1 MONGOLIA MARKS CENTENNIAL WITH A NEW COURSE FOR CHANGE WWW.EASTASIAFORUM.ORG PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      2 E-MART OPENS FIFTH STORE IN ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA, TARGETING K-FOOD CRAZE WWW.BIZ.CHOSUN.COM PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      3 JAPAN AND MONGOLIA FORGE HISTORIC DEFENSE PACT UNDER THIRD NEIGHBOR STRATEGY WWW.ARMYRECOGNITION.COM  PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      4 CENTRAL BANK LOWERS ECONOMIC GROWTH FORECAST TO 5.2% WWW.UBPOST.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      5 L. OYUN-ERDENE: EVERY CITIZEN WILL RECEIVE 350,000 MNT IN DIVIDENDS WWW.GOGO.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      6 THE BILL TO ELIMINATE THE QUOTA FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN MONGOLIA HAS BEEN SUBMITTED WWW.GOGO.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      7 THE SECOND NATIONAL ONCOLOGY CENTER TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN ULAANBAATAR WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/20      8 GREEN BOND ISSUED FOR WASTE RECYCLING WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/19      9 BAGANUUR 50 MW BATTERY STORAGE POWER STATION SUPPLIES ENERGY TO CENTRAL SYSTEM WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/19      10 THE PENSION AMOUNT INCREASED BY SIX PERCENT WWW.GOGO.MN PUBLISHED:2024/12/19      КОКС ХИМИЙН ҮЙЛДВЭРИЙН БҮТЭЭН БАЙГУУЛАЛТЫГ ИРЭХ ОНЫ ХОЁРДУГААР УЛИРАЛД ЭХЛҮҮЛНЭ WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     "ЭРДЭНЭС ТАВАНТОЛГОЙ” ХК-ИЙН ХУВЬЦАА ЭЗЭМШИГЧ ИРГЭН БҮРД 135 МЯНГАН ТӨГРӨГ ӨНӨӨДӨР ОЛГОНО WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     ХУРИМТЛАЛЫН САНГИЙН ОРЛОГО 2040 ОНД 38 ИХ НАЯДАД ХҮРЭХ ТӨСӨӨЛӨЛ ГАРСАН WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     “ЭРДЭНЭС ОЮУ ТОЛГОЙ” ХХК-ИАС ХЭРЛЭН ТООНО ТӨСЛИЙГ ӨМНӨГОВЬ АЙМАГТ ТАНИЛЦУУЛЛАА WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     Л.ОЮУН-ЭРДЭНЭ: ХУРИМТЛАЛЫН САНГААС НЭГ ИРГЭНД 135 МЯНГАН ТӨГРӨГИЙН ХАДГАЛАМЖ ҮҮСЛЭЭ WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     “ENTRÉE RESOURCES” 2 ЖИЛ ГАРУЙ ҮРГЭЛЖИЛСЭН АРБИТРЫН МАРГААНД ЯЛАЛТ БАЙГУУЛАВ WWW.BLOOMBERGTV.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     “ORANO MINING”-ИЙН ГЭРЭЭ БОЛОН ГАШУУНСУХАЙТ-ГАНЦМОД БООМТЫН ТӨСЛИЙН АСУУДЛААР ЗАСГИЙН ГАЗАР ХУРАЛДАЖ БАЙНА WWW.BLOOMBERGTV.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/20     АЖИЛЧДЫН САРЫН ГОЛЧ ЦАЛИН III УЛИРЛЫН БАЙДЛААР ₮2 САЯ ОРЧИМ БАЙНА WWW.BLOOMBERGTV.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/19     PROGRESSIVE EQUITY RESEARCH: 2025 ОН “PETRO MATAD” КОМПАНИД ЭЭЛТЭЙ БАЙХААР БАЙНА WWW.BLOOMBERGTV.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/19     2026 ОНЫГ ДУУСТАЛ ГАДААД АЖИЛТНЫ ТОО, ХУВЬ ХЭМЖЭЭГ ХЯЗГААРЛАХГҮЙ БАЙХ ХУУЛИЙН ТӨСӨЛ ӨРГӨН МЭДҮҮЛЭВ WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2024/12/19    

