1 MONGOLIA, ITALY ESTABLISH A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/12/03      2 MONGOLIA TO CHAIR CAREC PROGRAM IN 2026 WWW.QAZINFORM.COM  PUBLISHED:2025/12/03      3 GOLD PURCHASE BY MONGOLIA'S CENTRAL BANK DOWN 14.2 PCT WWW.XINHUANET.COM PUBLISHED:2025/12/03      4 OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURE DIPS TO MINUS 43 DEGREES CELSIUS IN W.MONGOLIA WWW.XINHUANET.COM PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      5 MONGOLIA, RUSSIA AGREE ON INTERREGIONAL COOPERATION UNTIL 2030 WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      6 PRODUCTION OF KEY EQUIPMENT FOR MONGOLIA’S OIL REFINERY NEARS COMPLETION IN INDIA WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      7 MONGOLIA AND CHINA STEP UP COOPERATION ON MEAT TRADE WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      8 PRESIDENT KHURELSUKH WELCOMED BY PRESIDENT SERGIO MATTARELLA WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      9 REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FIRMS FACILITATE MNT 2.25 TRILLION IN PROPERTY SALES IN Q3 2025 WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      10 TEAM MONGOLIA’S ATHLETIC PROWESS MAKES A SPLASH ON NETFLIX WWW.THEDIPLOMAT.COM PUBLISHED:2025/12/02      ЭМИЙН ЧАНАРЫН ХЯНАЛТЫН ҮНДЭСНИЙ ЛАВЛАГАА ЛАБОРАТОРИ ИРЭХ ОНЫ НЭГДҮГЭЭР УЛИРАЛД АШИГЛАЛТАД ОРНО WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/03     НИЙСЛЭЛД ТАВАН ДЦС, НЭГ ДУЛААНЫ СТАНЦ ЖИЛД 5.8 САЯ ГАРУЙ ТОНН ТҮҮХИЙ НҮҮРС ТҮЛДЭГ WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/03     2026 ОНД НИЙСЛЭЛД 53.74 КМ АВТО ЗАМ ШИНЭЭР ТАВИНА WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/03     ТЭЭВРИЙН ХЭРЭГСЛИЙН ШИЛЖИЛТ ХӨДӨЛГӨӨНИЙГ ЦАХИМААР ХИЙДЭГ БОЛЛОО WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02     МОНГОЛ УЛС КАРЕК ХӨТӨЛБӨРИЙГ 2026 ОНД ДАРГАЛНА WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02     "ЗЭЭЛ ТӨЛӨӨД ӨГӨӨЧ, ҮНЭ НЭМЭЭД ӨГӨӨЧ ГЭЭД СУУЖ БАЙНА. ӨӨРСДӨӨ ЮУ ХИЙХ ВЭ ГЭДЭГ НЬ ТОДОРХОЙГҮЙ" WWW.GOGO.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02     ЧГД, СБД-Т ЧӨЛӨӨЛСӨН ТАЛБАЙД БАРИХ 3800 АЙЛЫН ОРОН СУУЦЫГ 2027 ОНЫ III УЛИРАЛД ДУУСГАНА WWW.GOGO.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02     ИТАЛИ УЛСЫН ЕРӨНХИЙЛӨГЧ СЭРЖО МАТТАРЭЛЛА ИРЭХ ЖИЛ МОНГОЛД АЙЛЧИЛНА WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02     ЕАЭЗХ-НЫ МОНГОЛТОЙ БАЙГУУЛСАН ХУДАЛДААНЫ ТҮР ХЭЛЭЛЦЭЭРИЙГ ИРЭХ ОНЫ ДУНД ҮЕЭС ХЭТРҮҮЛЭХГҮЙ БАТАЛНА WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02     АВЛИГЫН АСУУДЛААР ГАДНЫН БАНКНЫ ХОРИГТ ОРСОН АХ, ДҮҮ ХОЁРЫН ОХИН КОМПАНИУД АЛТ, ГАЗРЫН ХОВОР ЭЛЕМЕНТИЙН ОРД ЭЗЭМШДЭГ WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/12/02    

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MBCC “Doing Business with Mongolia seminar and Christmas Receptiom” Dec 10. 2025 London UK MBCCI London UK Goodman LLC

NEWS

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2025 Trafficking in Persons Report www.mn.usembassy.gov

