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    

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

NEWS

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Mongolia’s top SDG governing body endorses the draft Integrated National Financing Strategy www.montsame.mn

On August 12, Mongolia’s National Committee for Sustainable Development (NCSD) endorsed the draft Integrated national financing strategy (INFS) making Mongolia one of the early adopters of the INFS, a key vehicle for mobilizing, aligning and leveraging resources for SDGs and Mongolia’s sustainable development priorities. NCSD, chaired by the Prime Minister, is Mongolia’s top governing committee for sustainable development comprised of key government stakeholders including ministries and agencies as well as the United Nations in Mongolia.
The endorsement signifies the high level of importance and commitment that Mongolia is placing on successfully implementing the extraordinary reforms, tools and mechanisms stated in the INFS to accelerate the country’s progress towards Agenda 2030. Mongolia is one of the frontrunners of the 86 countries around the world that are currently developing the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) tailored to the country context to drive finance towards sustainable development.
His Excellency Mr. Bold Javkhlan, Minister of Finance, Acting Minister of Economy and Development and Deputy Chair of the NCSD, highlighted the importance of the INFS and said “This strategy includes many important measures including the introduction of results-oriented, gender responsive and SDG aligned budgeting methodology, debt sustainability, innovative and green financial instruments, introduction of environmental and social governance (ESG) reporting standards and mechanism to support investments with positive impact on sustainable development."
INFS will play key role in supporting the Government of Mongolia to achieve its sustainable development priorities stated in the Vision-2050, long term development policy document, and the “New Economic Recovery Policy” by increasing the SDG financing sources from domestic and international investors, improving the alignment of state planning and budgeting, calibrating current resources with the SDGs, and increasing the private sector financing through refined public-private-partnership.
“With the development of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF), Mongolia now has the potential to chart a clear path forward to align multiple financing sources with national development priorities through the various tools and mechanisms included in the Integrated National Financing Strategy (INFS). Moving forward, Mongolia’s strong national ownership and leadership along with effective collaboration and partnership of various national and local government agencies as well as development partners would be pivotal in the successful implementation of the INFS in the years ahead” said Mr. Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia.
UN Joint Programme on “Rolling Out an Integrated Approach to the SDG Financing in Mongolia,” implemented by UNDP in partnership with UNICEF under the leadership of Ministry of Finance with the generous and material support from the Joint SDG Fund, provided extraordinary opportunity to Mongolia for the development of the Integrated National Financing Strategy over the past two years.
Source: UNDP Mongolia
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Coal giants are making mega profits as climate crisis grips the world www.bloomberg.com

