Mongolia Wins 18 Medals at International Robotics Competition www.montsame.mn

Mongolian athletes achieved outstanding results at the “Robot Challenge” international robotics competition, held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, from August 15 to 19, 2025, earning six gold, seven silver, and five bronze medals.
A Mongolian team consisting of over 100 participants competed in the tournament, including the Mongolian Robot Development Association, New Era, Mongol Temuulel, School No. 44 of Ulaanbaatar, Orkhon Empathy, and School No.2 of Khanbogd soum in Umnugobi aimag. Together, the team won a total of 18 medals, proudly uplifting Mongolia’s reputation on the world stage.
The competition featured 5,000 athletes from 42 countries. Participating for the fifth time since 2018, Mongolia’s national team secured its fourth victory in the “Robot Rugby” category, reaffirming its continued success.
Originally launched in Austria in 2004 and later hosted in China since 2017, the international robotics competition has expanded steadily over the years. Today, it stands as one of the world’s largest artificial intelligence robotics events, drawing participants from 82 countries.

PM: “SOEs Must Lead in Implementing the State Austerity Policy” www.montsame.mn

By the order of Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav, the Government was instructed to eliminate inefficient expenses and optimize the structure and staffing of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and factories. The Prime Minister met with officials from the “Erdenes Mongol” Group and its subsidiaries to review the results of the official directive.
Chief Executive Officer of the “Erdenes Mongol” Group, Narantsogt Sanjaa, introduced its change and reform plans to increase revenues and reduce expenses in three phases.
“Erdenet Mining Corporation” SOE aims to surpass its revenues by MNT 208 billion, while other subsidiary companies aim for an outperformance of MNT 95 billion. While the sales incomes of “Shivee Ovoo” and “Baganuur” companies reduced by MNT 32 billion, “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” postponed investment activities worth MNT 199 billion, “Erdenet Mining Corporation” worth MNT 320 billion, and others worth MNT 36 billion. In addition, “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” is estimated to cut down operational costs by MNT 1.3 billion, and others by MNT 45 billion.
Prime Minister Zandanshatar noted, “Improving the quality, accessibility, and productivity of public services is the Government’s priority. The public criticizes the superfluous structure and poor productivity of state-involved and -owned enterprises. Approximately 38,000 of the 188,000 citizens who submitted suggestions for the 2026 State Budget Draft poll proposed to dismantle SOEs, cut down wasteful costs, and reduce bloated structures. The Government will acknowledge and consider citizens’ constructive criticism and suggestions in its work.
The Erdenes Mongol Group is obligated to implement the constitutional article on the fair distribution of benefits from natural resources to the people. You have the potential to generate benefits worth up to MNT 4 trillion, which the revenue increase plan for 2025 must not reduce below.” The Premier reminded that SOEs must lead in implementing the State Austerity Policy.
Furthermore, reminding that the “Erdenes Mongol” Group must increase exports and tax contributions to the State Budget in 2026 to enrich the National Sovereign Wealth Fund, the Premier highlighted the importance of planning and managing processing factories and procurement activities within the Group.

U.S. Government Reaffirms Commitment to Mongolia’s Water Security www.gogo.mn

In Mongolia, a Russian nuclear physicist was detained on a "pile of uranium waste" www.eadaily.com

Russian nuclear physicist Andrei Ozharovsky was detained in Mongolia by employees of the local migration service and the police. He announced this in his telegram channel.
According to Ozharovsky, he was "arrested" for measuring radioactivity on a mountain of old radioactive waste.…
"So. The Migration Service of Mongolia, with the support of the police and two plainclothes types, found me on a pile of radioactive waste (how did they find me? were you watching the phone?). They took away my passport, which, I believe, deprived me of my freedom, at least freedom of movement. I asked to explain the reason for the detention. They couldn't (didn't want to) do it… The Mongolian authorities are guarding the old Soviet radioactive waste — that's exactly what it looks like, it's sad. But there has been no rudeness or violence (yet)..." he writes in your telegram channel.
According to his TC, the scientist arrived in Mongolia at the invitation of local environmental activists who are fighting uranium mining. The incident occurred during a survey of abandoned uranium quarries in the area of the Mardai deposit.