The Government of Mongolia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period; therefore, Mongolia remained on Tier 2. These efforts included investigating more trafficking cases, convicting more traffickers, and increasing the size of the National Police Agency’s (NPA) anti-trafficking unit. The government approved implementing regulations on amendments to the Child Protection Law related to the provision of services to trafficking victims. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. Authorities prosecuted fewer traffickers and identified fewer victims, and lack of government support resulted in the closure of both shelters for trafficking victims during the reporting period. Courts did not convict a labor trafficker for the fifth consecutive year, and officials did not identify any foreign victims. Overlapping and at times conflicting articles in the criminal code complicated anti-trafficking judicial processes and continued to incentivize prosecutions and convictions under charges with lesser penalties. The government lacked formal written procedures for proactive victim identification.
PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS:
Increase efforts to implement and train officials on Articles 12.3 and 13.1 of the criminal code to investigate and prosecute sex trafficking and forced labor crimes rather than under alternative administrative or criminal provisions that prescribe lesser penalties. * Develop and implement formal government-wide SOPs for victim identification and referral to protective services and train government officials – including law enforcement, border protection, prosecutors, and labor and child rights inspectors – on their use. * Improve coordination, information-sharing, and anti-trafficking data quality among anti-trafficking agencies, including police, prosecutors, the judiciary, and social services. * Ensure victims have access to protection services regardless of whether officials initiate formal criminal proceedings against the alleged traffickers. * Allocate resources for the Multidisciplinary Task Force (MDTF). * Amend Articles 16.1 and 16.4 of the criminal code to increase prescribed penalties so they are aligned with penalties for other child trafficking crimes. * Amend Article 8 of the Labor Law to align its definitions with preexisting anti-trafficking laws, including by eliminating exemptions for labor in basic landscaping and cleaning. * Allocate increased resources to support and expand shelters and other forms of victim assistance, including for male victims who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. * Strengthen efforts to monitor the working conditions of child and foreign workers in Mongolia and screen them for labor trafficking indicators by increasing funding, resources, and training for labor inspectors and child rights inspectors, and facilitating unannounced inspections.
PROSECUTION
The government increased law enforcement efforts.
Article 13.1 of the criminal code criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking; it prescribed penalties of two to eight years’ imprisonment for offenses involving an adult victim and five to 12 years’ imprisonment for those involving a child victim. These penalties were sufficiently stringent and, with respect to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. Other provisions of the criminal code additionally criminalized some forms of labor and sex trafficking. Article 13.13 separately criminalized forced labor and prescribed fines, community service, probation, and/or one to five years’ imprisonment. Article 12.3 of the criminal code criminalized sexual exploitation offenses, including some forms of sex trafficking; penalties ranged from two to eight years’ imprisonment for trafficking offenses involving individuals older than the age of 14, and 12 to 20 years’ imprisonment for those involving children younger than the age of 14. As in prior years, authorities sometimes prosecuted trafficking crimes under statutes carrying lesser penalties. For example, the government reported prosecuting sex trafficking offenses under Article 12.6, which criminalized “organizing prostitution” involving adults and prescribed penalties of six months to three years’ imprisonment. Articles 16.1 and 16.4 criminalized “inducing a child to the committing of a crime” and “forcing a child into begging,” respectively; they both prescribed penalties of a travel ban for one to five years or one to five years’ imprisonment. Observers, including officials, noted complex case initiation and referral procedures; law enforcement, prosecutorial, and particularly judicial officials’ general unfamiliarity with anti-trafficking laws; rapid turnover of investigators; and criminal code articles with overlapping and often conflicting definitions and penalty provisions at times hindered investigations and prosecutions.
Authorities continued to categorize certain crimes as trafficking based on Mongolia’s more expansive legal definitions, resulting in law enforcement data that at times included cases involving child pornography, sexual extortion, and “organizing prostitution.” The government initiated 85 trafficking investigations, including 41 for sex trafficking involving at least 28 alleged perpetrators and six for labor trafficking – two of which involved forced child labor; this was compared with 42 investigations in 2023, including 36 for sex trafficking and six for labor trafficking. The government continued monitoring for sex solicitation on social media and reported 38 cases of unspecified forms of exploitation involving 36 alleged perpetrators from these efforts (62 cases and 36 perpetrators in 2023); the majority of these cases involved child pornography and it was unclear how many involved trafficking. Authorities initiated prosecutions of 35 defendants, including 29 for alleged sex trafficking crimes (four defendants under Article 12.3, 12 under Article 12.6, and 13 under 13.1), and two for alleged forced labor (under Articles 13.13 and 16.10); this was compared with initiating prosecutions of 41 traffickers in 2023 – 34 for alleged sex trafficking crimes and seven for forced labor. In addition, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported prosecuting four defendants under Article 16.8 (“Advertising and dissemination of pornography or prostitution, inducement to a child”), which carried lesser penalties, compared with 20 defendants the prior year; authorities did not provide sufficient detail to ascertain whether these cases featured trafficking elements according to the definition under international law. The government reported 38 ongoing sex trafficking prosecutions initiated in previous reporting periods compared with 25 reported ongoing prosecutions in 2023. Courts convicted 22 individuals for sex trafficking-related crimes in 2024, an increase from 10 in 2023. The courts convicted all 22 sex traffickers under anti-trafficking articles, including three individuals under Article 12.3, seven under Article 12.6 and 12 under Article 13.1, compared with 10 individuals (four under Article 12.3 and six under Article 13.1) in 2023. Courts did not convict any labor traffickers for the fifth consecutive year (three labor traffickers were convicted in 2019). The government did not provide sentencing data for convictions in 2024. Courts revised the charges in at least five cases initially investigated and prosecuted under Article 13.1 to Article 12.3; cases pursued under Article 12.3 often imposed lower sentences than those pursued under Article 13.1. The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees complicit in human trafficking crimes; however, corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained concerns.