The globe is in the grips of a climate crisis as temperatures soar and rivers run dry, and yet it’s never been a better time to make money by digging up coal.
The energy-market shockwaves from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean the world is only getting more dependent on the most-polluting fuel. And as demand expands and prices surge to all-time highs, that means blockbuster profits for the biggest coal producers.
Commodities giant Glencore Plc reported core earnings from its coal unit surged almost 900% to $8.9 billion in the first half — more than Starbucks Corp. or Nike Inc. made in an entire year. No. 1 producer Coal India Ltd.’s profit nearly tripled, also to a record, while the Chinese companies that produce more than half the world’s coal saw first-half earnings more than double to a combined $80 billion.
The massive profits are yielding big paydays for investors. But they will make it even harder for the world to kick the habit of burning coal for fuel, as producers work to squeeze out extra tons and boost investment in new mines. If more coal is mined and burned, that would make the likelihood of keeping global warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius even more remote.
Coal giants are making mega profits as climate crisis grips the world
It’s a remarkable turnaround for an industry that spent years mired in an existential crisis as the world tries to shift to cleaner fuels to slow global warming. Banks have been pledging to end financing, companies divested mines and power plants, and last November world leaders came close to a deal to eventually end its use.
Ironically, those efforts have helped fuel coal producers’ success, as a lack of investment has constrained supply. And demand is higher than ever as Europe tries to wean itself off Russian imports by importing more seaborne coal and liquefied natural gas, leaving less fuel for other nations to fight over. Prices at Australia’s Newcastle port, the Asian benchmark, surged to a record in July.
The impact on profits for the coal miners has been stunning and investors are now cashing in. Glencore’s bumper earnings allowed the company to increase returns to shareholders by another $4.5 billion this year, with the promise of more to come.
Gautam Adani, Asia’s richest person, capitalized on a rush in India to secure import cargoes amid a squeeze on local supply. Revenue generated by his Adani Enterprises Ltd. jumped more than 200% in the three months to June 30, propelled by higher coal prices.
US producers are also reaping bumper profits, and the biggest miners Arch Resources Inc. and Peabody Energy Corp. say demand is so strong at European power plants that some customers are buying the high-quality fuel typically used to make steel to generate electricity instead.
The wild profits threaten to become a political lightning rod as a handful of coal companies cash in while consumers pay the price. Electricity costs in Europe are at record highs and people in developing nations are suffering daily blackouts because their utilities can’t afford to import fuel. Earlier this month, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lashed out at energy companies, saying their profits were immoral and calling for windfall taxes.
Coal’s advocates say the fuel remains the best way to provide cheap and reliable baseload power, especially in developing countries. Despite the huge renewable rollout, burning coal remains the world’s favorite way to make power, accounting for 35% of all electricity.
Coal giants are making mega profits as climate crisis grips the world
While western producers cash in on the record prices — with companies such as Glencore committed to running mines to closure over the next 30 years — top coal consumers India and China still have growth on the agenda.
The Chinese government has tasked its industry with boosting production capacity by 300 million tons this year, and the nation’s top state-owned producer said it would boost development investment by more than half on the back of record profits.
Coal India is also likely to pour a large chunk of its earnings back into developing new mines, under government pressure to do more to keep pace with demand from power plants and heavy industry.
China and India worked together at a UN conference in Glasgow last year to water down the language in a global climate statement to call for a “phase down” of coal use instead of a “phase out.”
At the time, few would have predicted just how expensive the fuel would become. Just a year ago, the biggest international mining companies — excluding Glencore — were in a full retreat from coal, deciding the paltry returns were not worth the increasing pressure from investors and climate activists.
When Anglo American Plc spun off its coal business and handed it over to existing shareholders, one short seller, Boatman Capital, said the new business was worth nothing. Instead the stock — known as Thungela Resources Ltd. — skyrocketed, gaining more than 1,000% since its June 2021 listing, with first-half earnings per share up about 20-fold.
Glencore itself snapped up a Colombian mine from former partners Anglo and BHP Group. The nature of the deal, and rising coal prices, meant Glencore essentially got the mine for free by the end of last year. In the first six months of this year, it made $2 billion in profit from that one mine, more than double its entire coal businesses earnings in the same period last year.
The earnings look set to keep rolling in, as analysts and coal executives say the market will remain tight.
“As we stand today, we don’t see this energy crisis going away for some time,” Glencore Chief Executive Officer Gary Nagle said.
(Reporting by Thomas Biesheuvel, Dan Murtaugh and Rajesh Kumar Singh, with assistance from David Stringer and Will Wade).
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Glencore cuts off Chinese trader caught up in missing copper scandal www.mining.com

Global commodity traders including Glencore (LON: GLEN) and IXM have halted shipments to Chinese metals merchant Huludao Ruisheng after nearly half a billion dollars’ worth of copper went “missing” at a storage site in the country’s north.
Thirteen Chinese trading companies —12 of which are state-owned — were financing the storage site in Qinhuangdao, which was found to hold only one-third of the 300,000 tonnes of copper concentrate.
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The firms are facing potential losses of as much as 3.3 billion yuan ($490 million) from the missing concentrate and have sent a team to Qinhuangdao to investigate and determine appropriate legal action, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
“It’s not the first time we’ve had the problem with material going missing in China,” Colin Hamilton, managing director of commodities research at BMO Capital Markets wrote. “Onshore financing in China for any foreign bank or trading house will become harder.”
Glencore transferred some of its existing metal stocks from Qinhuangdao to alternatives such as Qingdao in an effort to avoid similar problems, FT reported, citing a trader.
The source added that Western companies’ exposure to Huludao Ruisheng was limited.
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Mongolia-Japan business forum to be held www.montsame.mn

