China-Mongolia cross-border tour opens between Erenhot, Zamyn-Uud www.bastillepost.com

A cross-border tour covering Erenhot in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Zamyn-Uud in Mongolia officially opened Saturday, with the first 108 tourists embarking on the single-day trip.

Streamlined entry procedures are allowing participants to join tour groups with only their identity cards, without applying for passports or visas in advance.

Licensed travel agencies handle all procedures, including submitting tour group lists, screening traveler information and issuing travel permits through multi-system parallel approval.

The itinerary links distinctive cultural and tourism resources on both sides of the border.

In Erenhot, known as China's "Dinosaur City," tourists see sites related to dinosaur fossil excavation, and at the border, they marvel at the city's national gate scenic area.

In Mongolia, they experience border-town scenery and duty-free shopping before returning to experience the lively atmosphere of Erenhot's night market.

"Everything went smoothly, and I'm very happy. I want to learn about the local scenery there as I am looking forward to it. I want to take beautiful photos with my sister, and I want to see the cattle and horses and the grasslands there," said tourist Dou Zhiyan.

Leveraging policy advantages of its pilot free trade zone, Erenhot has been diversifying cross-border tourism offerings, driving coordinated growth in cross-border trade, accommodation, catering and transportation while creating more opportunities for residents to increase their incomes.

"This China-Mongolia cross-border tourism route is a convenient and beneficial cultural and tourism product that we have launched by leveraging the integrated reform of border areas. Next, we will further enrich our city's tourism offerings, continue to develop and improve distinctive resources such as our dinosaur geological park and dinosaur museum, attract Mongolian tourists to our city for study tours, wellness tours, self-driving tours as well as trade tours, and promote the deep integration of trade, tourism and cultural development along the China-Mongolia border," said Han Lizhi, deputy head of Erenhot's tourism bureau.

COP17 in Mongolia: Why a lesser-known UN summit matters for land, water and food www.aa.com.tr/

With 77% of its own land degraded, host nation Mongolia puts its herding crisis on the global stage at COP17
Drought framework left unfinished at latest summit in Riyadh returns to center stage

Before world leaders gather in Türkiye this November for COP31, the flagship UN climate summit, a lesser-known but increasingly important conference will begin Monday in a country most people associate with steppes, horses and the Gobi Desert.

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, or COP17, runs Aug. 17-28 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital.

It is the first time a UNCCD COP has been held in East or Central Asia, and it comes to a country where nearly 77% of the land is already degraded.

What exactly is COP17?
The Convention to Combat Desertification is one of three "Rio Conventions" that emerged from the 1992 Earth Summit, alongside the climate change and biodiversity treaties. Adopted in 1994, it is the only legally binding international agreement that links environmental protection with land management and rural development, and it now counts 197 parties -- 196 countries plus the European Union.

Its conference of the parties has met roughly every two years since 1997, rotating among regions. COP17 will bring together delegations from nearly 200 countries, along with ministers, scientists, herders, farmers, Indigenous representatives and business leaders for two weeks of negotiations and side events under the theme "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope."

Unlike other climate COPs, which focus on greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and implementation of the Paris Agreement, the UNCCD framework focuses specifically on land degradation, desertification and drought.

This, however, does not mean it is separate from climate change. Drier conditions and rising temperatures can accelerate land degradation, while degraded land can worsen drought impacts, reduce food production and weaken ecosystems.

Desertification does not simply mean deserts expanding. Under the UNCCD definition, it is land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas caused by factors including climate variations and human activity. Overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable farming, poor irrigation, soil erosion and prolonged drought can all contribute.

Why does it matter now?
According to UNCCD, 1.3 billion people are directly exposed to land degradation, while 1.84 billion people endure persistent drought conditions.

It says up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, undermining food production, water availability and livelihoods, adding that droughts have increased by nearly one-third since 2000.

The pressure is particularly significant for rural populations. Rangelands — grasslands, savannas, shrublands and other areas used extensively for grazing — cover more than half of the Earth's land surface, support about 2 billion people and provide nearly 70% of global livestock feed.

