We took an interview from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Mongolia Dr. Borbala Anna Obrusanszky regarding Mongolia-Hungary relations and cooperation.

-How did you initially feel when you were appointed as the Ambassador to Mongolia?

-First of all, I am very happy to be representing my home country in Mongolia. My prior knowledge of the Mongolian language, history, and culture is helping me a lot in carrying out my duties as an ambassador.

-Hungarians and Mongolians are considered to be of the same origins. Quite a few words in Magyar, Mongolian, and Turkic languages are said to be similar. Could you tell us more about this?

-There are numerous chronicles about the reign of Hungarian kings during the Middle Ages, which tell about Hungarians being descended from the Hunnu people (Huns). Furthermore, one can come across certain information related to this from the people’s traditions. Results of historic and archeological studies and research have also proven how some groups of Huns that arrived in Europe from Mongolia once lived in the territory of modern Hungary.

Today, there are about 2,000 words that are similar in the lan­guages of Hungarian and Mongolian. One of Hungary’s well-known researchers, Bálint Gábor of Szentkatolna, had referred to it as the linguistic heritage of the Hunnu people.

In recent years, researchers of Hungary and the UK carried out a study on genetic links. However, it continues to be necessary for the ethnographic field to study many other similarities.

-Mongolia-Hungary rela­tions go back very early in history. What kind of artifacts are currently being kept in relation to the history of Mongolia?

-Hungarian travelers and clerics visited the territory where the Mongols resided during the Middle Ages. There are records of Mongols arriving in the European region in 1236. When Dominican friar Julianus went on a journey to meet with Magyars (Hungarians) that were left behind in Eastern Europe. During this journey, he reached the Volga River where he learned about a new empire called the Mongol Empire. In 1237, he wrote a full report titled ‘Epistola de vita Tartarorum’ about the empire’s people, and sent it to the Roman Pope. The report has recently been translated into Mongolian, and published in a scientific journal in Mongolia. It includes the letter sent by Batu Khan to King Béla of Hungary.

Bálint Gábor thoroughly stu­died the Mongolian language in 1870-1874, and later became one of the first Mongolists to visit Kalmykia and modern-day Ulaanbaatar. In 1877, Hungarian Count Béla Széchenyi organized a scientific expedition in Inner Mongolia and Northern China, while Count Jenő Zichy also organized an expedition which involved working in the territory of modern-day Ulaanbaatar over the course of a week. Collections in Hungary currently keep the documents and photographs from the journeys, awaiting to be further studied.

-The Mongol studies scene in Hungary is one of the largest research centers not only in Europe but also in the world. How has been the development of the Mongol studies field in Hungary recently?

-There are several institutions and organizations conducting studies about Mongolia in Hungary. Mongolian language courses are offered at three universities at the moment. The Institute of Mongolian Studies in Budapest mainly carries out studies and research on Buddhism and linguistics, while the Research Center for The Humanities at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences is studying artifacts tracing back to the Khitan Empire. Recently, an exhibition introducing Mongolian art and culture was also opened at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts in Budapest city.

In 2021, the Hungarian Research Institute and the Mon­golian Academy of Sciences renewed their cooperation, launching a joint archeological research project–which has become a new element in the field and a promising research work. The joint research project will continue to be implemented this year.

-In recent years, the two countries are actively working to expand bilateral relations and cooperation. What other new opportunities do you see for the development of coo­peration in the field?

-Regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, we actively worked to expand the Hungary-Mongolia cooperation in all sectors, reaching a certain result. In the field of culture and science, our Embassy has restored its traditional cooperation with Mongolian cultural and scientific organizations and established effective relations.

Scientific academies of the two countries have been cooperating for a long time, but joint research projects were relatively limited. In the spring of 2021, we renewed the agreements established between the Archaeological Institutes. With aims to support bilateral scientific cooperation, a meeting was organized for authorities of the scientific institutes that implemented joint projects with Hungary in November 2021 as part of the Hungarian Science Festival. The two sides are willing to implement joint projects and programs, and we saw the need for cooperation between the institutes. In this time where bilateral scientific relations are expanding, I am confident that Mongolian doctoral students who are studying in Hungary will play a decisive role.