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Japan, 20th anniversary of Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development and 25th anniversary of the establishment of Representative Office of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Mongolia, it is planned to organize numerous activities.
The Embassy of Japan in collaboration with JICA Representative Office and Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development will organize a Mongolia-Japan Business Forum on August 19.
This event will be attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Promotion Center of Metropolitan Small/Medium Production and Service of Ulaanbaatar city, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Japan in Mongolia, JUGAMO, HIS Mongolia and JETRO. During the event, business organizations such as MobiCOM Corporation, Toyota Sales Mongolia LLC, Mitsui Corporation, Rohto Company and HushTug Mongolian Leather LLC will share their experience of doing business in Mongolia and introduce business conditions in the two countries.
In addition, it is planned to organize a ‘Japan Festival in Mongolia-2022’ and a concert by Japanese singer Kon Yoko on August 20-21 at White Rock Center, and a dance festival at Sukhbaatar Square on August 22 respectively. Also, a special photo exhibition on defense sector cooperation and exchange will be displayed at the Mongolian Military Museum from August 27 to September 27.
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“Mongolians have the potential to participate in international AI projects” www.montsame.mn

In cooperation with the Mongolian Neuroscience Society and the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), the Brain and Mind Research Institute of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences is organizing the ‘Multidisciplinary Brain Science 2022’ international academic conference in Ulaanbaatar on August 8-13.
Renowned scientists from Mongolia, Japan, Republic of Korea, China, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia are participating in the ‘Multidisciplinary Brain Science 2022’ international academic conference and sharing practical knowledge and information. Lectures, seminars and discussions are being held on the following topics:
Disorders caused by stress;
Alcoholic diseases and their pathophysiology;
Neurosurgical diseases;
The Neurobiological Basis of Psychotherapy;
Neuroscience research methods and clinical practice.
We held a short conversation with L.Battuvshin, the Executive Director of the Mongolian Neuroscience Society, this field of science in Mongolia.
-The development of artificial intelligence in our country was discussed a lot at the international conference held before the outbreak of COVID-19. What has been done about it in the past?
The artificial intelligence project has not yet been started by our Brain and Mind Research Institute. First of all, we need a lot of mathematicians to start this project. Applied mathematics, which is a basic science, is well developed in our country. Therefore, there is a need for such people to be further trained in artificial intelligence and specialized in this field. An artificial brain can be created digitally by incorporating neurons. Such large-scale projects with continuous data have been implemented since 2000 in countries such as the European Union and Switzerland.
Our institute works with them in regular contact by participating in virtual seminars and lectures and exchanging information. Our country is now able to send students and experts studying in this field there, prepare the future and young generation. Mongolians have a potential to participate in large-scale international AI projects. It is important to support them through government policies.
Young people who are successful in mathematics Olympiad can be brought to the international level if they are taught well with software, improve their English language, and provide information on brain structure and function. In this way, it is possible to create an electronic environment of artificial intelligence and perform data analysis. Such specialists are rare in the world today. This is the leading field of science and a must-developed field in order to keep up with the world’s science development.
-You have recently conducted a study showing the level of stress. You said that stress can be measured and analyzed. How? Could you elaborate that?
- When a person is stressed, he/she gets upset, angry, or cries. These are emotional actions, during which physical and physiological changes occur, such as increased heart rate and increased blood flow to the brain. Therefore, brain activity and heart rate can be measured. It is possible to determine a person's stress level in this way.
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Coal’s skyrocketing prices could last years on Russia disruption www.bloomberg.com

Coal’s remarkable rise from a fuel left for dead to one of the world’s hottest commodities is likely to last for years.
Europe’s plans to wean itself off Russian fuels will support the coal market in two distinct ways, both of which should keep prices of seaborne cargoes inflated for the near future, according to Fitch Solutions analysts.
The EU’s ban on Russian coal that begins this month will boost demand for imports from other countries like Indonesia and even Australia. Meanwhile, plans to replace Russian pipeline gas imports with liquefied natural gas shipments will leave less fuel for other nations, forcing them to use more coal.
Fitch “substantially” lifted its Asian thermal coal price forecast for this year and beyond. It now expects the fuel loaded at Australia’s Newcastle port to average $320 a ton this year and $246 a ton on average from 2022 to 2026, up from previous outlooks of $230 and $159, respectively.
Asian coal prices hit a record earlier this year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exacerbated an already tight market. Miners are struggling to keep up with the surge in demand as utilities rush to secure fuel.
Shifting forward curves on coal futures markets also indicates that high prices will last. A December 2026 contract for Newcastle coal is priced at $233.15 a ton, up from $111.15 at the start of this year and $80.80 at the start of 2021.
(By Dan Murtaugh)
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Interview With Bolor Ganbold, Mongolia’s First Female General www.thediplomat.com