The consequences can extend well beyond the environment. Falling agricultural productivity can threaten food security and incomes, while water shortages and competition for natural resources can contribute to displacement and instability. Migration linked to desertification, land degradation and drought is therefore also on the COP17 agenda.

UNCCD warned that if current trends continue, almost 16 million square kilometers of land — an area roughly the size of South America — could be on a trajectory toward degradation by 2050.

Which countries are shaping the debate?
Africa, particularly the Sahel, is among the hardest-hit areas, with millions at risk of displacement as arable land shrinks. African governments have organized as a bloc — the African Group of Negotiators — and have consistently pushed the hardest at recent COPs for binding international commitments and dedicated drought financing, arguing their countries carry the least responsibility for the crisis but suffer disproportionately.

Saudi Arabia, which hosted COP16 in Riyadh in December 2024, has positioned itself as a leading voice on drought and dust storm early warning systems and has backed elements of the African position, even as it drew separate criticism at climate talks over its stance on fossil fuels.

China, one of the countries with the longest experience combating desertification through large-scale afforestation programs such as its "Great Green Wall" shelterbelt project, is regularly cited by the UNCCD as a source of technical expertise for other affected nations.

Mongolia, this year's host, has about 90% of its territory in arid, semi-arid, dry or sub-humid climatic zones vulnerable to desertification. Its vast grasslands are also central to the country's economy and way of life. The country has made land restoration a national priority, committing in 2024 to spend at least 1% of its GDP annually on fighting climate change and desertification. It has also promoted domestic initiatives such as its “Billion Trees” campaign and programs aimed at food security and sustainable land use.

What should be watched in Ulaanbaatar?
In the previous summit held in Riyadh, negotiators launched the Riyadh Action Agenda to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, established a $12.15 billion drought resilience alliance, and officially created caucuses to incorporate Indigenous Peoples and local communities into formal decision-making.

But the summit's most closely watched item — a proposed global framework, or possibly a legally binding protocol, for managing drought — ended without agreement.

The idea, championed mainly by the African bloc and small island states and backed by Saudi Arabia, was opposed by the US, the European Union, Australia and several Latin American countries over concerns about the cost.

The disagreement prevented an agreement at COP16, and the issue will return to the negotiating table at COP17.

Beyond drought, the Ulaanbaatar program is organized around finance, water, land, people and food systems.

UNCCD estimates that at least $2.6 trillion in investment is needed by 2030 to restore more than 1 billion hectares of degraded land and build drought resilience. COP17 will test whether previous pledges can translate into actual projects and financing.

Finally, coinciding with the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, COP17 is expected to focus heavily on nomadic herding, livestock management, and dryland soil health. A ministerial dialogue on restoring rangelands and improving the well-being of pastoralist communities is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Russian man sent to prosecutors in custody for raping unconscious Mongolian woman near Hongdae club www.mbiz.heraldcorp.com

A Russian national suspected of sexually assaulting an unconscious Mongolian woman he took from outside a Hongdae nightclub has been sent to prosecutors in custody.

The Seoul Mapo Police Station said Friday it had forwarded the case of a Russian man in his 20s to prosecutors on charges of quasi-rape and abduction for the purpose of sexual assault.

The man is accused of raping a Mongolian woman in her 20s at a lodging facility near Hongdae in Mapo-gu, Seoul, in the early hours of July 16.

The two had no prior acquaintance, police said.

The man was traveling in South Korea at the time. After finding the woman asleep and intoxicated outside a club, he put her in a taxi and brought her to the accommodation where he was staying, investigators found.

Police responded after receiving a report from the woman's friend and arrested the man at the scene. After his arrest, he reportedly changed his account multiple times and denied the charges.

Police are continuing to investigate whether the man committed any additional offenses.

Nearly 82 pct of Mongolia's total territory affected by desertification, land degradation www.xinhuanet.com

At least 81.9 percent of Mongolia's total territory has been affected by desertification and land degradation to some extent, according to a new national assessment released by the country's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change on Wednesday.