Events

Name organizer Where
MBCC “Doing Business with Mongolia seminar and Christmas Receptiom” Dec 10. 2024 London UK MBCCI London UK Goodman LLC

NEWS

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World coal production falls off a cliff www.mining.com

Despite entreaties by the U.S. President, coal production is declining worldwide, putting the new Administration on the opposite side of a trend.
Trump last week was touting the opening of a new mine in Pennsylvania as having benefitted from his government's coal deregulation measures, even though the mine had actually planned to restart a year ago, prior to Trump being elected.
Now a new report from BP Plc, which reviews global energy trends every year, says that in 2016, U.S. demand for coal plummeted 33.4 million tons of oil equivalent to 358.4 million – a level not seen since the 1970s. China, the world's largest energy consumer, burned the least coal in six years. Consumption of coal fell in every continent except Africa.
The upside of the reduced coal production has been lower carbon emissions, which have not grown for three consecutive years, stated Spencer Dale, BP's chief economist, at a media briefing in London today quoted by Bloomberg. The reasons for the decline in coal use are well known: more plentiful, cheaper natural gas, countries switching more to renewable energies, whose costs are dropping, and social pressure to cut coal in favour of cleaner, lower-carbon fuels.
While coal bulls were elated for awhile earlier this year – when the price of coking coal reached heights not seen since 2011 due to cyclones in Australia and subsequent flooding in Queensland – the price of the steelmaking ingredient fell to an eight-month low yesterday as supplies return to normal levels.
Yet the world's declining hunger for coal has clearly not been a factor in a recent bidding war between major coal players over coal mines in Australia.
Chinese-owned Yancoal (ASX:YAL) signalled Tuesday it may be willing to raise its offer and so outbid Glencore after striking an agreement with Mitsubishi to buy its 32.4% stake in Rio Tinto’s (ASX, LON:RIO) coal assets in Australia's Hunter Valley.
The tag-along deal with Mitsubishi came almost three days after miner and commodities trader Glencore (LON:GLEN) said it had reached an agreement with the Japanese firm to buy the same interests in the same coal mines. However, Yancoal's offer, at $940 million, was slightly higher.
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Master budget deficit reaches MNT 412.5 billion www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ In the first five months of 2017, total equilibrated revenue and grants of the General Government Budget amounted to MNT 2,666.6 billion and total expenditure and net lending amounted to MNT 3,079.1 billion, representing a deficit of MNT 412.5 billion.

The tax revenue reached MNT 2,302.0 billion, showing an increase of MNT 464.7 billion or 25.3% compared to the same period of last year. This growth was mainly affected by increase in income taxes, which increased by 44.7% or MNT 189.5 billion, 41.0% increase in value added taxes amounted to MNT 163.7 billion, 34.5% increase in other taxes amounted to MNT 61.3 billion, 50.4% increase in import and export tax revenue totaled to MNT 55.5 billion, 9.2% increase in security contributions amounted to MNT 41.7 billion. However, there was decrease of excise taxes by 23.8% or MNT 52.8 billion.

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Consumer price index increased nationwide www.montsame.mn

 
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ In May 2017, the national consumer price index across the country increased by 0.5 per cent compared with the previous month, by 4.7per cent compared with the end of previous year and by 3.7per cent compared with the same period of 2016.
 
This change of 3.7 per cent from the same period of the previous year was mainly due to 9.8 per cent increase in prices of transport group (purchase of vehicles increased by 20.8 per cent), 2.1 per cent in food and non-alcoholic beverages group (milk products increased by 13.8 per cent) and 2.7 per cent in prices for clothing, footwear and cloth group.
 
In May 2017, the consumer price index for Ulaanbaatar consumers increased by 0.6 per cent from the previous month, by 5.4 per cent from the end of previous year, by 3.8 per cent from the same period of 2016. The change of 3.8 per cent from the same period of the previous year was mainly due to increase of 10.3per cent in prices of transport group, 3.1per cent in food and non-alcoholic beverages group, 4.5 per cent in prices for housing, water, electricity and fuels group.
 
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCER PRICE INDEX
 
In May 2017, the industrial producer price index increased by 0.1 per cent compared with the previous month, by 33.1per cent compared with the end of previous year and by 68.6 per cent compared with the same period of previous year.0.1 per cent change was mainly due to increase of 11.1 per cent in electricity, thermal energy and supply sub-sector prices (price of electricity, thermal energy, steam increased by 13.0 per cent), mining and quarrying sub-sector prices decreased by 0.6per cent (other mining and quarrying decreased by 9.8 per cent).
 