In March, Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa commissioned Mongolia’s first female Brigadier General, Bolor Ganbold, who currently heads the Military Training and Education Department of the General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces. General Bolor was the first female cadet in the history of Mongolia; she has been deployed to multiple international peacekeeping missions and has become a voice for female peacekeepers worldwide.
In an interview with Mongolia’s first female general, The Diplomat’s Bolor Lkhaajav touched on her military career, Mongolia’s military, and how the Mongolian army handles emerging issues such as gender. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
How long have you been in the military, and what inspired you to choose the military as your career?
I have been serving in the Mongolian military for 29 years. When I was graduating high school, during that time, in the ‘90s, it was common for the parents to guide – actually choose – children’s schooling, majors, and future professions. My mom’s side had military siblings. With that mindset, my mother advised me to join the military. So, I started my military career early on, at the age of 17.
The Military University of Mongolia, after much debate, began recruiting female cadets in 1994. I was the first female cadet to be recruited. When I first joined, I felt pressured into military life. In retrospect, my military service to my country has been one of the most remarkable contributions one can give.
I also realized that there is a gender aspect to my military service. As the [first] female cadet, I later learned, I was becoming a role model whether I wanted it or not. These realizations came to me after many years of service. As more female cadets joined the military, the Mongolian armed forces diversified and strengthened.
After signing up to join the United Nations peacekeeping operations, I understood that military service could be global. I was part of Mongolia’s contribution to global peace and security.
How have women’s roles in the Mongolian military changed since you joined? Do you see more women in the ranks now? Is the path becoming more accessible for women to join the army and advance through the ranks?
Historically speaking, women occupied an essential role in the Mongolian military. During wars and civil unrest, women have participated in conflict zones without wearing a fancy title. In Mongolian history, Mandukhai Tsetsen Khatan had a significant influence on military strategies against the Ming dynasty. Although men outnumbered women in military affairs in general, they had a role.
Since World War I, the roles have shifted. Men continued to join the armed forces and outnumbered female soldiers worldwide. If there were female soldiers or military personnel, they were often confined to supportive roles rather than combat roles, which has an immense influence on one’s military career.
When I first joined the military there was no professional military female personnel. Most women who had rank were doctors, lawyers, nurses, language instructors, singers, and musicians. In many ways, Mongolia was changing, and the political outlook became more open for a female to join the military. Today, 28 years later, there are women in every sector of the Mongolian armed forces. Now 14 percent of the Mongolian armed forces are female.
Moreover, in my view, leadership is critical when it comes to having women in the military. As leadership changes, the enrollment of women in the armed forces has changed. In my experience, while some leaders – in both government and the military – support the enrollment of females into the military, others have limited the number of women. As such, that year’s registration of women would be less.
Mongolia’s female military personnel are at 14 percent, more or less concurrent with the global rate. During the recent U.N. General Assembly, the Mongolian president, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, pledged to increase the number of female peacekeepers by 15 percent. This pledge opens the door for many women who have previously considered joining the armed forces and defense university. Moreover, active-duty female officers will have opportunities to enroll in foreign language programs as well as well continued education to excel both personally and professionally.
Outside the military, what are public perceptions like? Is Mongolian society open to female soldiers? How do you see yourself becoming the first of everything to inspire the younger generations?
Traditionally, Mongolia has been a patriarchal society. During warfare, the people expected men to join the military and participate in combat. This was true in 1911, 1921, and 1939. However, perceptions have changed in modern Mongolia. The public is more informed, and their perceptions of female soldiers have become more welcoming. The public is learning to appreciate and understand the need for female soldiers in the armed forces.