In recent years, because of the misconception among many government officials that traffickers only exploit women and girls crossing borders, authorities rarely used Articles 12.3 or 13.1 to prosecute cases in which traffickers targeted male victims and instead used provisions with less stringent penalties. Civil society representatives reported various judicial entities often maintained conflicting or incomplete data on anti-trafficking case registration and history. A lack of sufficient training among police and prosecutors outside Ulaanbaatar on the overly complex legal codes led to inconsistent enforcement of the law, including local police dropping potential trafficking cases or misidentifying them under other criminal codes.
The NPA anti-trafficking unit’s jurisdiction to cover trafficking crimes was previously limited to Criminal Code Articles 12.3 and 13.1; in May 2024, the Prosecutor General’s Office amended this jurisdiction to include Article 12.6, 13.13, 16.6 (child trafficking), 16.8 and 16.9 in addition to articles of the criminal code prohibiting crimes such as kidnapping, forced disappearance, the illegal taking or transplantation of human blood and organs, and the spreading infectious diseases or viruses that may endanger the lives of others. The expansion of the unit’s responsibilities to cover crimes that may not involve trafficking as defined under international law potentially impacted its capacity to investigate sex and labor trafficking crimes. An NPA cyber-crime division was responsible for investigating crimes under Articles 16.8 and 16.9. Following an external assessment, Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs (MOJHA) expanded the capacity of the anti-trafficking unit from six to 13 officers in February 2025, to accommodate the unit’s expanded responsibilities; these new positions were in the process of being filled at the end of the reporting period. The Prosecutor General’s Office had a division assigned to specialize in supervising investigations of trafficking crimes and prosecuting trafficking cases. Officials reported improved interagency coordination among police, prosecutors, and civil society, although legal barriers remained an obstacle to successful prosecutions.
In partnership with international organizations and NGOs, the government continued training law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, state inspectors for child rights, and immigration officials on topics including new regulations for implementing anti-trafficking laws, conducting victim-centered and child-friendly investigations, investigating cyber-facilitated trafficking, forensic and trauma-informed interviewing, and identifying and referring trafficking victims to services. Observers and officials continued to describe an acute need for additional training, resources, and dedicated personnel to properly handle trafficking cases. It was unclear if training had resulted in increased use of victim-centered approaches in practice. Officials renewed an MOU on law enforcement coordination with local Chinese authorities from China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
PROTECTION
The government decreased efforts to protect victims.
According to available data, police identified at least 28 Mongolian potential trafficking victims, including 15 adult and 10 child potential victims exploited in sex trafficking, and three potential labor trafficking victims; this was compared with 30 trafficking victims (20 women and nine girls exploited in sex trafficking, and one male labor trafficking victim) identified in 2023. Victims were only formally identified as trafficking victims after a prosecution was initiated, but authorities did recognize potential victims who could be referred to and receive services for trafficking victims; during 2024, authorities formally identified 19 victims of trafficking (eight women and 10 girls exploited in sex trafficking, one man exploited in labor trafficking. Authorities also initiated investigation of a case involving seven potential female victims of labor trafficking from Sierra Leone; however these victims had not been identified as trafficking victims as of the end of the reporting period. Authorities have not identified a foreign victim of trafficking since 2021. The government did not have formal written procedures for proactive victim identification. Instead, investigators and immigration officials had access to a victim identification checklist, although use was sporadic, especially in rural areas. District and provincial police either lacked training on the checklist or were unaware of its existence, which potentially resulted in cases dropped at the local level and fewer victims referred to NPA investigators. NGOs indicated victim identification and referral procedures were vague, not sufficiently systematic, and often depended largely on the awareness and initiative of individual officers. Due to inconsistent screening among vulnerable populations, a lack of formalized screening and identification procedures, as well as untrained officers, the government did not take effective measures to prevent the inappropriate penalization of potential victims – particularly girl sex trafficking victims – solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. In previous years, observers noted some victims did not self-report or testify because of fear they could face prosecution. In July the government organized a restructuring of multiple Ministries; the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MLSP) which oversaw most victims protection efforts was renamed the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Protection (MFLSP), and the MLSP’s Family, Child, and Youth Development Agency (FCYDA) was changed as the General Authority for Child and Family Development and Protection (GACFDP) which took over FCYDA’s protection implementation responsibilities. Observers reported this restructuring resulted in significant turnover of staff and impacted the ministry’s ability to advocate for its work, particularly during budget negotiations.
Government officials lacked training on how to identify and refer to care child victims of forced labor. GACFDP also reported cases of local officials and law enforcement preventing child rights inspectors from accessing some worksites, such as race courses. Social and child protection workers used procedures for victim identification and referral to services but a continued lack of training for labor inspectors and social workers limited the referral system’s use. Officials reportedly identified two victims of child labor in hazardous work, which may have amounted to trafficking.
The government allocated 30 million MNT ($8,770) to NGOs to provide shelter, psycho-social and medical care, and legal assistance, the same amount allocated in the prior year. NGOs continued to provide the majority of Mongolia’s limited victim services, in some cases with government assistance. Observers have noted overlapping or conflicting victim services and referral data between different government agencies and government-assisted NGOs. In 2024, 16 adult sex trafficking victims were referred to services by NGOs, according to combined government and civil society estimates, compared with 77 adult and child sex trafficking victims and 16 forced labor victims referred to services by NGOs in 2023. The MDTF had five child-friendly spaces at police stations and court houses to allow children, including trafficking victims, to provide evidence in safe, less-traumatizing environments.