Since Mongolia's first desertification map was developed in 1989, national-level assessments have been conducted periodically, the ministry said. The newly updated atlas represents Mongolia's sixth national assessment of desertification and land degradation, based on data collected between 1991 and 2025.

The revised assessment was released ahead of the upcoming 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which will be held in Ulan Bator, the national capital, from Aug. 17 to 28.

According to the assessment, 81.9 percent of Mongolia's territory has experienced desertification and land degradation to varying degrees. Of the country's total territory, 0.9 percent is classified as experiencing very severe desertification and degradation, 6.2 percent as severe, 42.9 percent as moderate, and 31.9 percent as slight degradation.

The remaining 18.1 percent showed no signs of desertification or land degradation.

Meanwhile, the assessment found that the impacts of climate change in Mongolia are intensifying, while land degradation, water scarcity, changes in vegetation cover and pressure from livestock grazing continue to increase.

The assessment found that Mongolia's annual average air temperature increased by 2.5 degrees Celsius between 1941 and 2025, while drought intensity showed an increasing trend across 53.5 percent of the country's territory. Some 54.8 percent of the country's territory is at risk of water erosion, while 34.3 percent is vulnerable to wind erosion. A declining trend in soil moisture was detected across 93.3 percent of Mongolia's territory, while vegetation productivity has decreased across 22.3 percent of the country.

The findings indicate that desertification and land degradation in Mongolia are being driven not only by natural factors but also by the combined impacts of climate change and human activities.

The scientific publication will also serve as one of the official documents to be presented internationally during the COP17 of the UNCCD, the ministry said.

The helicopter that helped topple Mongolia’s prime minister linked to Lex Oil scheme www.eureporter.co

The helicopter at the centre of the scandal which led to the resignation of Mongolia’s then Prime Minister, Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, was owned and operated by a company linked to the $1.1 billion Lex Oil fraud.

In May 2025, the fiancée of Oyun-Erdene’s son, Temuulen, posted video and photographs of a helicopter arrival and a fireworks marriage proposal on her Instagram. The images led to national protests, and ultimately the loss of a no-confidence vote and resignation from Oyun-Erdene.1

The helicopter in the images which sparked the protests is registered to Alpha Aurora Aviation, a charter helicopter operator founded by VS Oil, one of the fuel-trading vehicles used by the scheme's central figure, Jononbayar Erdenesuren, and his family.2

Alpha Aurora has been marketed as Mongolia's first commercial helicopter operator.3 It manages a fleet of seven Airbus helicopters for tourism, corporate and VIP travel from a private heliport in Ulaanbaatar.4 It was founded by VS Oil in 2023.5 Jononbayar Erdenesuren himself was reported, in a now-archived article, to frequently travel to a tourist camp in Mongolia on flights handled by the charter company.6

VS Oil sits alongside Lex Oil in the family-controlled fuel network central to the scandal.7 It was founded by Dashnyam Chinbat, husband of Jononbayar's aunt Dorjgochoo Erdenetuul,8 who owned Lex Oil until it passed to Chinbat, its current sole beneficial owner.9 VS Oil is itself a corporate shareholder of Lex Oil.10

Alpha Aurora's beneficial owner, and one-time CEO,11 Bataa “Anya” Anarchuluu, sits inside the same network.12 She was previously a director of VS Oil and a co-shareholder, alongside Lex Oil itself, in another network vehicle, Tod Petroleum.13 She co-owns or directs several companies with Jononbayar's mother, Dorjgochoo Erdenesuren.14 Alpha Aurora is not the only aviation venture tying Anya to the family: she was also the director of Mongolian Airways Aviation, a company owned by Jononbayar's aunt, Erdenetuul.15