When I first joined the Military University of Mongolia, there were four female cadets. I think that one of the main aspects of female soldiers joining the armed forces has to do with how Mongolian men viewed women. There was a sense and understanding that they could do more – not necessarily on equal terms – however, there was room for women to be involved and participate.
Women’s roles in the military have continued to transform given changing the security environments of Mongolia and also the world. With this transformation, women have proved capable of performing both traditional and nontraditional roles in a diverse military environment. They have confirmed that they are capable of doing military duties equally with men. Compared to the mid-1990s, the Mongolian public’s perception of women in the military has improved on a positive and supportive stream.
In March, when I became Mongolia’s first female general, there were mixed feelings. I was proud of myself, but I was also anxious that this was a huge step in the Mongolian military and the country. It was an aspiration and inspiration for thousands of uniformed female personnel in Mongolia and beyond. It is something to be highly valued. Moreover, young women can be inspired by this accomplishment and believe that they can, too, achieve these honors.
At the same time, being the country’s first in military rank, promotion, and deployment, the public and the armed forces demand specific responsibilities and commitment. As someone who has previously served in the U.N. peacekeeping missions, my role as the first female general of Mongolia extends to all women in the military.
You were personally involved in multiple U.N. peacekeeping missions. What is the main importance of a woman’s role in these missions, given the security issues you have to face?
In 2010, I was deployed as the first Mongolian female staff officer to the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad. In my early deployments, I gained tremendous experience and knowledge of international coalition operations. But I also observed that female peacekeepers – in this case, Mongolians – faced various barriers preventing them from fully developing their potential as peacekeepers.
For example, one of the significant problems experienced by female peacekeepers, especially in the military contingents, was that they were seldom allowed by their contingent leadership to leave the base to interact with the locals. Having access to the host communities is particularly important in principle and in practice. However, when we did not leave the base, it limited our access to assist, engage, and help the community. This restriction, although understandably related to security issues, can be solved. At the same time, this ultimately had something to do with gender issues.
When female peacekeepers cannot leave the compound to perform certain tasks, they lose out on experience and exposure, therefore, negatively affecting them when it comes to promotion and ranks. I wrote about this before in “Mongolia’s Female Peacekeepers: A Case Study for Gender Parity.”
Now that you are a brigadier general, in your personal opinion, in which areas can the Mongolian military enhance its human capital by including more women?
One of the significant areas that need to be developed for the Mongolian military to enhance capability and human resources for female servicemembers is a consistent policy and strategy. And this policy and strategy must support the military education and career development of female servicemembers and military personnel. This includes all levels of the military, including female peacekeepers.
In the Mongolian military today, the employment of women at higher leadership and decision-making levels is insufficient. Most women hold executive and administrative posts and offices. However, times are changing, and women’s role is becoming increasingly visible not just in Mongolia but worldwide. I certainly believe that and would like to say to my fellow female members, “The greater the effort, the sweeter the reward.” If women have a goal and ambition to be and bring more contribution to the military, there is always a way to achieve it. Our government and its policies must support these endeavors.
GUEST AUTHOR
Bolor Lkhaajav
Bolor Lkhaajav is a researcher specializing in Mongolia, China, Russia, Japan, East Asia, and the Americas. She holds an M.A. in Asia-Pacific Studies from the University of San Francisco.
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She Shoots, She Scores: Women Join Ancient Mongolian Game www.globalpressjournal.com