There were two NGO-run trafficking-specific shelters, however both shelters closed in June 2024 due to concerns the government had not approved accreditation standards for trafficking shelters as required by law. An NGO also operated a shelter for women in commercial sex and women and child sex trafficking victims. Officials reported the closure of trafficking-specific shelters had a serious impact on their ability to provide protection services to victims of trafficking, and some child sex trafficking victims were instead referred to the remaining NGO shelter. The government operated 39 low-capacity temporary shelters and one-stop service centers for women and child victims of domestic and sexual abuse, including one NPA-operated shelter for victims of sexual violence and one temporary shelter for children operated by the GACFDP, both of which could serve trafficking victims. Observers reported difficulty differentiating between these government shelters and one-stop service centers, and that some locations appeared to always be closed. Authorities did not report referring victims to NGOs for shelter or health services, partly due to shelter closures; in the past observers noted the referral process was inefficient and untimely. Long-term shelter services were not available for child trafficking victims, but in severe cases, GACFDP could provide shelter services for child victims for up to six months. GACFDP also maintained a rehabilitation center to help child victims with their recovery through long-term psychological care and other services. There were no shelters for men and few shelters, if any, were accessible for people with disabilities. In practice, victims who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual could receive shelter if they were minors, women, or did not explicitly reveal their sexual orientation or identity. An audit by the Capital City Audit Agency of the government’s child protection policy found a lack of coordination between agencies, insufficient involvement of officials, limited budget and human resources, and violations of temporary shelter standards posed a risk to the effectiveness of child protection efforts – including for child victims of human trafficking – during 2024.
The Law on Criminal Procedure and Law on Victim and Witness Protection provided protections for the physical security and privacy of victims and witnesses; however, the NPA anti-trafficking unit reported referred nine trafficking victims to witness and victim protection services in 2024. Article 8.1 of the Law on Criminal Procedure states that a victim must be formally recognized by the decision of an investigator, prosecutor, or the court; this language has reportedly been used to deny potential trafficking victims access to protective services. Some officials claimed victims could still access protection services regardless of whether relevant prosecutions had begun; nevertheless, the language represented a barrier to access for potential trafficking victims. Authorities did not provide victims with alternatives to speaking with law enforcement during investigations, and victims – including child victims – were regularly interviewed multiple times by law enforcement and prosecutors which observers reported led to the re-traumatization of victims. Victims could provide testimony via written statements and could obtain employment and move freely within Mongolia or leave the country pending trial proceedings. However, child victims’ testimony required a legal guardian’s verification and approval to be admitted as evidence, posing added risks to abandoned children or to children whose guardians were complicit in their child’s trafficking; in these cases, child victim advocates could request the government assign a social worker in place of complicit legal guardians. The government did not report if victims participated in investigations during the reporting period.
In September 2024, amendments to the Child Protection Law went into effect to formalize the MDTF, refine case management protocols, and ensure comprehensive delivery of protection services to vulnerable children, including trafficking victims. During the reporting period, the government approved some implementing regulations for these amendments on providing shelter, services, and employment and vocational training for trafficking victims, procedures for ensuring the dignity and safety of victims and requirements for testimony rooms. However, two implementing regulations on protection services to child trafficking victims and procedures for the MDTF to providing services were still pending at the end of the reporting period.
The anti-trafficking law entitled victims to legal counsel and representation, as well as to compensation from traffickers. However, inconsistencies between the criminal code and the civil code made the provision on restitution difficult to implement; for the second year the government did not report issuing court-ordered restitution to any trafficking victims, compared with 34 victims receiving court-ordered restitution in 2022. The government also did not report any trafficking victims receiving compensation from the government’s victim compensation fund, and observers noted that in practice, compensation was mainly provided to a victim’s family for burial expenses when victims died. Mongolia’s General Intelligence Agency, the General Authority for Border Protection (GABP), and the Consular Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared responsibility for handling cases involving Mongolian trafficking victims abroad. The latter maintained a fund to assist Mongolian victims, but it was only available in cases involving organized crime syndicates or “grave harm” – a distinction that was unclear in application. In 2024, authorities partnered with NGOs to repatriate one Mongolian victim from China, compared with 12 Mongolian victims repatriated from China, Laos, and Thailand in 2023. Authorities did not report repatriating foreign victims for the third consecutive year. Mongolian law did not provide legal alternatives to the removal of foreign victims to countries in which they could face retribution or hardship.
PREVENTION
The government increased efforts to prevent trafficking.
The National Sub-Council on Trafficking in Persons (“the council”) met three times in 2024. The MDTF worked to combat child trafficking at the working level and comprised 18 government and NGO representatives. The MDTF met at least quarterly and continued to implement its Strategic Action Plan to combat child trafficking, devoting more staff time across the interagency to facilitate collaboration in child services.
The government increased the MOJHA’s anti-trafficking budget to 244.9 million MNT ($71,610) in 2024 from 240 million MNT ($70,175) in 2023. It designated 30 million MNT ($8,770) of this budget for contracted services with at least one NGO; the remainder of this budget was used for awareness-raising activities and purchasing equipment and tools for the NPA, and National Forensics Agency. The Secretariat for the Coordinating Council for Crime Prevention oversaw implementation of 90 percent of the recommendations from a 2023 review of Mongolia’s anti-trafficking efforts; this included efforts such as submitting recommendations on standardizing sentencing to parliamentarians overseeing Criminal Code revisions; conducting studies on the use of Articles 12.3 and 13.1, best practices of other countries’ anti-trafficking efforts, and why labor exploitation cases in Mongolia do not reach courts. In partnership with NGOs, international organizations, local media, and foreign donors, the government conducted a national campaign to raise awareness of trafficking, which included social media outreach, radio broadcast spots, and awareness raising activities at schools, such as essay writing contests and distributing trafficking-related comic books. The Ministry of Education partnered with NGOs and foreign donors to provide afterschool programs on forced labor and sex trafficking prevention to high schoolers in high risk schools. MDFT also organized human trafficking awareness displays for travelers at two ports of entry, and the GABP and Immigration Agency distributed 50,000 trafficking awareness passport inserts at some border crossings. Municipal GACFDP offices and District Governors deployed 200 volunteers for a home visit program to engage and educate communities on child protection, domestic violence, school attendance, health and welfare, and human trafficking and victim identification.