SOME MAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
 
According to market price of main agricultural products, in May 2017, average price of cattle hide more than 2 meters length was lowest in Khovd, Gobi-Altai and Khuvsgulaimags at MNT 15.0-20.0 thousand and highest in Darkhan-Uul, Arkhangai and Selengeaimags at MNT 32.0-35.0 thousand. Average price of horse hide was lowest in Umnugobi, Zavkhan, Uvs, Bayankhongor, Uvurkhangai, Gobisumber and Tuv aimags at MNT 10.0-15.0 thousand and highest in Ulaanbaatar at MNT 23.0 thousand. Average price for 1 kilogram of white cashmere was lowest in Khentii, Selenge and Dornod aimags at MNT 35.0-40.0 thousand and highest in Uvurkhangai, Khuvsgul, Tuv, Uvs and Bayankhongor aimags at MNT 59.0-68.0 thousand.
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Uber chief to take leave from company www.bbc.com

Uber boss Travis Kalanick plans to take time away from the company, and could return in a diminished role.

The move comes after a review of management and practices at the firm, which is facing a number of scandals.
The review was sparked by a former employee's claims the company ignored her complaints about sexual harassment.
Uber's board voted unanimously on Sunday in favour of the recommendations from the review.
Some of Mr Kalanick's responsibilities could be shifted to other executives.
In the email to staff, Mr Kalanick said the decision to take leave, which also comes after the sudden death of his mother in a boating accident, is part of an effort to create "Uber 2.0".
"For Uber 2.0 to succeed there is nothing more important than dedicating my time to building out the leadership team," Mr Kalanick wrote. "But if we are going to work on Uber 2.0, I also need to work on Travis 2.0 to become the leader that this company needs and that you deserve."
Mr Kalanick's email did not say how long he would be away from the firm.
Uber, a ride hailing company based in San Francisco, has been rocked by a series of controversies in recent months, including an investigation of its business practices and a lawsuit from Google's parent company, Alphabet, over alleged theft of trade secrets related to driverless cars.
It also encountered pushback when it changed its policies around collecting user data.
Its corporate culture has been criticised for being aggressive, and this was inflamed earlier this year when Mr Kalanick was caught on video berating an Uber driver who voiced concerns about fares.
He said in response to the video: "I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up."
His leave follows the departure of other high-ranked executives.
Uber last week also said it had fired more than 20 staff and taken actions against others following a separate review of more than 200 human resources complaints that included harassment and bullying.
The recommendations released on Tuesday stem from a broader review conducted by the law firm Covington & Burling.
The proposed changes include starting performance reviews for senior leaders, reviewing the firm's pay practices, beefing up its human resources department and installing an independent board chair.
"Implementing these recommendations will improve our culture, promote fairness and accountability, and establish processes and systems to ensure the mistakes of the past will not be repeated," said Liane Hornsey, the firm's chief human resources officer.
"While change does not happen overnight, we're committed to rebuilding trust with our employees, riders and drivers," she added.
Uber has revolutionized the taxi industry since Mr Kalanick launched the ride hailing app less than 10 years ago.
Privately held, investors reportedly valued it last year at nearly $70bn.
But the firm has clashed with authorities, drivers and others as it expanded to more than 600 cities and a workforce of more than 12,000.
The scandals have taken a toll on the company's reputation and business, according to reports.
A Monday survey of US adults by Morning Consult Brand Intelligence found 40% of respondents had a favourable impression of the firm, down from 49% just a week earlier.
TXN Solutions, which tracks consumer spending, also says Uber has lost market share since January, when consumers began a campaign against the company for not taking stronger stance against US President Donald Trump, particularly his Muslim ban.
Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein, investors in the company who had pushed for change earlier this year, called the recommendations "thoughtful and extensive" and suggested the company was taking the issues seriously.
"Our stated hope all along was that Uber could leapfrog other companies to be a real leader in diversity and inclusion," they said.
"At this point we believe that the company deserves some room to put the plan into effect and show us what can be done."
But Susan Fowler, the former Uber engineer whose blog prompted the controversy, sounded a more sceptical note.
"Ha! Yeah, they'll never apologize. I've gotten nothing but aggressive hostility from them. It's all optics," she wrote on Twitter.
"Remember that this is not about diversity and inclusion, it's about laws being broken. Harassment, discrimination, retaliation are illegal."
Audio from a meeting with employees, leaked to a Yahoo News reporter, underscored how pervasive some of the problems appear to be.
As board member Arianna Huffington talked about having more women on the board, fellow board member David Bonderman interrupted to say the effect is "actually ... much [more] likely to be more talking".