Alpha Aurora Aviation also links the scheme to foreign entities beyond Mongolia. Its CEO and former COO,16 the British aviation consultant David Edwards, runs a consultancy that lists both Alpha Aurora and APEXPP Commodities as clients.17 APEXPP’s ultimate beneficial owner is Banzragch Batdavaa,18 a former senior officer and executive director of Lex Oil,19 who co-owns a further business with Jononbayar’s mother.20 Edwards is executive director of Cygnus Global, a Singapore-registered company that markets jet fuel and aviation services for Mongolia.21 On 30 July 2026 Cygnus announced it would fold Edwards Aviation Consultants and Alpha Aurora into a new “Cygnus Global – Aviation” division, although legal ownership of the company has not changed at the time of writing.22

Mongolia's Anti-Corruption Agency found that the flight taken by Temuulen on the Alpha Aurora helicopter fell under a charter contract signed between Hero Entertainment and Alpha Aurora for film location scouting.23 Hero Entertainment, whose credits include the international stage production ’The Mongol Khan’,24 is 50% owned by Temuulen's father, the then Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene.25

1 ‘Mongolia PM resigns after son's luxury holiday stirs public fury’, BBC News, 3 June 2025: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yg8dxv5w9o; TIME, ‘Why Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Resigned’, 3 June 2025: https://time.com/7290686/mongolia-prime-minister-oyun-erdene-luvsannamsrain-resigns-protests-corruption-son/

2 The helicopter (JU-6777) shown in the girlfriend's Instagram posts. Screenshots of the original posts are available to view at: https://ikon.mn/n/3elf. JU-6777 is confirmed as an Alpha Aurora aircraft: https://www.graph.mn/news/2817. Alpha Aurora Aviation was founded on 16 June 2023 by VS Oil: https://opendatalab.mn/search/8376344. VS Oil (Ви Эс Ойл, reg. 6225578)is a corporate shareholder of Lex Oil https://opendatalab.mn/search/5623979, and is named as a scheme vehicle in Mongolian investigative media https://ergelt.mn/news/22/single/40012.

3 Described as “Mongolia’s first helicopter operator” in Heliops article: https://www.heliopsmag.com/heliops/articles/breaking-new-ground-mongolias-first-commercial-helicopter-operator/

4 Alpha Aurora Aviation’s website: https://alpha-avia.com/, and an interview with David Edwards: https://www.heliopsmag.com/heliops/articles/breaking-new-ground-mongolias-first-commercial-helicopter-operator/

5 The founding shareholder was VS Oil, which registered as shareholder on 20 June 2023: www.opendatalab.mn/search/8376344

6 Jononbayar's use of Alpha Aurora helicopters to reach his camp in Uvs province was reported in a now removed article from 2024.: https://web.archive.org/web/20241113103634/https://reelnews.mn/a/1225

7 Both companies listed as part of the scheme: https://ergelt.mn/news/22/single/40012.

8 Reporting by Reuters confirming the family relationship: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/aunt-trafiguras-mongolia-boss-ran-main-partner-firm-2025-03-25/

9 Erdenetuul owned Lex Oil until 2023. Lex Oil full corporate record: https://opendatalab.mn/search/5623979.

10 Ownership history of VS Oil: https://opendatalab.mn/search/6225578 and https://opendatalab.mn/search/826874?model=CFounder. VS Oil was a corporate shareholder of Lex Oil in 2019: https://opendatalab.mn/search/5623979

11 Bataa was named as CEO in now archived Instagram posts, shared by AAA’s account. The posts are available in cache through this google search. Original post URLs were: www.instagram.com/p/Cw4XAPryRCT/ and www.instagram.com/p/Czc_kyIBEQp

12 Ownership and full corporate record of Alpha Aurora confirming Bataa Anarchuluu as beneficial owner: https://opendatalab.mn/search/8376344

13 Co-shareholder alongside Lex Oil in Tod Petroleum (Bataa from 2020-10-20; Lex Oil corp from 2019-12-27): https://opendatalab.mn/search/6104894.