A hotline maintained by an NGO identified at least two child victims, which were referred to authorities for criminal investigations. GACFDP operated another 24-hour hotline that coordinated referrals to special welfare and protection, emergency response, and shelter services for child victims. The GACFDP did not report how many calls this hotline received in 2024. Police confirmed that some calls to this hotline led to investigations for suspected trafficking crimes but for the second year the government did not report how many, compared with investigators following up with 317 children after receiving 251 calls on possible “hazardous child labor” in 2022.
The MFLSP’s General Agency for Labor and Social Welfare had the authority to monitor labor agreements for foreign nationals working in Mongolia, as well as those for Mongolians working in countries with which the government had bilateral work agreements. The government maintained such agreements with the ROK and Japan; observers noted authorities did not always sufficiently implement these agreements to prevent labor abuses, including trafficking. MFLSP employed 66 labor inspectors and GACFDP employed 54 child rights inspectors (who accompany labor inspectors for some inspections, particularly for horse jockeying cases); officials and NGOs noted the number of labor inspectors and child rights inspectors was insufficient for the monitoring of all workplaces and labor sectors where child labor occurs, and that funding and resources for the inspectors were insufficient to provide comprehensive oversight. The government did not report how many labor inspections it conducted in 2024, or if any resulted in the identification of cases of forced labor. Labor laws gave inspectors “unrestricted access to legal entities, organizations, and workplaces which are subject to inspection without prior notice;” however, a competing law still required inspectors to give employers two days’ advance notification before conducting an inspection, raising concerns employers could conceal violations in the interim. The government did not report conducting unannounced labor inspections, but it did conduct preventative assessments at workplaces and issued recommendations based on identified problems. Labor laws explicitly prohibited labor agents from charging workers recruitment fees, confiscating workers’ identity or travel documentation, switching their contracts without consent, or garnishing or withholding their wages as collateral; authorities did not report information on implementation of these provisions. The government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts.
TRAFFICKING PROFILE:
Trafficking affects all communities. This section summarizes government and civil society reporting on the nature and scope of trafficking over the past five years. Human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Mongolia, and traffickers exploit victims from Mongolia abroad. Traffickers may also use Mongolia as a transit point to exploit foreign individuals in sex trafficking and forced labor in Russia and China. Most sex trafficking of Mongolian victims from rural and poor economic areas occurs in Ulaanbaatar, provincial centers, and border areas. Mongolian communities experiencing widespread unemployment – especially women and informal sector workers – were especially vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labor. Observers report that individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are vulnerable to trafficking amid widespread discrimination that often jeopardizes their employment status and complicates their access to justice. Domestic violence continues to drive the vast majority of Mongolian trafficking victims to seek and accept unsafe employment opportunities on which traffickers target.
Traffickers continue exploiting women and girls in sex trafficking in Mongolian hotels, massage parlors, illegal brothels, bars, and karaoke clubs, as well as in outdoor urban areas, sometimes facilitated by a lack of enforcement of local police. Traffickers often utilize online platforms to lure, groom, or blackmail victims, including Mongolian children, into domestic sex trafficking. Japanese and ROK nationals reportedly engaged in extraterritorial commercial child sexual exploitation and abuse in Mongolia in prior years and some civil society groups believe this practice persists. Traffickers sometimes use drugs, fraudulent social networking, online job opportunities, or English-language programs to lure Mongolian victims into sex trafficking abroad. Some men in the predominantly ethnic Kazakh regions of western Mongolia subject local women and girls to abduction and forced marriage as part of a cultural practice known as Ala kachuu, or “grab and run”; some women and girls forced into marriages may be subjected to sex trafficking or forced labor.
The mining industry’s ongoing development in southern Mongolia drives growing internal migration, intensifying trafficking vulnerabilities. This was especially the case along the China-Mongolia border prior to 2020. Stringent border restrictions between January 2020 and January 2023 during the pandemic limited movement across the border, while creating new vulnerabilities. For example, women and girls in affected coal mining and trucking communities faced additional pandemic-induced economic hardships, increasing their vulnerability to trafficking, and truckers desperate to make deliveries across restricted borders were vulnerable to labor exploitation. Since the end of these border restrictions, new train lines and improved logistics management have mitigated some of these concerns. Nevertheless, individuals in mining and trucking communities near the border remain vulnerable to labor and sex trafficking due to poorer living conditions, itinerant work, and a lack of public services.
Children working in informal sectors of the Mongolian economy such as artisanal mining, horseracing, herding and animal husbandry, landfill scavenging, and construction are often younger than the country’s minimum age of employment and vulnerable to forced labor. In particular, Mongolian boys engaging in work as horse jockeys and circus performers are vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking, in part because of frequent travel domestically and abroad. Children living in poverty or who are abandoned by their families are often recruited into child labor, increasing their risk to forced labor. Some Mongolian families are complicit in exploiting children in sex trafficking and forced labor.
Traffickers exploit Mongolian men, women, and children in forced labor and sex trafficking in China, ROK, Türkiye, and the United States, as well as other countries in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Observers reported a high and increasing number of Mongolian children traveling abroad – particularly over the land border into China – for competitions; although these opportunities involve legitimate sports, music, and school competitions, children are sometimes taken abroad under the auspices of competitions and are instead subjected to labor trafficking working as horse jockeys, on farms, or performing other menial labor. Traffickers reportedly increasingly exploited Mongolian victims in Türkiye because of visa-free travel regimes, the availability of direct flights, and shifts in migration trends after the pandemic-related closure of the Chinese border. Chinese national workers employed in Mongolia are vulnerable to trafficking as contract laborers in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, wholesale and retail trade, automobile maintenance, and mining. As of September 2023, as many as 7,880 Chinese nationals were reportedly working in Mongolia. Observers report corruption among some Mongolian officials impedes the government’s anti-trafficking efforts.