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The national average wage increases by 10 percent www.mongolia.gogo.mn

 
National Statistics Office released social and economic statistics of first five months of 2017.
The average monthly wage per employee who pays social insurance premium reached 959 thousand Tugrik as of first quarter of 2017. Compared to same period of previous year, the average monthly wage increased by 10 percent (87 thousand Tugrik).
The wage raise as follows;
International organization by 9.6 percent (142 thousand Tugrik),
Transportation sector by 11 percent (116 thousand Tugrik),
Manufacturing sector by 24 percent (197 thousand Tugrik),
Mining and exploration sector by 26 percent (519 thousand Tugrik),
Science and technical sector by 27 percent (310 thousand Tugrik).
According to the professions, machine operators and machine assemblers have the highest average monthly salary of 1.2 million Tugrik while certified staffs in agriculture, forestry and fishing paid the minimum salary of 495 thousand Tugrik.
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Rail transport revenues grow www.montsame.mn

 
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ In the first 5 months of 2017, 8.4 million tons of freight and 1 047.1 thousand persons (double counting) were carried by railway. Compared to the same period of previous year, the number of carried freight increased by 943.9 thousand tons (12.6%) and the number of carried passengers decreased by 15.8 thousand persons (1.5%).
 
Revenue generated from railway transport reached MNT 195.9 billion. It is a growth by 25.7% compared to a year ago, which is mainly affected by growing exports of iron ore and transit transportation of crude oil products via Mongolia between Russia and China as of May of 2017.
 
In the reference period, 1 117.7 tonnes of freight and 261.8 thousand persons (double counting) took aircraft as transportation means. The freight volume decreased by 2.0% and on the other hand, the passengers' number increased by 18.5% compared to the same period of previous year.
 
In the first 5 months, revenue from air transport reached MNT 104.0 billion and increased by 17.5% compared with the same period of previous year. This increase is affected mainly by growing domestic passengers. But in May 2017, revenue from air transport increased by MNT 15.5 billion (34.1%) compared to the same period of 2016.
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Foreign trade surplus increases www.montsame.mn

 
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ In the first five months of 2017, Mongolia traded with 133 countries and total trade turnover reached USD 4,016.2 million, of which USD 2518.5 million were made up by exports and USD 1497.7 million, by imports.
 
Total foreign trade turnover increased by USD 1.1 billion, in which, exports increased by USD 744.3 million and imports, by USD 325.7 million, compared to the same period of 2016. Trade surplus reached USD 1.0 billion, representing increase of USD 418.7 million from USD 602.2 million as of the same period of 2016. The export rise of USD 744.3 million was due to an increase of USD 747.5 million in mineral products export, particularly the increase of USD 789.3 million in coal export; however, export of precious stones, metal and jewelry decreased by USD 63.2 million.
 
The import increase of USD 325.7 million was mainly due to USD 134.0 million increase in mineral products import, especially USD 81.6 million increase in diesel import and USD 32.2 million increase in petrol import, USD 78.7 million rise in machinery, equipment, electric appliances, USD 55.3 million increase in transport vehicles, their spare parts and USD 30.8 million in base metals.
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Hohhot residents take part in Mongolian ritual www.chinadaily.com.cn