-Since the beginning of this year, the two sides signed several major documents, including a Memorandum of Understanding on jointly creating film, film studios and training...

-Cooperation in the film industry is one of the main cultural cooperation fields of our two countries. Within this frame, we aim to implement some projects. It is possible to make international feature and documentary films showing the shared history between the Hungarian and Mongolian peoples. Also, we are ready to share our experience in film arts.

The first Hungarian-Mongolian-British film, co-produced by the three countries, is expected to be screened later next year.

-Scholarships of the Hungarian Government for Mongolian students play an important role in strengthening mutual understanding. The President of Mongolia emphasized the importance of continuing this program?

-Since 2016, the Government of Hungary has been providing scholarships to 200 Mongolian students each year. The ‘Stipendium Hungaricum’ program is becoming very popular among students, with over 900 students applying this year. Moreover, our Embassy is working to create opportunities for Hungarian and Mongolian students and researchers to have mutual learning and training as part of the cooperation between universities.

-What cultural programs are being planned in the near future?

-We will be organizing the ‘Cultural Days of Hungary’ in Ulaanbaatar on May 13-14. During the event, Hungarian folk song, music and dance perfor­mances will be presented. There is also a great opportunity for us to show the Hungarian Oscar-winning film in cinemas and cook traditional food. We get a lot of help from Hungarian alumni in Mongolia and I would like to use this opportunity to express gratitude to them.

-What do you think are the opportunities for developing economic relations and cooperation between Mongolia and Hungary?

-When the Hungarian Embassy in Mongolia closed in 2006, many valuable business relations were severed–so that relationship needed to be rekindled. Since my appointment as Ambassador, the volume of exports from Hungary to Mongolia has increased significantly as a result of the efforts of our team.

Last year, the figure was at 58 percent. I am confident that bilateral cooperation will continue to expand. Recently, we have been building relations between companies on trading wool, cashmere, and raw materials that are of interest to Hungary.

-What is the current progress on launching regular direct flights between the two countries?

-Air transport negotiations between the two countries are underway. After that, it is up to the airlines to decide whether to operate flights. With nearly 2,000 students and thousands of Mongolian people living in Hungary, I believe it may be worth considering the new route.

-Are there any high-level visits planned in the near future?

-As Mongolia always occupies an important position in Hun­gary’s foreign relations, the relations will be further strengthened. The Hungarian side hopes to continue holding high-level and sectoral meetings as well as regular meetings of government commis­sions.

The two countries work together in many fields. We hope that economic cooperation, such as in food and agriculture, water management, light industry, and pharmaceuticals, will play an even more important role in the future. However, we also want to further develop our cooperation in other fields, such as culture, science, and higher education, based on promising fields such as cinematography and archeology.

-I am confident that your first impressions of Mongolia and the Mongolian people will be interesting for our readers.

-Since I traveled to Mongolia in 1993, I have been connected with the country for almost 30 years now. As far as I know, Mongolians are very hospitable people, we have a lot in common, and maybe that's why I got used to life in Mongolia very easily. Like our Hungarians, the people are able to quickly learn, and adapt to new technologies. I love traveling to the countryside to explore Mongolia's unique natural formations and cultural treasures. I also recently wrote and published a handbook for Hungarians called ‘Mongolian Tourism’.

It is always great to look back on my university years. Mongolian and English students and teachers back then were very helpful and I was able to easily overcome the difficulties related to my studies. Thanks to these fond memories, I always see Mongolia in a positive light.

But there are also problems for foreigners coming here to work. Harsh weather is one of the difficult challenges people face. It is also difficult for foreigners to get used to fatty meat and foods, but fortunately, Mongolian food has changed for the better in the last decade. The only thing that is hindering our work now is traffic congestion. As congestion "steals" many hours of a person's life, I personally want the issue to be addressed in the near future.