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Suicide rates increase in Mongolia in recent years: report www.xinhuanet.com

Suicide rates have increased during the last four years in Mongolia and remain high, according to a report released by the country's National Center for Mental Health on Tuesday.
Mongolia had an average suicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000 people in 2021-2025, most of whom were male, the report said.
Suicide is a leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 34, according to center.
The main causes of suicide are unemployment, socioeconomic instability, severe depression, drug addiction, alcoholism, and illness.
Mongolian psychologists said the government must take urgent measures to prevent male suicide among young men in the country.

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MongolZ Tops World Rankings www.montsame.mn

Two main platforms set the global rankings in eSports.
One platform is HLTV, and for the first time in history, the MongolZ team has reached the world’s number one spot in its rankings. Specifically, HLTV, which determines the official world rankings for the Counter-Strike 2 video game, published its latest update on September 29, 2025. The MongolZ secured first place with 896 points, surpassing the French team Vitality.
The MongolZ’s recent victories, including placing second in the World Cup tournament in both the BLAST Bounty and FISSURE Playground 2 competitions, contributed to this achievement. The team rankings are updated weekly, and for the first time since April 2025, Vitality has dropped from its leading position.
Recently, MongolZ had topped another global ranking platform, Valve’s VRS rankings.

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Mongolia’s Economic Growth is Sustained, Despite Global Uncertainties www.gogo.mn

Mongolia’s economic growth is expected to be driven this year by a recovery in livestock numbers and the ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine. However, weaker coal exports and reduced government spending have led the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to lower its growth forecast.
According to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2025 report, ADB projects Mongolia’s economic growth at 5.7% in both 2025 and 2026, down from April’s forecasts of 6.6% and 5.9%, respectively. Demand for Mongolia’s export minerals, especially coking coal, is expected to remain weak in 2025–2026 due to higher tariffs and trade restrictions affecting steel production in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In addition, recent government spending cuts are likely to dampen consumption and public investment for the rest of 2025.
“Despite heightened global uncertainties, economic growth in Mongolia remains robust,” said ADB Country Director for Mongolia Shannon Cowlin. “It is now even more critical to foster broad-based and diversified growth, while addressing vulnerabilities linked to mineral dependence and commodity market volatility.”
Mongolia’s economic growth remained robust in the first half of 2025, largely driven by a recovery in herd size under favorable weather conditions.
Mining contributed less, as momentum in coal exports slowed amid weakening market conditions, while non-mining industries benefited from expansion in energy and construction. For the remainder of 2025, growth will be supported by non-mining industries and the services sector, although the expected drop in crop harvests may impact agriculture's recovery. Growth in 2026 is projected at 5.7%, led by services, while mining may underperform earlier expectations.
Inflation remained above the central bank’s target range in the first half of 2025 due to lingering effects from regulated price hikes. Consumer prices are forecast to rise by 8.6% this year, slightly below April’s projection of 9.1%, following updates to the consumption basket. The postponement of utility tariff increases is expected to delay additional price pressures until next year. As a result, inflation for 2026 is now projected at 7.2%. Price pressures remain elevated for domestic food and imported goods.
Risks to the outlook include further restrictions on the PRC’s steel production that could hurt demand for Mongolia’s exports, delays in the Oyu Tolgoi mine’s development, and the possibility of a harsh winter in 2025–2026 affecting agricultural production.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.
By B.Erdenechimeg

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Surplus Revenue of Ulaanbaatar-Owned Companies to Fund Mega Projects www.montsame.mn

The surplus revenue of Ulaanbaatar’s state-owned companies and self-financing organizations will be used to fund mega projects in the future.
During a meeting with the management of these organizations, Governor of the Capital City and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar Nyambaatar Khishgee emphasized the need to reduce costs in 2026-2027 and implement results-based management.
“While only a few organizations, such as the Investment and Trade Agency and the State Housing Corporation, were profitable in 2023, currently about 90 percent of these entities have begun generating profits. The modernization of public transport has increased passengers and produced over MNT 70 billion in profit. Next year, profitability could reach MNT 100 billion,” reported the Media and Public Relations Department of the Governor’s Office of the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar.
The National Sports Stadium of Mongolia is expected to generate MNT 3.5 billion in profit this year while also hosting the “Green Autumn Days” festival free of charge.
Additionally, over 250 kilometers of roads in the Capital city have been renovated using the Road Fund. From next year, construction will begin on secondary roads, including the Tuul and Circular Highways.

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Thermal Power Plant to Supply Electricity and Heat to Emeelt Industrial Park www.montsame.mn

Within the framework of the 24 mega projects for the development of the Capital city, the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park will be built on 539 hectares in Shar Khuvyn Khooloi, Khan-Uul District, about 30 km from the city center.
A new 24 MW thermal power plant will be constructed to supply the park with electricity, heat, process steam, and hot water. According to the Public Relations and Information Division of the Governor’s Office of Ulaanbaatar City, the design of the power plant will be completed this year, with construction scheduled to commence in 2026 and be commissioned within two years.
The plant will be equipped with two low-temperature circulating fluidized bed boilers with a steam capacity of 110–130 tons per hour, two 12 MW PT-type steam turbine generators, and auxiliary equipment. To ensure stable and reliable operation, the station will operate in parallel with the central power grid. It is planned to consume 199,000–205,000 tons of coal annually, generating 156 million kWh of electricity and 265,600 Gcal of heat energy, thus meeting the energy needs of the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park and creating 185 permanent jobs.
Compared to other plants, the new thermal power station will feature complete fuel combustion, lower air pollution, environmentally friendly technology, and a modern automated control system. In addition, heating, hot and potable water pipelines, as well as power and telecommunication networks of the park, will be installed within an underground utility tunnel.

