Inking a Historic Memorandum of Cooperation: Mongolia and Laos Enhance Diplomatic Relations

In a historic move for diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Laos, Mongolian Parliament Speaker Zandanshatar Gombojav and Laotian National Assembly President Xaysomphone Phomvihane have inked a Memorandum of Cooperation. This memorandum marks the latest stage in an ongoing effort to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties between the two nations.

Striving for a Unified Diplomatic Vision

The signed Memorandum of Cooperation creates an avenue for interparliamentary discussion, fostering cooperation and diplomatic knowledge sharing amongst the law-making bodies of both nations. The aim is to enhance mutual understanding and create a unified, progressive diplomatic vision for bilateral relations. This memorandum lays a foundation for future joint initiatives and paves the way towards further cooperation on pressing international matters.

Building on a Shared History

Mongolia and Laos, in the past, have demonstrated a cooperative spirit and solidarity, which serves as a basis for this Memorandum. The two nations are linked by a shared history of striving for sovereignty and development amidst a global backdrop of shifting political tides. This latest diplomatic venture aims to reaffirm these shared roots and create a shared vision for future growth and prosperity.

Expanding Economic Channels

On the economic front, this Memorandum provides a platform to explore new avenues for trade and investment. Both nations have unique strengths and opportunities, which hold the potential for a higher degree of economic integration. In the spirit of mutual benefit and equitable growth, the Memorandum seeks to enhance economic cooperation and promote opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.

Cultural Exchange and Mutual Understanding

Culture represents the soul of a nation. As part of this Memorandum, Mongolia and Laos are envisaged to open channels for cultural exchange, diversifying the scope of their relationship beyond political and economic aspects. The aim is to foster mutual understanding and respect, harnessing the power of culture to bring people closer together and nurture shared values.

Pivoting Towards a Collaborative Future

The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Parliament of Mongolia and the National Assembly of Laos signifies their joint commitment to a bilateral partnership defined by close political coordination, enhanced economic integration, and mutual cultural understanding. As nations that deeply respect the principles of peaceful coexistence, equality, and respect for sovereignty, Mongolia and Laos are charting new pathways for cooperation in a rapidly changing world.

While the road to genuine and effective collaboration may be riddled with challenges, the signing of this Memorandum reaffirms the shared intent of both nations to overcome hindrances together and foster a future defined by shared success.

BY MAMOON ALVI

Mamoon Alvi serves as an integral part of our global newsroom team. With a strong background in international news from his time at both BOL TV and Dharti TV, he came on board at BNN well-prepared to contribute. Mamoon's unwavering dedication to journalism drives him to relentlessly pursue the truth and deliver crucial stories to audiences around the world.

A feasibility study for the construction of a sewage sludge recycling plant in Ulaanbaatar is under progress. During the Ulaanbaatar-International Investment and Partnership Forum last April in Ulaanbaatar, the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Keumgang Corporation of the Republic of Korea, and Ulaanbaatar Development Corporation JSC signed a tripartite memorandum. Following the memorandum "Keumgang-Three ENC" Corporation of South Korea is committed to providing funding for the development of the feasibility study for the construction of the sewage sludge recycling plant.

Chief Executive Officer of Ulaanbaatar Development Corporation JSC Bayarchimeg Nanzad and Head of the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority Ts. Turkhuu took part in the launching of the feasibility study and got acquainted with the operation of the Seonam wastewater treatment plant, which treats the wastewater of a large part of Seoul, South Korea, reports the Press and Public Communication Department of the Capital City Governor’s Office.

It was mutually agreed to secure KRW90 million from the United Association of Korean Groups and KRW 210 million from the "Keumgang-Three ENC" corporation, and the parties signed the agreement on July 28, 2023.

Mongolia moved up 18 places in the United Nations E-Government Development Index. At the 8th Open Government Partnership Global Summit held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, the Government of Mongolia was awarded the "Open Governance Award" and the results of its digitization were highly appreciated.

