rate optimization services locally, and has extensive experience in SEO, paid media, content strategy, lead generation, and analytics tools.

Known for his strategic thinking, decision-making, and ability to navigate complex challenges, Dashnyam continues to stay ahead of industry trends, leveraging emerging technologies to drive sustained business success. Notably, Dashnyam was recognized as the official regional winner of Apprentice Season 2, the franchise of the Donald Trump-led show.

Please feel free to contact Dashnyam.J Director of MBD Thailand at dashnyam@mongolianbusinessdatabase.com e mail or 66 080 438 8554 mobile number for the related inquiries.

Marking the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Italian Republic, State Secretary of the Ministry of Roads and Transport Development of Mongolia Batbold Sandagdorj and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic Antonio Tajani signed an Agreement on Aviation Relations.

The Agreement aims at expanding and developing international cooperation in the aviation sector between Mongolia and Italy, establishing a legal framework for direct flights between the two countries, and laying the foundation for broader cooperation across various sectors. It will help promote economic relations and boost trade turnover.

In recent years, trade between Mongolia and Italy has steadily increased, with bilateral trade turnover ranging from USD 150 to 188 million between 2022 and 2024. Italian enterprises producing knitted and woven goods have been importing combed wool and cashmere from Mongolia, comprising a major portion of exports from Mongolia to Italy, and this volume is expected to grow further.

Transporting raw materials by sea and land is time-consuming and faces numerous customs and logistical challenges. Therefore, Italian companies are keen on air freight. The Intergovernmental Agreement on Aviation Relations is vital not only for tourism and passenger transport but also for developing freight cargo operations.

The Ministry of Road and Transport Development reported that the two sides have agreed to collaborate on developing aviation relations between the two countries, expanding air transport services at regional and international levels, and fostering cooperation in road transport and other fields. The two countries will also collaborate in establishing an "International Road Transport Agreement" between the Government of Mongolia and the Government of the Italian Republic, as well as expediting mutual recognition of driver's licenses.