Anarjin Bayarsaikhan walks into the Mongolian Sports Complex in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, looking more like someone on an evening stroll than an athlete. She is dressed in black — a dress, leggings and socks — and on her feet she has pinkish and white fluffy sandals. But Anarjin is a serious athlete and, since 2021, she has been practicing her skills in knucklebone shooting, an ancient Mongolian game known locally as shaga that has been passed down for generations.
“I am extremely excited,” Anarjin says with a broad smile, as she sits on the floor, ready to play.
With her left hand, she picks up a small wooden rail, similar to a Scrabble tile rack, but broader and with flatter surfaces. She rests her arm on her raised right knee. She grabs a small tile, places it on the rail, and aims at her target — cubes made from the best-quality hardwood that grows in the tropics. She flicks the tile strongly with the middle finger of her right hand toward a square box holding the cubes 15.5 feet away. The tile hits with a twang, dropping a square cube called a khasaa.
“That was a pretty hit!” she says and jerks with excitement.
After centuries of excluding women like Anarjin from playing knucklebone shooting, the Mongolian government, activists and sports administrators have embarked on a campaign to change perceptions and increase the number of women participating in tournaments. In 2014, knucklebone shooting was inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Mongolian government followed the news with the creation of a policy to develop the game and turn it into an international sport.
Knucklebone shooting originated in Mongolia in the 13th century and was originally a royal pastime. Over the centuries, it has been passed down through generations and expanded to the general population. Today, it is one of the sports played during the national festival of Mongolia called Naadam, a holiday observed annually from July 11 to July 13.
Wooden railings and bone tiles that are used in knucklebone shooting are seen here with carrying cases at the Physical Education and Sports Department in Orkhon province, Mongolia.
It’s called knucklebone shooting because pieces of the game were originally made from the ankle bones of animals like sheep and gazelles. Initially, the pieces were shot from the palm of the hand. Nowadays, the railings are made of sandalwood, and the tiles are made of wood or deer antlers. A team consists of six members. It takes about 80 minutes to play against an opposing team, and teams sit in a circle for up to 10 hours a day.
Tsog Semjid, a knucklebone shooting scholar and grand champion shooter of Mongolia, says that because knucklebone shooting is not a physical sport, there is no reason to bar women from playing it.
“It is rather an intellectual, psychological sport,” he says. “That is why anyone can play it.”
The Mongolian Sports Corporation aims to develop knucklebone shooting as an Olympic sport, executive director Khosbayar Bat-Erdene says. The sports organization established the Mongolian Shaga Federation, which now works toward opening sub-federations in 18 different countries.
“We want to make knucklebone shooting a world sport,” Khosbayar says.
A woman plays a game of knucklebone shooting at the Physical Education and Sports Department in Orkhon province. There's a push to get more women to play the game, which used to be played only by men.
Part of the international growth strategy, he says, is a campaign to convince skeptics that the game will benefit from the participation of women.
Those who are opposed to the idea of women playing knucklebone shooting say it goes against ancient Mongolian customs and traditions that have existed for generations. Demidsuren Gonchig, a master knucklebone shooter, is one of them. “It’s our tradition that only men should play knucklebone shooting,” Demidsuren says. “Women never played it. They are not supposed to.”
Oyunchimeg Tumurbaatar, a 46-year-old resident of Khentii province, says that kind of resistance from men is the reason she has been playing knucklebone shooting secretly for more than 30 years. She developed an interest in the game during her childhood because her father and older brother played it often. Over the years, her skills improved to a level where she could compete with her father.
“My father used to praise me that I shot better than him,” Oyunchimeg says.
Although Oyunchimeg says she believed that she could beat anyone in a game of knucklebones, she never played against any opponent other than her father or her older brother because she was afraid that participating in any competition would damage her father’s reputation.
There are over 18,000 registered knucklebone shooters in the country, according to the Mongolian Federation of Knucklebone Shooting, a nongovernmental organization founded in 1987 and officially registered in 1998. Sixty are shooters with official registration as heritage bearers, and many have ranks and titles. There isn’t a single woman among them.
Sunjid Dugar, the commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, says barring women from playing the game is a violation of their rights. “There is no rule or regulation that prohibits women from shooting knucklebones,” Sunjid says.
In 2021, sports enthusiasts and researchers formed the Mongolian Sports Corporation. Munkhdelger Jigdjav, the organization’s operational director, says it was founded on the principle that everyone has a right to participate in sports. They organized a state knucklebone shooting tournament where women were allowed to compete.
“We noticed that even though women had never participated in past competitions, there were many skilled shooters among them,” Munkhdelger says. “We decided to support them.”
Oyunchimeg was one of more than 50 women who participated in the state knucklebone shooting championship for the first time. Her face lights up as she recounts what it was like to compete in a game she had played secretly for decades.
“I felt like a bird out of its cage,” she says. “It felt really great to be finally free.”
The competition also gave an opportunity to many young women like Oyunsaikhan Tserenmyagmar, a 17-year-old high school student at Devshil School in Zavkhan province. Oyunsaikhan, who only started playing knucklebone shooting in 2021, won the competition and became a state champion.
“I could not believe I became a champion after practicing it for such a short time,” she says. “It was really cool.”
Anarjin, too, took part in the national championship and qualified to participate in international knucklebone shooting competitions. Her dream is to become a champion and inspire more young women to join the sport. She wants to contribute to its development and promotion as it expands beyond Mongolia.
“Each time I play,” she says, “I feel like I am making a new discovery.”
Khorloo Khukhnokhoi is a Global Press Journal reporter based in Mongolia.
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Brother of UK Prime Minister puts Mongolia on notice of treaty-based dispute www.iareporter.com