14 Companies owned/directed include Commodity Trans (co-owner with Erdenesuren in 2020): https://opendatalab.mn/search/6468365 and Ashid Nandin (co-owner with Erdenesuren 2020/21): https://opendatalab.mn/search/6605982

15 Mongolian Airways Aviation director from 2023-04-19, under Erdenetuul's ownership: https://opendatalab.mn/search/6894941

16 Referred to as CEO in July 2026 Heliops article: https://www.heliopsmag.com/heliops/articles/breaking-new-ground-mongolias-first-commercial-helicopter-operator/; and company Instagram posts referring to him as COO: https://www.instagram.com/p/C48T41aoEP1/

17Edwards Aviation Consultants, client list: https://edwardsaviationconsultants.co.uk

18 LinkedIn profile of Banzragch Batdavaa showing UBO/director role at APEXPP Commodities DMCC from February 2021: https://mn.linkedin.com/in/batdavaa-banzragch-46120115a.

19 Listed as Executive director of Lex Oil: https://opendatalab.mn/search/5623979 and described as CEO on his LinkedIn.

20 NBG King Mongolia co-owned by Erdenesuren and Batdavaa: https://opendatalab.mn/search/1117110

21 Edwards’ LinkedIn: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/david-edwards-b0b70b187; https://rocketreach.co/david-edwards-email_376686082

22 Announcement made 30 June via Cygnus Global’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbYXJJdPVmR/. AAA’s ultimate beneficial owner remains Bataa Anarchuluu, per Mongolian corporate databases: https://opendatalab.mn/search/6225578

23 Авлигатай тэмцэх газар / Anti-Corruption Agency of Mongolia, official reply available at: https://i.postimg.cc/NFyDFsWk/524543039-10239378643272260-820441282862761709-n.jpg and https://i.postimg.cc/3NPBvMh5/524849034-10239378643392263-8293872003460448013-n.jpg. Also reported in Mongolian press: https://www.graph.mn/news/3404

24 Shown as production credit and production contact on official website footer: https://themongolkhan.com,

25 Shareholding shown on Hero Entertainment’s official state records: https://opendatalab.mn/search/6163882

Bagakhangai–Khushig Valley–Emeelt Railway to Open Next Month www.montsame.mn

At a Cabinet meeting on August 12, Prime Minister Uchral Nyam-Osor instructed Minister of Road and Transport Delgersaikhan Borkhuu to accelerate the 214.9-kilometer Bagakhangai–Khushig Valley–Emeelt railway project, improve coordination among relevant sectors, and ensure unified project management.

As the railway is scheduled to become operational next month, authorities will expedite the clearance of land occupied by individuals and businesses within the railway right-of-way, relocate affected structures, and protect or relocate power transmission and distribution lines and substations.

The railway will branch off from Bagakhangai Station and run through Khushig Valley in Sergelen soum and Altanbulag soum of Tuv aimag before connecting to Emeelt Station.

The project is being implemented in two phases by the Mongolian Railway state-owned company.

Construction of the 87.8-km railway from Bagakhangai Station to Khushig Valley, which began on April 25, 2025, including bridge structures at five locations and culvert works, has been completed 100 percent, while installation of the railway superstructure is 86.6 percent complete.

Earthworks on the section connecting Khushig Valley to Emeelt Station, which began in 2026, are 48.2 percent complete.

According to the Government Press and Public Relations Department, 95 domestic companies and more than 4,000 engineers and technical workers are involved in the project. The project plans to construct 127.1 kilometers of mainline track for Class III freight and passenger transportation, along with three passing loops and four stations, for a total track length of 177.4 kilometers.

Mongolia's Central Bank Tightens Monetary Policy: Key Rate Increased to 12.5% www.open.kg

On August 12, 2026, the Central Bank of Mongolia (Bank of Mongolia) decided at an extraordinary meeting to raise the key interest rate by 50 basis points, increasing it from 12.0% to 12.5% per annum. This change marks the first step towards tightening monetary policy since March 2025, indicating the need to respond to the prevailing economic conditions, according to MongolianNews.

