Mongolia Raps US Bans on Iran, Russia, N. Korea www.ifpnews.com

A Mongolian official has denounced the recent sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran, Russia and North Korea.
Mongolian president’s special envoy Lundeg Purevsuren has lashed out at Washington’s sanctions on Iran, saying, “Sanctions are not good, and we condemn them.”

China and Mongolia Work To Expand Route Development www.ainonline.com

The Mongolian Civil Aviation Authority (MCAA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Civil Aviation Administration of China on increasing cross-border air routes during the International Civil Aviation Organization’s August 7 to 11 Conference of Asia-Pacific DGCAs in Ulaanbaatar. Speaking at the conference, Mongolia’s CAA chairman, Byambasuren Luvsansambuu, noted that increasing the number of airways would help lift the traffic burden on an underdeveloped route structure. Chinese carriers now account for 27 percent of all flights through Mongolia.

Climate financing in Mongolia www.montsame.mn

In May, 2017, Mongolian commercial bank “Xacbank” received 500’000 dollars’ grant from Green Climate Fund. It was the first phase of GCF’s 20 million dollar contribution to reduce carbon emission rates in Mongolia. Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar is one of the world's most polluted cities, mainly because of coal-fired power plants, and coal-fueled stoves and boilers which are used to heat homes in this world's coldest national capital. Even though the pollutants in the air is estimated to be 8 times the world standard, Government of Mongolia is too busy dealing with the financial crisis to take actions against it. GCF’s grant could bring major positive changes as it would kick start the biggest climate program with 60 million USD budget. Only 0.07 percent of the national budget goes to the Ministry of Environment and Green Development. Thus, climate projects are in serious need of financing, and that 500’000 USD might have come in just the right time.

Mongolia is known by its vast, beautiful landscapes, wonderful solitudes, and the rich hospitality of nomads. Sadly, the landscape changed drastically due to the sudden increase of mining business. Almost half of the domestic budget comes from coal exports and it doesn’t seem to change in the near future. The biggest attempt to turn into sustainable energy resources are mostly invested by the private sector. Mongolian economy is solely dependent on their export of mining products and income rates shown below illustrates how much Mongolia is in need of an economic support to overcome the challenge.

Corruption
Efficient investment with safe monitoring is crucial when it comes to Mongolia. The reason hardly any foreign investor approaches Mongolia is corruption. To make sure the funding is going to places they intended to, international organizations tends to directly connect with private sectors rather than government officials. Recent events such as partnership with Xacbank proves it as well. But the fact that there are very few corporations big enough to run the financial grant also puts this option at risk. Therefore, careful partnership with the Government with strict monitoring, or funding the private sector to support low-carbon energy sector seems to be two most suitable choices.

Tight provincial budgets 
Despite the fact that all protected landscapes are in the hands of local governments, the state always puts major restraints on provincial budgets. Tight budgets put those local governments in position to issue more mining licenses in order to create their own reserves. They have even started granting mineral exploration licenses after banning it for 5 years due to negative environmental impacts. More mining means more CO2 will be released into the atmosphere, thus, to efficiently finance the climate change mitigation; strong local budgets must be constructed firsthand.

Private sector investment
Mongolia’s first wind farm was built and funded by Newcom LLC and Clean energy LLC, both are private companies. They are currently funding another major sustainable energy project, which is to build the first solar energy plant. Hopefully, other private sectors might take more interest in low-carbon energy sector now that the Xacbank is providing low interest loans. Judging from these facts, it seems that private sectors are pioneering the way towards more climate-friendly Mongolia.

Problems we are facing do not end here. In fact, there are even more problems involving the mining boom Mongolia experienced during the last decade. Mining companies execute land rehabilitation poorly, or not at all; because there is a legal way to make small contribution to local government’s fund rather than constructing rehabilitation. Law makers must reconsider such ways that offer big corporations a way out.