During the working visit of the Minister of Digital Development and Communications N. Uchral to Estonia, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications B. Battsetseg and the Executive Director and Chairman of the Management Board at the Estonian e-Governance Academy Hannes Astok signed an agreement, thus launching the 2nd stage of digitization cooperation with the e-Governance Academy. In the framework of the consulting services cooperation, it was mutually agreed to distribute digital signatures to every citizen, digitize business permits, develop e-Business solutions, and introduce the good practice of "e-Resident" platform of Estonia.

In 2019, the Government of Mongolia and the Estonian e-Governance Academy signed a cooperation agreement. By receiving consulting services for the creation of a legal framework to support e-development and the introduction of the E-Mongolia platform, over 1000 government services were introduced, and E-Mongolia 3.0 version was presented to the public this year. The Parliament approved four package laws and over 60 regulations to support digital development, reports the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications.

E-Mongolia launched in 2020 and was developed based on the existing “KHUR” – state information exchange system, that aims to bring intergovernmental coordination to a new level and facilitate the access of public services to citizens. It was designed in consultation with engineers, representatives from government officials, civil society and the private sector.

As of May 2023, E-Mongolia provided a total of 28 million services from 81 government institutions. Out of all adults, 72% of Mongolian citizens use the system. People without access to the internet can visit any “Khurdan” 42 centers located in aimags or 44 centers in Ulaanbaatar. The digital transition has saved citizens USD 27 million in indirect costs by transferring government services to digital form, transportation related fees, time saved, and document preparation related costs.

Bow and arrow at his side, horseback archer Don Woods would not look out of place in a medieval battlefield — but it is a far cry from his home on a station north of Cooktown, in far north Queensland.

It is also a long way from Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, where he is competing for the first time at the 2023 International Horse Archery Alliance (IHAA) World Championships, which started this week and run until September 10.

After a series of delays and setbacks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's IHAA event has attracted more than 50 competitors from 20 countries

Horseback archery is exactly what it sounds like — athletes shoot arrows at targets up to 50 metres away, aiming for precision, speed, good form and a bullseye.

All while riding a 700-odd-kilogram animal, of course.

Practising in a paddock with his horse Betty, Mr Woods said it was an honour to be chosen for the world stage.

"Pretty epic really," he said.

"It's a completely different ball game – Mongolians basically invented the sport; it was a way of life for them in the past.

"It's a matter of going over to basically the best."

Also headed for Mongolia is New South Wales woman Liberty Deaman, who along with her partner Rodney and daughter Amelia, makes up the rest of Australia's world championship team.

The rider, who is based in Tarago, in the Southern Tablelands, said the family had been involved in the sport for 10 years.

"The love and the passion for the sport has grown since then," she said.

Riders champing at the bit for return

The first horseback archery world championships were held in Hungary in 2018.

Initially envisioned as a biennial event, the last world title was scheduled to be held in France but the pandemic brought all events to a halt in 2020.

Ms Deaman said it had taken years to get back to full capacity, with the second world championships finally underway in Mongolia this week.

"It was pretty heartbreaking at the time," she said.

"In Australia, we did wind up having to cease pretty much all competition and training across the country, which was a bit unfortunate.

"[We] lost the opportunity for a number of people to become interested in the sport.

young man holding a bow with quiver of arrows on his back holding the reins of a brown horse

"Which is a big disappointment for our community."

But she was delighted that this year had seen state, national and international competitions charge ahead at full speed.

"Oh, it's fantastic," she said.

"The fact that we're able to start to share this sport with people around the place is really special and really important to me."

Weaving fantasy, thrill and skill

For Mr Woods, the love of archery was born out of his childhood dreams.

"Most little boys go through the Robin Hood stage," he said.

"I got my first bow on my ninth Christmas and I remember the excitement … after that there was no real stopping me!"

Five years ago he combined it with his love of horse riding.