In addition, to address the excess liquidity in the banking system, the regulator increased the reserve requirement ratio on tugrik deposits by 0.5 percentage points, setting it at 14.5%.

Factors influencing the decision:

Increased inflationary pressure: As of July 2026, the annual inflation rate in the country reached 13%, exceeding the Central Bank's target range. Key factors contributing to rising prices include fluctuations in fuel and food prices, as well as government-regulated tariffs.

Risks and secondary effects: Core inflation shows moderate growth. Supply issues with petroleum products and shocks in the fuel market create risks of cost pass-through to final prices of goods and services.

Global challenges: Geopolitical tensions continue to affect global energy prices. In the context of high interest rates maintained by major central banks, the Bank of Mongolia is compelled to act to protect assets in the national currency.

Export sector: Rising global prices for coal and copper, along with increased physical exports, positively impact Mongolia's balance of payments and business activity.

Forecast and future monetary policy:

The committee expects that the seasonal increase in the supply of meat and vegetables in August will help slow food inflation. If fuel prices stabilize, annual inflation may return to the target range by mid-2027.

However, the balance of risks remains tilted towards inflationary factors, such as prolonged fuel shortages and imported inflation. The Bank of Mongolia emphasizes that the current decision aims to stabilize inflation expectations and monetary conditions. Future decisions on interest rates will depend on incoming macroeconomic data and changes in internal and external risks.

Korean hospitals expand medical outreach in Mongolia, shift focus to local capacity www.koreabiomed.com

Korean hospitals are expanding their medical outreach in Mongolia, increasingly combining direct patient care with medical training, technology transfer and long-term partnerships aimed at strengthening local healthcare capacity.

Ewha Womans University Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and EUMC Director Ryu Kyung-ha (seventh from right) poses for a photo with hospital officials during the launch ceremony for the 13th EUMC medical volunteer mission to Mongolia in 2026. (Credit: EUMC)
Ewha Womans University Medical Center (EUMC) recently completed its 13th medical volunteer mission to Mongolia, while Asan Medical Center (AMC) carried out a separate program in the country's northern region focused on cancer care and training local medical professionals.

EUMC dispatched a 14-member team to Mongolia from July 27 to Aug. 2, providing medical care to 1,168 people across five areas, including Darkhan, Sharyngol, Orkhon and Khongor in Darkhan-Uul Province and Bayangol in Ulaanbaatar.

The team was led by Kang Kyung-ho, head of EUMC's International Healthcare Business Division and professor of surgery at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital.

Other participating physicians included Kang Duk-hee, dean of Ewha Womans University College of Medicine and professor of nephrology at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital; pediatrician Kim Hae-soon; Lee Hui-song, deputy head of EUMC's International Healthcare Business Division and professor of surgery at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital; and Kim Yun-hwan, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital.

This year's mission also included a visit to Mongolia's National Center for Maternal and Child Health, which has worked with EUMC since a telemedicine project began in 2016.

EUMC's medical outreach in Mongolia dates back to 2011. Except for the Covid-19 pandemic period from 2020 to 2022, it has sent a medical team to the country every year, treating about 15,000 people over the past 15 years.

"We are proud to have continued meaningful activities in Mongolia for 15 years," Kang said. "Through this overseas medical volunteer mission, we were once again reminded of the values of brotherhood and humanitarianism."

Asan targets long-term medical self-sufficiency

Asan Medical Center's latest program placed greater emphasis on helping local medical professionals diagnose and treat patients independently.

A 16-member team led by Lee Sei-won, professor of pulmonology and critical care medicine, visited the Northern Regional Cancer Center in Erdenet from Aug. 3 to 6.

The team treated about 750 patients over four days and performed about 150 breast ultrasound examinations, 80 abdominal and thyroid ultrasound examinations and six breast biopsies.

Beyond patient care, Asan doctors worked alongside Mongolian physicians on ultrasound examinations, provided advice on breast cancer surgery and conducted biopsies that are difficult to perform locally because of a shortage of specialists.