Sustainable energy, responsible mining and strong will to bring positive changes are the things we must do to keep our country as stunning as it has been through the history. Mongolians have worshipped nature for as long as they existed and that love can be the source of motivation to do what is right.
By Tushigjargal Bold

"Mongolia wants to augment trade turnover with Turkey" www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Mongolia-Turkey cooperation, especially in the fields of economy and business are needed to be gone into a new volume, said J.Munkhbat, head of the Cabinet Secretariat for Government, when he met Monday Mr Fatih Ciftci, the Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Customs and Trade. He added Mongolia intends to increase the bilateral trade turnover to USD 250 million.

Tesla set to raise $1.8bn in bond offering www.bbc.com

Tesla expects to raise nearly $1.8bn (£1.4bn) by selling "junk" bonds to private investors - even more than the electric car-maker aimed for when it announced the offering this month.
The firm said the money will keep its balance sheet steady as it ramps up manufacturing of its newest car.
Tesla aims to make 5,000 of its mass market Model 3 a week by the end of this year.
It has estimated it is already spending about $100m a week to hit that target.
On 4 August Tesla said was looking to raise $1.5bn by selling bonds, but said on Friday it now expected to raise $1.77bn from the sale.
The fundraising is limited to major institutions and not private investors.

Japanese Government to fund USD 58 thousand for First Maternity Hospital's renovation project www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Within the frames of the Government of Japan’s “Grant Assistance for Grassroots and Human Security Projects” (GGP), the signing ceremony of First Maternity Hospital’s renovation project was held on August 11.

Facebook finds a way into China www.cnn.com

'Let it be': Mongolians protest as bulldozers threaten Beatles monument www.gogo.mn

ULAANBAATAR (Reuters) - A statue of the Beatles in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar could be at risk amid an alleged land grab, protesters say, as rapid development turns a city once famed for wide open spaces into a cluttered metropolis.
Residents are protesting against plans to build commercial properties in an area known as Beatles Square, where a bronze bas-relief monument to the "Fab Four" commemorates the former Soviet satellite's transition to democracy in 1990.
"For a long time there were stories about construction on the land, but nobody wanted to believe it," said Tsoggerel Uyanga, a community organizer and senior partner at research group MAD Investment Solutions.
The monument, erected in 2008 with donations from politicians, businessmen and artists, marks the site where Mongolians gathered to talk about banned Western pop music and soon became a quirky tourist attraction.
The music of the Beatles, Abba, and other Western pop groups helped launch the "Rock and Roll Communist Revolution" that inspired a generation to fight for Mongolian democracy thirty years ago.
The protests began after an August 2 announcement that construction work would start, with residents calling the project a "land grab" and expressing fears the Beatles statue could be moved or even demolished.
Authorities have defended the development as part of a "car-free street" project to build an underground shopping complex complete with street gardens.
A lawyer for Mongolia's National Construction Association said there were no plans to remove the Beatles statue, however.
"By implementing the project, there are a great deal of advantages, such as increasing jobs and reducing traffic congestion," said D. Uuganbayar, the lawyer.
The national association, the city government and a private contractor called "Buti" are leading the project.
Congestion and pollution have grown in the capital as its population has doubled over the last two decades, with thousands of impoverished herders flocking to settle in makeshift residential areas.
The strain on Ulaanbaatar's infrastructure has forced the city to rethink its planning of urban spaces, and drawn criticism for the sale of public land to wealthy buyers.
Investors have failed in the past to deliver on promises to protect public spaces affected by development, Uyanga said, pointing to the Bogd Khan conservation area where the World Bank had raised concerns about overdevelopment.
"It became a black market for land authorities during the early democratic years," said Uyanga.
Editing by David Stanway and Clarence Fernandez

European Investment bank to support gobi wind farm www.news.mn

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a financing agreement to back the construction of a 54-MW Sainshand wind park in Mongolia’s Gobi desert.

BoM issues 1-week bills www.montsame.mn

The Bank of Mongolia traded 438.4 billion MNT worth 1-week maturity central bank bill (“CBB”), with weighted average yield of 12.0 percent per annum. /For previous auctions click here/.