"I haven't looked back since," he said.

Riding his horse Betty along a fenced strip in a paddock, and shooting at three home-made targets, he said the sport is about speed and focus.

"It's certainly not what I'd describe as a slow sport," he said.

"You have to be completely focused on the target.

"There's simply the bow and the target; and of course, the horse underneath you but just sort of hoping they do as you ask."

For Ms Deaman the skill of the sport is a drawcard.

"The complexity of riding a horse without holding onto the reins whilst shooting a bow and arrow at pace is something that a lot of people find quite interesting and exciting," she said.

"It has grounding in many countries … and so there's history that goes back in terms of hunting and sport.

"Horse archery is quite a diverse and dynamic sport."

Widening the target

Other riders are starting to take notice.

Pony Club Australia recognised the discipline two years ago and the organisation's Sally Wiseman said it was giving young riders options beyond show jumping, dressage and cross-country.

"Because it's very tactical with your bow and arrow, it really has diversified the offering for our members," she said.

"It's been very, very popular with the kids."

Far north Queenslander Selena Harding runs clinics for the keen pony clubbers.

She also competes — she and colleague Brian McCarthy have also just taken part in Mongolia's national horseback archery event.

She said the sport was accessible to a whole range of people.

"It doesn't matter what age you are, if you've got the dexterity to be able to hold a bow and arrow," she said.

"It's just really addictive to see how you can get better, how you can get faster.

"It's all about fun."

Pope Francis said he knows people wonder why he traveled close to 6,000 miles to Mongolia to visit a Catholic community of only 1,450 people.

"Because it is precisely there, far from the spotlight, that we often find the signs of the presence of God, who does not look at appearances, but at the heart," he told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square for his weekly general audience Sept. 6.

Following his usual practice of speaking about a trip at the first audience after his return, the pope said that during his Sept. 1-4 stay the country's capital, Ulaanbaatar, he encountered "a humble and joyful church, which is in the heart of God," but one that was excited to find itself at the center of the universal church's attention for a few days.

"I have been to the heart of Asia, and it has done me good," the pope said.

The missionaries who arrived in Mongolia in 1992 "did not go there to proselytize," the pope said. "They went to live like the Mongolian people, to speak their language, the language of the people, to learn the values of that people and to preach the Gospel in a Mongolian style, with Mongolian words."

The universality of the Catholic Church, he said, is not something that "homogenizes" the faith.

"This is catholicity: an embodied universality, which embraces the good where it is found and serves the people with whom it lives," the pope said. "This is how the church lives: bearing witness to the love of Jesus meekly, with life before words, happy with its true riches, which are service to the Lord and to our brothers and sisters."

The Catholic Church recognizes God at work in the world and in other people, he said. Its vision, and its heart, is as expansive as the sky over the Mongolian steppe.

The international group of missionaries working in Mongolia have discovered "the beauty already there," he said. "I, too, was able to discover something of this beauty" by meeting people, listening to their stories and "appreciating their religious quest."

"Mongolia has a great Buddhist tradition, with many people who live their religiosity in a sincere and radical way, in silence, through altruism and mastery of their own passions," the pope said. "Just think of how many hidden seeds of goodness make the garden of the world flourish, while we usually only hear about the sound of falling trees!"

People naturally notice the noisy and scandalous, the pope said, but Christians must try to discern and recognize what is good in others and in the world around them.

"Only in this way, starting from the recognition of what is good, can we build a common future," he said. "Only by valuing others can we help them improve."

Francis said one thing that was very clear was how the Mongolian people "cherish their roots and traditions, respect the elderly and live in harmony with the environment."

"Thinking of the boundless and silent expanses of Mongolia, let us be stirred by the need to extend the confines of our gaze -- please, extend the confines, look wide and high, look and don't fall prisoner to little things," the pope said. That is the only way "to see the good in others and be able to broaden our horizons and also to broaden our hearts to understand and to be close to every people and every civilization."