New batch of Bayad breed sheep delivered to Uzbekistan from Mongolia www.gazeta.uz

A new batch of 1,000 Bayad sheep was delivered by air from Mongolia to Uzbekistan, the Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Development Committee announced.
The animals were brought in for further breeding in Navoi and Bukhara regions. According to the committee, a total of 100,000 sheep are planned to be brought in by the end of the year: 60 flights to deliver 50,000 head by the end of October, and another 50,000 head in November-December.
After the visit of the president of Uzbekistan to Mongolia in June, chairperson of the Veterinary Committee Bahrom Norqobilov also visited this country. During the talks, the sides agreed to reduce the export duty on sheep and goats from $18 to $7.
Besides, supply contracts were signed with Mongolian companies Jargalant Sheep, West Point and Marble Meat. More than 40 Uzbekistan farms will take part in these agreements.
The countries also agreed on cooperation between 27 Mongolian meat-processing enterprises and Uzbekistan’s entrepreneurs. Uzbekistan plans to triple meat imports from Mongolia by 2026 to reach 3,000 tonnes.
The purchase of Bayad sheep from Mongolia began in January 2024, with the aim of developing the halal meat export market. Studies showed that the Bayad breed adapts well to the climate of Navoi region and can provide higher productivity when crossed with local breeds. Earlier, 1,000 head were brought to Bukhara region for the Buxoro Qorakol Sur 2020 farm.
According to a presidential decree issued on 17 July, 100,000 small ruminants are to be imported in 2025−2026, and the total livestock population is to be increased to 1 million head by 2029 through selective breeding work. The decree also provides for compensation of 50% of air transport costs for livestock imports between August and December 2027.
Uzbekistan and Mongolia signed a joint declaration in June establishing a comprehensive partnership, along with other agreements including cooperation in agriculture and animal husbandry.
Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture listed three factors driving up meat prices in Uzbekistan: slower global meat production, high demand in large importing countries and increasing feed and transport costs.
The Central Bank added that supply was limited due to export restrictions in neighboring countries and rising import prices. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan previously restricted livestock exports, while demand for meat imports are growing at record rates.

Household Monthly Income Rises by MNT 119,300 from 2024 www.montsame.mn

The average monthly household income has reached MNT 1.8 million, an increase of MNT 119,300 compared to the same period in 2024, according to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia.
Wages and salaries accounted for 57.9 percent of household income, pensions and allowances for 21.6 percent, agricultural production for 7.5 percent, other income for 7 percent, and non-agricultural production and services for 6 percent. Compared to 2024, the share of wages in household income has risen by 1.5 percentage points, and that of non-agricultural production and services by 0.2 points, while the share of pensions and allowances fell by 1.3 points, agricultural production by 0.2 points, and other income by 0.2 points.
By income group, households are distributed as follows:
- 76,400 households with an income below MNT 700,000,
- 233,200 households with an income between MNT 700,000 and 1.6 million,
- 308,600 households with an income between MNT 1.6 million and 3 million,
- 387,000 households with an income above MNT 3 million.
Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of households earning below MNT 700,000 decreased by 33,100; those earning between MNT 900,000 and 1.1 million by 17,500; between MNT 1.1 and 1.6 million by 7,700; between MNT 1.6 and 2.1 million by 2,700; and between MNT 2.1 and 3 million by 30,200. In contrast, the number of households earning between MNT 700,000 and 900,000 rose by 4,500; between MNT 3 and 4 million by 6,600; and above MNT 4 million by 89,700.
Among low-income households earning up to MNT 700,000, pensions and allowances make up 80.4 percent of total income, while among high-income households earning above MNT 2.1 million, wages and salaries account for 66.3 percent.
The average monthly household expenditure has reached MNT 2.8 million, an increase of MNT 324,500 compared to 2024. Of this, MNT 1.9 million was spent on non-food goods and services, MNT 515,900 on food products, MNT 301,000 on other expenses, and MNT 56,700 on gifts and assistance.
The share of food products in total household expenditure declined by 0.7 percentage points, while spending on non-food goods and services increased by 0.5 points, and gifts and assistance by 0.2 points.
Approximately 32.6 percent of food expenditure was on meat and meat products, 22.9 percent on cereals and flour products, 12.2 percent on dairy products and eggs, and 7.1 percent on vegetables, tubers, and leafy plants—together making up 74.7 percent of total food spending. Compared to 2024, the share of meat, dairy, and fruit in food expenditure rose, while cereals, vegetables, fats and oils, and sugar products declined.
Among non-food spending, 10.1 percent went to fuel, spare parts, and maintenance of vehicles; 7 percent to clothing and footwear; 6.4 percent to personal services; 6.2 percent to communications; 5.9 percent to medicines and medical services; and 3.7 percent to footwear.
By expenditure group:
- 29,100 households spent less than MNT 700,000,
- 226,200 households spent between MNT 700,000 and 1.6 million,
- 386,000 households spent between MNT 1.6 million and 3 million,
- 363,900 households spent above MNT 3 million.
Compared to 2024, the number of households with expenditures below MNT 700,000 decreased by 22,600; those spending between MNT 700,000 and 900,000 by 13,600; between MNT 900,000 and 1.1 million by 15,500; and between MNT 1.1 and 1.6 million by 28,500. However, households spending between MNT 1.6 and 2.1 million increased by 6,500; between MNT 2.1 and 3 million by 12,100; between MNT 3 and 4 million by 32,600; and above MNT 4 million by 38,500.
At the national level, food products account for 27.6 percent of the average expenditure of households spending up to MNT 700,000, while for households spending above MNT 2.1 million, food accounts for 17.2 percent and non-food goods and services for 71.5 percent.