 
On June 7, hundreds of Hohhot residents gathered around a cone-shaped mound called Aobao to offer livestock and libation, praying to the spirits for peace and a bountiful harvest.
The religious ceremony usually falls on the 13th day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calender.
During the ritual, bottles of holy water, pieces of scripture, and letters containing prayers were placed on the mound, while colorful ribbons were hung above it.
Apart from Hohhot, many regional places also held rituals, including Hulunbuir, Ulanqab, and Arxan.
Originally a landmark for herdsmen navigating the grasslands, Aobao is usually piled with stones, sand and branches.
After the time of Genghis Khan, Aobao served as a sacred tomb honoring warriors who died in war, with the swords or axes of martyrs inserted in the mound’s peak.
Gradually Aobao has become a place for sacrificial offerings where locals pray to the mountain or spirits, as well as their ancestors.
People now offer corn, meat, fruit and alcohol at Aobao and pray for good weather, a good harvest and good fortune. The sacrificial rites can be on a small scale or part of a grand ceremony.
Every summer, local herdsmen invite Buddhist lamas to chant scriptures around Aobao, and people surround the mound and wish for future blessings.
Some also dress in unique Mongolian-style costumes holding hada, pieces of silk cloth imbedded with separate auspicious meanings according to their colors.
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Meeting addresses SMEs access to finance in Mongolia www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Mongolia is holding a donor coordination meeting today, June 13, to address the current situation, obstacles in and solutions to SMEs access to finance in the country.
 
The meeting is being held within the framework of the EBRD-implemented programme ‘Support for Mongolian economic diversification through SME access to finance’, in cooperation with the Mongolian Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, the main beneficiary and partner of the programme which is funded under the European Union’s Asia Investment Facility.
 
Aiming to build synergies between current programmes of donor assistance in SME development and access to finance, disseminate information about the government’s priorities for SME development, and identify areas for future assistance, the coordination meeting is attended by about 60 national and international stakeholders, representing the donor community active in the area of SME development in Mongolia, government officials and representatives of the private sector.
 
“The donor coordination meeting addresses a timely agenda”, remarked L.Bayartulga, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry during his opening speech. Lars Groenvald, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Mongolia and China was also present at the meeting to deliver an opening speech.
 
Key presentation of the coordination meeting focused on the Mongolian government’s policy priorities on SME development in Mongolia.
 
Mongolia adopted a SME law in 2007. Although several other legislations including financial leasing law, employment promotion law and credit guarantee fund law are being realized to create a favorable legal and business environment for SMEs, there is a necessity to take other measures to ensure SME growth.
 
“The Mongolian Government prioritizes enhancing the legal environment surrounding SME development, improving SME access to finance and boosting SME competitiveness” Secretary of State Battulga said, mentioning policy measures that are seen crucial in fulfilling the objectives.
 
The agenda also includes an overview of findings from a recent survey on the issue of SME access to finance conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) last year, in frames of its Enhancing Access to Finance for MSMEs in Mongolia project.
 
As found by the survey, 5 major issues that hamper MSMEs to access finance in Mongolia are availability of data on MSMEs, loan offer (maturity, interest rate, size), collateral, process to obtain a loan and financial literacy.
 
“The OECD team in collaboration with the representatives of public and private sectors came up with the best policy recommendations to enhance access to finance for MSMEs”, said E.Buyanchimeg, Local consultant at OECD.
 
Five priority policies corresponding to the five obstacles are aligning statistics on MSMEs with the OECD SME Financial Scoreboard; diversifying the products offered by the SME Development Fund; overcoming the collateral issue by enhancing the operation of the Mongolian Credit Guarantee Fund; streamlining administrative procedures for loan applications; and improving financial education by ensuring the national strategy is tailored to MSMEs.
 
As such, the donor coordination meeting also facilitates a panel discussion on donors’ inputs on addressing the issues of SME access to finance.
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USD 1 billion loan from China approved www.mongolia.gogo.mn

State Great Khural approved amendments to the USD 1 billion loan agreement established between Government of Mongolia and the Export-Import Bank of China.
Thus, the Chinese side will decide the expenditure of 95 percent of the financing for projects to be implemented under the agreement while the Government of Mongolia will manage the remaining 5 percent.
In addition, general agreement on loan to be granted from Poland was approved. The Government of Poland agreed to provide EUR 50 million export loans to Mongolia with 0.15 percent interest rate and 28 years period. Mongolia will pay interest-only in the first five years.
Moreover, additional financing of agreement on "Market and pastoral management development Mongolia" between the Government of Mongolia and International Fund for Agricultural Development was approved by the State Great Khural. Within this framework, USD 9.06 million financing agreement is planning to be established.
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