The interview was published in the Mongol Messenger weekly newspaper on May 6

For more than a month, Sandeep Mall's engineering goods factory next to the Indian capital, Delhi, has been facing crippling power cuts, sometimes up to 14 hours a day.

The 50-odd machines in the factory located in a major manufacturing hub in Faridabad make products for aeronautics, automobile, mining and construction industries.

"Every time the power goes off, the machines stop, the semi-finished products get rejected and we have to start all over again," Mr Mall says.

That happens when he fires up diesel-powered generators to keep the factory running. He says it is three times as expensive to run it on diesel than what he pays to the local power transmission authority.

"This erodes my competitiveness, cuts into my profits. It's a complete mess, and is very frustrating," Mr Mall says.

"These are the worst power cuts I have faced in over a decade."

Beginning in April, power cuts and outages have rippled across India, slowing factories, closing schools, and sparking demonstrations. Two in three households said they were facing power outages, according to more than 21,000 people in 322 districts surveyed by LocalCircles, a polling agency. One in three households reported outages of two hours or more each day.

At least nine states, including Haryana, where Mr Mall's factory is located, are suffering from prolonged outages. The main reason why electricity is in such short supply is a shortage of coal.

India is the world's second-largest producer and consumer of coal. The fossil fuel keeps the country's lights on: three-quarters of the electricity produced uses coal. India sits atop the world's third-highest reserves of coal and boasts of the world's largest coal mining company but per person consumption is still modest.

Why India can't live without coal

India imports a little under a quarter of its consumption: much of it is coking coal which is used in blast furnaces for making steel and is not available domestically. Yet there are perpetual shortages.

Last October, India teetered on the brink of a power crisis when stocks at more than half of the country's 135 coal-fired plants ran critically low, or below 25% of normal levels. Now coal stocks are said to be critically low in 108 of its 173 power plants. The war in Ukraine means global prices of coal and natural gas have soared, making imports unaffordable.

"This crisis is worse than what it was last year as the demand is actually high. A perfect storm has built up now, and there are many reasons to blame," says Rahul Tongia, a senior fellow with the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), a Delhi-based think tank.

Average temperatures in northern and central India have been the highest in more than 120 years

An earlier-than-expected searing heatwave - average temperatures in April in northern and central India were the highest in more than 120 years - has pushed demand for electricity to record levels. This came on top of an uptick in demand following the reopening of the economy after two years of pandemic lockdowns.

Also, India's railways were again carrying more passenger traffic on shared tracks with freight, leading to fewer wagons hauling coal across the country.

India says coal will be mainstay in leaked report

"It is not that India is running out of coal in an absolute sense. We are essentially facing a stockpile problem, and it is not new. We have a system designed around managing scarcity and linkages. It's not designed for efficiency, nor for proper risk allocation," says Mr Tongia.

Demand for electricity is seasonal, and building a stockpile costs more money and is time-consuming, experts say. India has traditionally reinforced supplies by importing coal. "One cannot easily fix under stock-piling over months with over-supply," says Mr Tongia.

The government says it is doing all it can do to ensure supplies. Coal India, the world's largest coal miner, has increased production by 12%, "strengthening India's energy security", according to the federal coal ministry. It also despatched 49.7 million metric tonnes of coal to the power generating companies in April, a 15% rise over the same month last year. The railways have cancelled more than a thousand passenger trains to transport more coal to fuel-starved plants.

Coal generates ample revenues for the federal and state governments. But the "dysfunctional" relationship between coal and electricity in India doesn't help matters, according to Daljit Singh, an energy expert at CSEP. India's power plants procure coal "through multiple channels with a bewildering array of pricing regimes", he says.

The price that a plant pays for the same coal at the same location could vary, depending on whether the plant is owned privately or by the government, the date when it was commissioned and the existence of "power purchase agreements" with a large number of electricity distribution companies, many of which are groaning under debt.