New E-Platform to Receive Reports on Environmental Violations www.montsame.mn

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) is developing an electronic platform, waste.mecc.gov.mn, to receive reports on environmental violations.
The MECC’s Environmental Policy Implementation Department organized an online discussion as part of the efforts to implement the official “Directive on Some Actions to Be Implemented within 100 Days by the Government of Mongolia.” Based on participants’ suggestions, the platform for receiving reports is being developed, and a nationwide training session is scheduled for September 2025.
The introduction of this electronic system will enhance public oversight of environmental protection, ensure transparent reporting of environmental decisions, and provide the ability to view reports on an interactive map.
More than 45 representatives from seven organizations, including environmental departments of aimags and the Capital city, reservoir authorities, and administrations for special and land protection, participated in the discussion.

Mongolia issues bear warning after multiple reported sightings www.xinhuanet.com

Mongolia's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change on Tuesday issued a brown bear warning amid fear of potential harm to humans.
The warning came after multiple brown bear sightings were reported near residential areas across Mongolia's northern province of Darkhan-Uul between Aug. 14 and Aug. 15.
According to experts, bear attacks on livestock have increased in recent years due to climate change, food shortages, overexploitation of natural resources, and forest fires.
The ministry has urged residents of some provinces to protect themselves and livestock from potential attacks of brown bears.

Mongolia Q2 GDP Strongest in a Year www.tradingview.com

The gross domestic product of Mongolia expanded by 5.6% in the second quarter of 2025, accelerating from a 2.4% growth in the previous three-month period.
This marked the strongest economic growth since the second quarter of last year, mainly driven by a strong performance in the agricultural sector (3.6% vs 1% in Q1).
Additionally, production rose for industry and construction sectors (1% vs 0.4%), primarily in construction.
On the other hand, output in services moderated (0.7% vs 1.2%), as wholesale and retail (-0.7% vs -0.6%) and transportation (-0.6% vs -1.2%) continued to decline, while other services slowed (1.4% vs 2.4%).
On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, the country’s economy grew by 1.6% in Q2, following a 0.4% expansion in the preceding period.

Mongolian fintech AND Global raises $21.4m in Series B funding www.fintechfutures.com

Mongolian fintech company AND Global has secured $21.4 million in a Series B funding round led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Japanese financial group AEON Financial Service.
The investment round also drew participation from Marubeni Corporation, SBI Holdings, and Tokyo's Premium Group, and builds on the company's $15.3 million Series A in 2021.
Founded in 2015 and led by CEO Khos-Erdene Baatarkhuu, AND Global provides a range of financial services solutions for businesses through its proprietary Fintech-as-a-Service software, including digital lending solutions as well as custom credit scoring tools and document processing services.
The funding announcement comes shortly after AND Global's subsidiary LendMN secured $20 million in debt financing from London-based investment platform Lendable in April. LendMN, launched in 2017 as Mongolia's first digital lending fintech, now serves over 1.3 million registered users.
"Mongolia, as the most sparsely populated country, can greatly benefit from digital solutions to expand access to finance and services," states Matthieu Le Blan, IFC’s resident representative for Mongolia.
According to AND Global, the fresh capital will support the expansion of its AI-powered fintech solutions and will enable the company to broaden its product portfolio.
AND Global currently operates in 11 countries and employs 250 people across offices in Mongolia, Singapore, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand. 
About the Author
Cameron Emanuel-Burns is a reporter at FinTech Futures and is dedicated to enhancing the accessibility of fintech for a broader audience.