Mongolia plans to open an embassy in Uzbekistan this year. The issue was discussed at a meeting between Foreign Ministers of the two countries Battsetseg Batmunkh and Bakhtiyor Saidov in March 2023.

After discussing the issue of opening the Embassy of Mongolia in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, it was decided to hold consultations with the relevant permanent commission of the Parliament of Mongolia.

The concurrent embassy of Mongolia has been located in Astana since 2018, and the concurrent embassy of Uzbekistan has been located in Beijing.

Citizens of Mongolia are able to enter Uzbekistan for 30 days starting from February 1, 2019, and citizens of Uzbekistan from June 3, 2022.

Ensada Tractron LLC – Developer of Agribusiness recently lead a tour of a New Holland plant (a brand of CNH Industrial) in Saskatoon, Canada. Though Ensada has organized several international tours for its local farmers in Mongolia in recent years, this particular visit provided a glimpse as to how Mongolia’s agriculture sector can improve sustainable production through precision farming technologies.

More than 40 percent of the country’s grain is grown in the Selenge province. However, crop production has recently been hindered by environmental obstacles, driving a growing interest for agri-tech solutions among the Mongolian farming community.

“In Selenge, farmers face challenges due to limited rainfall and need for an efficient way to conserve water and soil. Seeing farmers here in Canada successfully combat similar issues using New Holland’s tractors, combines, and especially the precision air drills, has been inspiring. These machines enable farmers to practice no-till farming, conserving soil moisture and preventing soil erosion, both of which are critical for our farms back home,” said Batnasan Dorlig, CEO of Shuren Taria LLC, one of the visiting farmers.

At the CNH Industrial facility in Saskatoon, the group was introduced to the cutting-edge production technology behind New Holland’s precision air drills, GPS-guided tractors, soil analysis and crop monitoring technology. Renowned for implementing world-class manufacturing (WCM) processes, the New Holland Saskatoon plant also houses a ground-breaking research and development center.

"New Holland not only understands the needs of farmers but also builds top-notch machinery to fulfil those needs. The production of the air drill was extraordinary - it is truly a masterpiece of technology and engineering. I am excited about the possibility of introducing such effective tools and technologies to Mongolia," Dorlig expressed.

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The fourth China-Mongolia Expo has opened in Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia. The event fosters economic, cultural and trade exchanges between the two countries, and plays an important role in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative. Yang Shanshan reports.

Featuring beautiful Mongolian music and dance, the China-Mongolia Expo opens its doors this year under the theme "New pattern for opening up, New opportunities for development." Over 3-thousand companies from thirty-five countries and regions are participating in the expo, with over ten trade and investment fairs, forums and seminars taking place until it wraps up Sunday.

GUO ZHOUMING, Deputy Director-General of Department of Commerce, Inner Mongolia "Opening up is the hallmark of contemporary China. The 20th CPC National Congress stressed that China will fully and faithfully promote high-standard opening up, and accelerate efforts to foster a new pattern of development that features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows. The central government is pursuing greater regional opening up, especially in the central, western, and northeastern regions. This is a brand new historical opportunity for Inner Mongolia's opening up to the outside world."

With Inner Mongolia expected to play a pivotal role in northern China's drive to further open up its economy, helping connect the Belt and Road Initiative to neighboring countries, international investors have flocked to join the fair.

KHAYANGAA BOLORCHULUUN, Mongolian Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry "The trade cooperation between our two countries already reached up to 10-billion US dollars by 2021. By 2027, we're aiming to reach 20-billion US dollars. This is very important to us. The two governments will work together to ease trade and business barriers to promote cooperation between our two countries."

A diverse range of exhibitions are expected over the coming days, spanning green agricultural products, natural resources, clean energy, tourism, technology and more.