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Esports Games Driving the Popularity of Melbet Mongolia www.europeanbusinessreview.com

Esports in Mongolia have long since evolved from entertainment into a mass phenomenon, gathering huge audiences and bringing local teams to the international stage. Prizes are growing, tournaments are compared to classic sports, and the interest of fans is only growing. Melbet Mongolia has become the center of this movement: it has the best disciplines, a wide betting line and convenient access via the web and application. In this article, we will analyze which games drive the popularity of the platform!
Melbet MN and the Rise of Esports
In Mongolia, eSports have gone from being a hobby for a small audience to a full-fledged mass phenomenon in a short period of time. Tournaments increasingly attract thousands of viewers, and broadcasts are becoming a common part of leisure. Against this background, the MelBet Mongolia bookmaker has managed to occupy a special niche: it offers more than twenty disciplines, including CS2, Dota 2, Valorant and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The numbers only confirm the scale – more than 70% of young people aged 18 to 35 are involved in eSports in one way or another, and the audience grows by about 25% annually.
National leagues such as MESA Pro Series and XSE Challenger League remain a significant factor, where local teams get a chance to make a name for themselves. International support is also important: Melbet is a partner of major tournaments, including BLAST.tv Major Mongolia. For users, this is not only access to bets with odds from 1.5 to 5.0, but also a wide selection of markets – from MVP predictions to map outcomes. More than a million people visit the platform every month, and 24/7 support and live broadcasts via the MelBet mobile app make participation even more convenient!
MOBA Titles Leading the Charge
MOBAs are the leading eSports genre in Mongolia, and the interest in the genre is only growing. Teamwork, strategy, and unpredictable outcomes keep viewers engaged, and Melbet Mongolia offers hundreds of markets for each match. The main projects are:
Dota 2 (Valve, 2013): about 30% of eSports traffic in the country. The International 2025 in Hamburg has a prize pool of $1.6 million. Melbet offers bets on picks, bans, and kill totals, with odds ranging from 1.8 to 4.0.
League of Legends (Riot Games, 2009): over 160 champions. In Mongolia, LoL viewership growth reaches 20% per year. Betting on dragons and towers is popular on Melbet, with odds on Worlds favorites starting at 1.7.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Moonton, 2016): Mongolia is among the leaders in IESF 2024 views. Melbet accepts bets on the national team’s matches, for example, against Cambodia.
Arena of Valor (Tencent, 2016): Mongolian teams earned about $200 thousand. Matches last 15-25 minutes, ideal for live betting.
Smite (Hi-Rez, 2014): the audience is smaller, but growing. Melbet offers markets for choosing gods and winning maps.
Thanks to this, MOBAs form almost 40% of bets on Melbet MN and retain their status as the main genre.
Tactical Shooters Capturing Attention
In Mongolia, tactical shooters attract the largest audience. Not only accuracy is important here, but also strategy, team play and a cool head in decisive moments. The undisputed leader is CS2, which replaced CS:GO and immediately became the main discipline on the local scene. According to Melbet Mongolia statistics, about 80% of bets in the shooter category are on this game. More than 700 markets are available in each match – from the best player prediction to round totals, which makes watching matches even more exciting.
TheMongolZ team attracts special attention. Their victory at the Esports World Cup 2025 over the famous Vitality became a real event for the country and spurred interest in the discipline. Viewership figures jumped sharply, and along with them, activity on Melbet grew. At the same time, Valorant is gaining popularity: the audience has grown by about 15%, and Challenger League tournaments attract the attention of young fans. Live betting on shooters is particularly dynamic, with odds ranging from 1.5 to 3.0, and it is this mix of strategy, excitement and national pride that makes the genre a key part of the Mongolian scene.
Battle Royale and the Thrill of Survival
The battle royale genre has taken a strong place among Mongolian players, especially in regions where mobile devices remain the main way to access games. The absolute leader is PUBG Mobile. Teams from Mongolia have earned a total of about $2.8 million in prize money, and almost half of all gamers in the country regularly play the game. At Melbet Mongolia, bets are placed on the number of kills, survival in the zone, and the final place in the match. Each game turns into a tense test, where both tactics and luck are important.
Fortnite, which attracts young people with its building mechanics and global tournaments, does not lose popularity either. FNCS prizes reach $7 million, and interest in the discipline remains high. Melbet offers markets for eliminations and final positions of teams, and the odds provide a wide range of options. In general, battle royale accounts for about 15% of bets on eSports in Mongolia, which confirms the stable interest in the genre and its strong position on the local scene.
In addition to MOBA, shooters and battle royale, Mongolia’s esports scene is also shaped by other areas. Their diversity adds depth, opens up new formats for players and creates additional betting opportunities. Here are five categories that are confidently making a name for themselves:
Tips for Smarter Esports Betting
In eSports, passion without strategy rarely brings results. Melbet Mongolia offers dozens of markets per match, and proper preparation always plays a key role. To increase your chances, it is important to consider the following:
Team statistics: kills, percentage of wins on maps, players’ form.
Current form: the last 5 matches are often more informative than a long history.
One discipline: focus on CS2 or Dota 2, and do not scatter.
Live betting: use fluctuations in odds at the right moment.
Bankroll: do not risk more than 5% of your total capital per bet.
Such simple rules help keep your passion under control and increase your chances of a stable result. In eSports, knowledge and the ability to seize the moment are decisive.
Closing Thoughts on the Future of Esports
Well, in 2025, eSports in Mongolia is no longer a trend, but a part of everyday life, and we are sure that even greater growth awaits it. No matter which game or team is closer to you – Melbet Mongolia has it all. Download the app or go to the web version, bet on your favorite players and teams, use bonuses and catch your luck!