The team also provided lectures on cancer treatment and nursing, advised on intensive care unit operations and inspected aging medical equipment.

Asan described the group as an "overseas medical cooperation team," rather than a volunteer medical team, to emphasize its focus on sustained exchanges and medical technology transfer.

Border towns bridged by more than a road www.chinadaily.com.cn

Standing at the Erenhot national gate of China, Zamyn-Uud of Mongolia seems to be within reach, as the centers of the two cities are merely 9 kilometers apart. The border is no longer a dividing line, but a thriving channel. Every day, thousands cross Erenhot Port, the busiest land port between China and Mongolia, to buy daily necessities and more. Beyond retail, China and Mongolia are jointly building the Erenhot-Zamyn-Uud Economic Cooperation Zone, spanning roughly nine square kilometers on each side to create a benchmark for cross-border synergy. China-Mongolia ties go far beyond trade — together, the two neighbors are pursuing shared growth and mutual benefit.

Mongolia Uses UN Passenger Data System to Identify Smuggling, Drug Trafficking and Other Border Threats www.hstoday.us

Mongolia’s Passenger Information Unit helped authorities identify suspected smuggling, drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorist financing activity in 2026 as the country expanded its use of passenger data to identify potential threats before travelers reach its borders.

Authorities reported detecting attempted illegal cross-border smuggling valued at approximately MNT 700 billion, or around $200 million, across Mongolia’s border points. The Passenger Information Unit (PIU) also helped identify approximately $10 million in undeclared cash and eight individuals wanted under INTERPOL notices, whose cases were referred to the relevant authorities.

In two separate cases, authorities intercepted over 446 grams of methamphetamine being smuggled into Mongolia. The PIU also supported the identification of attempts to bring unregistered and prohibited medicines into the country concealed in passengers’ carry-on luggage and helped authorities identify a fugitive who had been wanted for 30 years.

The unit was established in December 2023 with support from the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel Programme.

At the center of Mongolia’s system is the UN-developed goTravel software, which allows the PIU to receive and analyze passenger information supplied by airlines before international flights arrive.

Authorities can use travel routes, patterns and other risk indicators to identify potentially high-risk travelers in advance, while passenger information can also be compared against national and international watchlists. The system facilitates information-sharing among relevant government agencies.

The PIU currently receives passenger data from seven airlines representing around 90% of Mongolia’s international commercial air traffic.

Before the system was introduced, Mongolia used passenger data in a more limited and largely manual process. Automating the collection and analysis of that information allows analysts to spend more time assessing potential risks.

Colonel Adiyajav Enkhtur, Head of Mongolia’s Passenger Information Unit, said the approach is intended to focus resources on potential risks rather than subjecting every traveler to additional checks.

“The primary objective of the Mongolian PIU is not to subject all passengers to additional scrutiny, but rather to identify high-risk passengers in advance through intelligence-led risk assessment and to effectively support the operations of competent and law enforcement authorities,” Enkhtur said.

“API and PNR data enables low-risk passengers to move through border controls quickly and seamlessly, enhancing overall efficiency.”

Mongolia’s PIU operates under safeguards covering privacy, data security and human rights. Access to passenger information is restricted to authorized personnel, records are maintained showing how information is accessed and used, and passenger data can only be processed for specified legal purposes.

Mongolia joined the UN Countering Terrorist Travel Programme in 2020. With support from UN partners, the country subsequently developed legislation governing airline passenger data, established the PIU and deployed the goTravel system.

Mongolia’s legal framework was adopted by Parliament in January 2023, followed by the formal inauguration of the PIU in December of that year. The goTravel system became fully operational in January 2025.

The UN programme has also provided training covering passenger data analysis, risk assessment, privacy protections and use of the goTravel platform. Mongolia is now one of seven beneficiary countries operating the UN-developed system.

Led by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the Countering Terrorist Travel Programme assists Member States with using Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record data to detect and prevent terrorism and other serious crimes while maintaining human rights and data protection standards.