"The approach is tilted in favour of power plants owned by the governments," he says.

Wind and solar now supply 10% of world electricity

The railways, which is India's largest employer, over-charges on ferrying coal - the largest commodity it hauls - to keep passenger fares down. This is just one example, says Mr Tongia, "of numerous distortions that create winners and losers in the coal ecosystem, making change much harder than what it would be based solely on the fundamentals".

India has promised to increase renewable-energy capacity to 450 gigawatts by 2030 to help wean itself off the dependence on coal. "But the rise of renewables hasn't been sufficient to end the growth of coal. India's priority should be to clean up its coal instead of wishing it away, says Mr Tongia. Yet, India's coal is high in ash - about 35% or more - which makes it very polluting. Coal emissions, according to Greenpeace, kill more than 100,000 Indians every year.

Back in Faridabad, Mr Mall says he has never seen a single day of uninterrupted power supply ever since his small factory began operations 27 years ago. But the ongoing blackouts has left him completely exhausted.

"This is no way to do business. After the jobs we generate and taxes we pay, this is what we get?"

Mongolia exported a total of 3.8 million tons of coal in the first four months of this year, down 48 percent year on year, Mongolian Customs General Administration said on Monday.

The significant decrease is related to border restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.

Coal is Mongolia's main export commodity.

Mongolia has planned to export at least 36 million tons of coal in 2022, according to the authority.

The Asian country, which is rich in natural resources, exported 15.9 million tons of coal in 2021, down 44.3 percent year on year, according to Mongolian Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry.

38 new COVID-19 infections have been detected in Mongolia in the past 24 hours, according to the country's health statistics database.

31 of them were recorded in Ulaanbaatar, and 7 cases were detected in regions of the country.

One death linked to the coronavirus was registered in Mongolia during the day. The death toll from COVID-19 reached 2,111.

China has released a batch of datasets from the payloads installed on Chang'e-5 probe, according to the China National Space Administration on Saturday.

The payloads include a landing camera, a panoramic camera, a lunar mineralogical spectrometer and a lunar regolith penetrating radar, said the CNSA.

Public users can visit the website of China's Lunar and Planetary Data Release System (http://moon.bao.ac.cn) to obtain the datasets, the CNSA added.

The Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a returner, was launched on Nov 24, 2020. The return capsule landed in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Dec 17, 2020, retrieving a total of 1,731 grams of lunar samples, mainly rocks and soil from the moon's surface.

With a soft loan of USD 41 million for financing, the World Bank, the International Development Association, and the Government of Mongolia are jointly implementing the Ulaanbaatar Heating Sector Improvement Project from 2021 to 2025. Construction works to be carried out in the framework of the project kicked off at ‘Thermal Power Plant-3’ JSC on May 5.

The project’s implementation is expected to ensure the completion of the government’s mid-term program for the energy sector. More specifically, the project will create the technical capacity to have apartment complexes and facilities, that are planned to be built as part of the plans to redevelop ger district areas in the capital city, to be connected to central heating. It will also improve the stable operations of the central heating system, highlighted Minister of Energy N.Tavinbekh.

The Government of Mongolia is paying special attention to energy production, supply, and investment in strategically important sectors. As the number of Ulaanbaatar city residents continue to grow, thermal power usage has been increasing by 5-6 percent each year.

Country Manager for World Bank Andrei Mikhnev highlighted that the Ulaanbaatar Heating Sector Improvement Project aims to extend the central heating system and improve its efficiency.

Studies have found that it will become possible for about 10 thousand more households to be connected to the central heating system, and 347 MW of thermal power to be saved once the project is completed.

Furthermore, the efficiency of heat supply is expected to be improved as the capacity of pipelines will be increased by 1.5 times, and water loss within the system is reduced by 1.2 percent through the project.

With a focus on ensuring the sustainability of the heating system, the project will also create an opportunity to eliminate the usage of small coal-fired boilers, reducing coal and carbon emissions substantially.