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Mongolian Startup E-Geree.mn Ranks Among Top Three in ‘Makers in China’ Competition www.montsame.mn

The “Makers in China” competition was held in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China, featuring top startups from Mongolia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Turkmenistan, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Russian Federation.
The team behind Mongolia’s digital document system, E-Geree.mn, was selected as one of the “Top 3 Projects” and received a trophy. This achievement grants them the right to compete in the final stage scheduled in China in December 2025. Success in the next round could allow the team to officially introduce their product to the Chinese market.
Notably, the E-Geree.mn system was previously recognized as the “Best Innovation Project” in 2025 under the framework of the Mongolian Government’s 2023 Resolution No. 224 on funding innovative projects from the state budget. This accomplishment reflects the regional recognition of Mongolian startups for their innovation and technological solutions and marks another important step in the development of the national startup ecosystem.

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Petro Matad reports first oil revenues in its history www.thearmchairtrader.com

Petro Matad [LON:MATD], the London AIM-listed oil and gas explorer focused on Mongolia, has reported its first oil revenues in company history, marking a milestone in its long-delayed development of the Heron field, while simultaneously advancing a significant expansion into renewable energy.
For the six months to June 30, 2025, the group reported a narrowed loss of $1.7m, down from $2.56m a year earlier. Revenues were booked for the first time after crude production began at the Heron-1 well in Block XX in October 2024. Output averaged 165 barrels a day in the period, with a modest 3 per cent water cut.
Cash resources stood at $2.37m at the half-year, comprising $1.7m in cash and $0.67m in financial assets, up from $1.93m the year before. The company also strengthened its balance sheet through a £3m equity raise in July, issuing more than 370m shares at 0.8p each.
Proceeds will be used to reduce production costs at Heron-1 by connecting the well to the national electricity grid, fund well testing across Block XX, advance exploration at Block VII, and accelerate renewable energy projects.
Petro Matad potential tax liabilities
Petro Matad received $0.81m in net revenue for sales up to April 2025, at an average realised oil price of $62.9 per barrel. However, 30 per cent of sales proceeds were withheld by PetroChina, operator of neighbouring Block XIX and the company’s offtake partner, pending clarity on potential tax liabilities.
After pressure from Petro Matad and assurances from Mongolia’s tax authorities, PetroChina has indicated it will resume full payments once the sales agreement is amended. Subsequent payments for May, June and July production — totalling $0.33m — were received in the third quarter.
Chief executive Mike Buck said: “The start-up of production in Block XX in 2024 took far too long but we are delighted to have finally achieved it and now to be receiving oil sales revenue for the first time in the company’s history. We are hopeful that PetroChina’s withholding of 30 per cent of our sales revenue will soon be resolved.”
Diversification of energy portfolio
In parallel with first production, Petro Matad has sought to expand its asset base and diversify its energy portfolio. The company has revived farm-in discussions for Block XX and is now in detailed technical and commercial negotiations with a potential partner. In January it signed a production-sharing contract for Block VII in southern Mongolia, an acreage adjacent to producing fields across the Chinese border, with low initial financial commitments to limit upfront risk. A farmout process is under way to bring in a technically capable partner.
The company’s renewable energy arm, Sunsteppe, has signed an exclusive agreement to develop a 200MW hybrid wind and solar project connected to Mongolia’s national grid. Preparatory work has also begun on a much larger 1.5GW firm, plus 1.5GW contingent, renewables project in cooperation with Chinese utility SPIC. Petro Matad said some of the July fundraising proceeds will be directed towards bringing Sunsteppe’s projects to ready-to-build status.
Re-test of Heron-2 is underway
Field operations in the second half of 2025 will focus on well tests designed to boost Block XX production. A re-test of Heron-2 is under way, with testing of the Gazelle-1 and Gobi Bear-1 prospects to follow. The company is also finalising a grid connection for Heron-1 that is expected to cut operating costs by 15 per cent, replacing costly diesel with cheaper electricity.
Buck emphasised the importance of developing both sides of the business: “In the field we are working hard to complete our 2025 well test programme and at the same time, our renewables joint venture is growing into a potentially very valuable part of our business.”
He added that the company’s production crew was composed entirely of Mongolian nationals, most recruited from local communities, underscoring Petro Matad’s aim to embed itself within the country’s energy sector as it straddles fossil fuels and renewables.
By  Graeme Coles-Andrew

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Mongolia's forex reserves rise to 5.68 bln USD www.xinhuanet.com

Mongolia's foreign exchange reserves rose to 5.68 billion U.S. dollars as of the end of August, according to the country's central bank on Monday.
The figure increased by 5.64 percent compared to the previous month and by 3.15 percent since the beginning of this year, the Bank of Mongolia said in a statement.
Mongolia's central bank aims to increase the country's foreign exchange reserves to 6.5 billion U.S. dollars in the medium term.
The landlocked Asian country's forex reserves stood at 5.5 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2024, according to the central bank.

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