YANG SHANSHAN, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia "The fourth China Mongolia Expo aims to enhance trade cooperation between the two countries. It also presents an important platform for economic and trade cooperation and people to people exchanges in the wider Northeast Asia Region. Yang Shanshan, CGTN, Inner Mongolia."

At its regular session on September 6, 2023, the Cabinet made the following decisions:

An issue of Khalzan Buregtein Deposit will be resolved on the ground of the local authorities’ proposal

Issues related to reviewing complaints and suggestions submitted by the citizens of Khovd aimag following the visit of the Prime Minister of Mongolia and the special permits for the Khalzan Buregtein Deposit were presented and discussed at today's Cabinet session.

The Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry J. Ganbaatar and the Minister of Environment and Tourism B. Bat-Erdene were tasked to study and resolve the issue pertaining to the special permits for the Khalzan Buregtein Deposit located in the Myangad soum of Khovd aimag grounding on the suggestions of the local authorities in conformity with relevant legislation.

It was instructed to develop the State Policy on rare earth elements and rare metals in conformity with relevant legislation and submit to the Government session.

The Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry conducted an inspection at the permit site of this deposit. The environmental management plan for 2023 exploration work was approved by the soum governor, but was not approved by the authorized environmental service specified in the legislation. Therefore, its activities have been temporarily suspended since April 29, 2023.

Foreign exchange reserves reach USD 3 billion 933 million

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy and Development of Mongolia Ch. Khurelbaatar presented the implementation of the Government Resolution No. 362 of 2022 "On some measures to undertake towards increasing the state's foreign exchange reserves" and the measures to undertake in the future. In connection with this presentation, related officials were instructed to connect the trading deals made at the Mining Products Exchange with the customs and tax automatic registration system, and register the deals and contracts on mining products made by state and local owned companies only through the exchange in the customs and tax automatic registration system.

As of the end of August 2023, foreign currency reserves reached USD 3 billion 933 million, increasing by 41 percent compared to the end of September 2022. "This ensures the stability of MNT exchange rate," said the Minister of Economy and Development.

Since the beginning of 2023, the total sales of "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC, "Erdenet Industry" state-owned enterprise (SOE), "Mongolrostsvetmet" SOE, and "Darkhan Metallurgical Plant" JSC have amounted USD 2.5 billion.

As of September 4, 2023, a total of 4,966,000 tons of coal was openly traded as part of the open sales of minerals, of which 3,110,000 tons of coal were traded through on-line trading, and 1,856,000 tons of coal were traded through the Mining Products Exchange.

The court will have a document outlining its development policy

After discussing the draft resolution of the State Great Khural on the approval of the "Policy for the Development of Judicial Power," it was decided to support it in principle and forward some suggestions to the legislators.

The Strategic Plan of the Judicial Power was approved by the Resolution of the State Great Khural in 2000, which is still effective. Taking into account the recommendations made in connection with the assessment and conclusion of the implementation of this plan, a proposal on Mongolia's Judicial Power Development Policy goals, objectives, and measures has been developed in harmony with the objectives of the "Vision-2050”, Mongolia's Long-Term Development Policy, and other documents issued by authorized organizations and officials regarding the development and reform of the judicial power.

The Draft Resolution reflects the goals such as the guaranteed enjoyment of citizens’ rights to file in court, improvement of the openness and transparency of operations, ensuring the independence of judges and the independence of the courts, shaping responsible courts, ensuring compliance of the administrative management of the judiciary with modern requirements, continuous development of human resource capacity of the courts, increasing the quality and availability of court services, developing the infrastructure of court services, and creating a stable system suitable for handling cases.

Brief news

· Based on own request, J. Bold was released from his duties and Sukhbold Tumurbaatar was appointed as the Head of the National Police Agency. Colonel T. Sukhbold has been working as the Head of the Criminal Police Department since 2020.

· After discussing an issue of opening the Embassy of Mongolia in Tashkent, the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan, it was decided to consult with the relevant Standing Committee of the Parliament.