In the framework of the project, 12.8 km of pipelines located in six districts of the capital city will be replaced, and construction work will be carried out for the extension of three pumping stations.

Speaker of the State Great Khural G.Zandanshatar received Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Kim Young-joo on May 5.

Director of the Parliamentary Research Institute at the Secretariat of the State Great Khural Ts.Tsogzolmaa, Head of the Representative’s Office of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Min Seong-muo, and representative of business owners in the construction, infrastructure, and public transportation sectors of South Korea were present at the meeting.

Member of the National Assembly Kim Young-joo, who previously served as the Minister of Employment and Labor of the ROK, puts special emphasis on expanding regional foreign relations and cooperation in a wide range of areas, encouraging woman’s participation and leadership in society.

Within the framework of her visit, the South Korean parliament member put forward numerous initiatives to support and cooperate with women, including the members of the Social Democracy Mongolian Women's Association, and expressed commitment to organizing joint training on the target topic.

The KOTRA representative also suggested strengthening multilateral economic cooperation and effectively implementing projects and programs to increase trade turnover and investment. Specifically, they expressed their support for the development of free economic zone by helping connect companies and entities that are interested in investing in Mongolia.

Expressing gratitude for supporting the development of relations between the two countries, and contributing to women’s empowerment in the country, Speaker G.Zandanshatar affirmed support for further strengthening the cooperation.

During the meeting, a representative of RHP Co. Ltd. gave information on construction projects that were implemented in the Korean public transportation sector, and their latest technology and solutions. Discussions were also held on the advantages and features of LRT (light rail transit) – one of the key solutions that are being considered to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.

The sides agreed to further expand bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation, and provide mutual support in increasing foreign trade and investment.

For the very first time, discussions have begun to take place for establishing a hydropower plant in Mongolia with the investment of private entities. The plant in question is the Chargait Hydropower Plant that is currently being planned to be built near one of the largest rivers of Mongolia - the Delgermurun River located 28 km from Tosontsengel soum, and 50 km from the centre of Khusvgul aimag.

However, the Chargait HPP project is not a completely new project that was recently launched. Corresponding studies began to be carried out in 2008, and its feasibility study was conducted by Mongolian scholars in 2012. After five years in 2017, the Energy Regulatory Commission of Mongolia issued the special permission for constructing the hydropower plant, and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism also did a general assessment for the plant. As 13 years have already passed while making contact with investors and discussing cooperation with construction companies, it became necessary to conduct a new feasibility study. Currently, the ‘Chargait Hydropower Plant’ company is working to have the project acknowledged by international financial organisations.

Delgermurun River - Tumurbulag soum, Khuvsgul aimag

With a capacity of 24.6 megawatts, the hydropower plant is expected to have a significant role in supplying energy for not only the local area, but also in the Central Energy System. By operating at only half of its full capacity, it will be able to fully supply the electricity demand in Mongolia’s most populous aimag - Khuvsgul, explained the project team.

As the country’s population continues to grow rapidly, the issue concerning the supply of energy from a reliable source is becoming that much of an important issue. Mongolia is considered as one of the countries with energy systems that are heavily reliant on coal. The energy sector produces two thirds of the greenhouse gases being produced in the country, which also has an impact on public health due to its contribution to air pollution. It is apparent that the aforementioned statistics will continue to grow if we are not able to take the correct step by finding an environmentally friendly solution. And it is for this exact reason that special attention needs to be paid to the renewable energy sector.

Currently, the country produces 80 percent of its demand for electricity, while importing the rest from its two neighbours. Over 90 percent of the domestically produced energy is made up of thermal power plants that run on coal. In contrast, energy produced by hydropower plants has yet to make up a single percent.

Alongside making its own contributions to domestic energy production, the Chargait Hydropower Plant will play a crucial role in having a positive effect on local infrastructure, increasing job opportunities, reducing greenhouse gases, and in keeping ecological balance and rehabilitation. By storing flood water partially or fully, it also reduces the potential danger of flooding and creates a more favourable weather condition for the area as the level of humidity will increase due to the reservoir.