IAReporter has learned that Mongolia has been put on notice of a treaty-based dispute by Maximilian Johnson (the half-brother of UK Prime Minster Boris Johnson) and a related Malaysian entity (GRF Paragon).
IAReporter has confirmed that the notice of dispute was submitted to Mongolia on July 27, 2022, under the Mongolia-UK and Mongolia-Malaysia bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The claimants are understood to allege a denial of justice at the hands of local authorities in relation to a criminal complaint filed by the claimants for alleged fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering by their local business partner.
IAReporter understands that the underlying dispute concerns the claimants’ investment in a local mining company, Zasagchandmani Mines. The claimants (acting together with former Glencore chairman Simon Murray) are said to have, between 2016 and 2018, advanced certain loans to Zasagchandmani Mines that were intended to be used for the purposes of the local mining enterprise. The claimants allege that these funds were subsequently misappropriated by Zasagchandmani Mines’ majority shareholder, Buyantogtokh Dashdeleg, and his associates.
In early 2019, the claimants filed a criminal complaint in relation to the alleged misappropriation of funds, leading to Mr. Dashdeleg being initially subject to a travel ban. However, this travel ban was lifted in late 2019 by a local district court, allegedly in violation of Mongolian law. While the order lifting the travel ban was subsequently nullified, Mr. Dashdeleg had by then left the country, according to the claimants. (According to one report, an Interpol Red Notice warrant was subsequently issued against Mr. Dashdeleg, although Interpol’s database appears to indicate that the warrant is no longer active.)
IAReporter understands that the claimants further allege that their case against Mr. Dashdeleg has been going back and forth between various Mongolian administrative authorities, in particular the Mongolian Central Investigation Bureau and the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
While the Public Prosecutor’s Office eventually in early 2022 issued an indictment against Mr. Dashdeleg’s associates and Zasagchandmani Mines, the claimants say that the Prosecutor failed to effect service on the defendants in Mongolia. Finally, in June of 2022, the Prosecutor is said to have annulled the indictment and once more sought to return the matter to the Central Investigation Bureau, prompting the claimants to invoke their rights under the BITs.
IAReporter understands that the claimants are alleging breaches of several of the relevant BITs’ provisions, including those on expropriation, fair and equitable treatment, full protection and security, and unrestricted transfer of investments.
The value of the claim is currently estimated at approximately 50 million USD.
Mongolia’s BITs with Malaysia and the UK provide for 3- and 6-month waiting periods, respectively.
According to a report in the Financial Times, Mr. Buyantogtokh has dismissed the allegations against him as being “spurious” and is seeking asylum in the US.
The claimants are represented in the matter by Signature Litigation in London. It remains unknown whether Mongolia has yet retained counsel.
We will continue to monitor this dispute.
By Vladislav Djanic
Case(s) discussed in this article:
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Representatives of Singapore’s Central Provident Fund arrives in Mongolia www.montsame.mn

The representatives of the Central Provident Fund of the Republic of Singapore arrived in Mongolia to provide consulting services for the establishment of Mongolia’s Unified Accumulation Fund.
The representatives of the Central Provident Fund of Singapore were received by Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection S.Zulpkhar and Secretary of State G.Unurbayar.
The Government of Mongolia aims to establish a unified accumulation fund, gradually transition to a system that provides comprehensive solutions to education, health, pension, housing, and social security services, reduce poverty, and raise the standard of living.
During the Prime Minister of Mongolia’s visit to the Republic of Singapore in July, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection signed a memorandum of understanding to receive consulting services from the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise regarding the introduction of the unified accumulation fund system of Singapore to Mongolia.
The consulting service team will work in Mongolia on August 10-16, share the experience of creating and developing the system, and assess and identify the problems and delays in the current governance and policies of the pension fund and social welfare system.
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