Location of the Chargait Hydropower Plant

Aside from becoming a global trend, reducing coal-based energy production has become a part of the development policies for various countries. And it is good news that private entities have begun to make their contributions to diversifying energy production in the country. Works to attract investors to the Chargait Hydropower Plant project and select contractor companies specialised in the field are currently underway.

A part of the plan to fully supply the domestic demand for energy and eliminate the sector’s dependence will be met following the launch of the Chargait Hydropower Plant’s operations. Currently, 11 small hydropower stations are operated during warmer seasons due to weather conditions, and two medium-scale hydropower plants - Taishir Hydropower Plant and Durgun Hydropower Plant are producing energy within its capacity all-year round.

Included in the country’s plans for development, the Chargait Hydropower Plant will help balance the load of the ever-increasing electricity demand for 60 years according to currently available studies.

To reach the objective of reducing greenhouse gases by 14 percent by 2030, Mongolia is paying a fair bit of attention to replacing the current method of coal-based energy production with renewable energy. One of the top solutions for producing energy without the emission of greenhouse gases is hydropower plants. And for this exact reason, the Government of Mongolia has announced that the construction of energy production structures based on nuclear energy and hydrogen will be supported by state policy. In fact, the government will implement a comprehensive policy supporting the launch of large-scale hydropower plants and increasing the sector’s role in the economy in order to fully supply the domestic demand for energy. Each year, the country spends over MNT 400 billion on importing energy. The mining company, Oyu Tolgoi alone sources power amounting to USD 110-120 million from China.

Considering the ever-increasing energy consumption as well as its economic impact, many sources of energy production are required for Mongolia. With all thermal power plants based on raw coal, and a large percentage of households in the capital city using refined fuel for heating, it is absolutely necessary for Mongolia to diversify its energy sources. On top of the significant imbalance between the production capacity and demand for heating and electricity, the current situation with thermal power plants having to halt operations time and time again demands the establishment of new energy sources. Attracting foreign investment and fully supplying the domestic demand - the renewable energy sector also needs to have a long-term plan for exporting energy. And a part of that plan would be realised with the implementation of the Chargait Hydropower Plant project.

As of today, 20.2 million dams (72.4 percent of a total 27.9 million) have delivered offspring nationwide, with a survival rate currently at 99.1 percent.

The offspring delivery rate is at 80.9 percent in the western region, 76.1 percent in the Khangai region, 67.0 percent in the central and 69.5 percent in the eastern region, reports the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.

Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) announced Friday it has produced a first batch of high purity scandium oxide at its commercial scale demonstration plant in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. This makes RTFT the first North American producer of the critical mineral, used in solide oxide fuel cells and in aluminium alloys.

RTFT has completed commissioning activities, and is now focusing on production ramp up to bring the plant to its nameplate capacity of three tonnes of scandium oxide per year, representing approximately 20% of the global market.

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The plant uses an innovative process developed by RTFT to extract high purity scandium oxide from the waste streams of titanium dioxide production, without the need for any additional mining.

The company said it is also considering near-term expansion options to increase production capacity in line with market demand.

“We are very proud of this first production of scandium oxide. This is a key milestone in the development of a secure supply of scandium, demonstrating our ability to de-risk the global supply chain for this critical mineral,” Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium managing director Stéphane Leblanc said in a media statement.

“With this breakthrough process creating value from waste, Rio Tinto Fer et Titane’s ambition is to become a key supplier in the global scandium market,” said Leblanc. “Our employees brought this project from the drawing board to commercial demonstration in less than two years.”

Scandium oxide is used to improve the performance of solid oxide fuel cells, which are used as a power source for data centres and hospitals, as well as in niche products such as lasers and lighting for stadiums or studios. It is also used to produce high-performance aluminium-scandium alloys for the aerospace, defence and 3D printing industries.