1 GOVERNMENT TO FORMALLY APPROACH RIO TINTO, OYU TOLGOI TO SAFEGUARD NATIONAL INTEREST WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      2 NON-COMPLIANT ADVERTISING BILLBOARDS TO BE REMOVED WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      3 FROM TORONTO, CANADA TO PHU QUOC, VIETNAM: MONGOLIA’S BOLD 2026 AVIATION EXPANSION INCLUDES NEW FLIGHTS, VISA-FREE TRAVEL, AND AIRPORT UPGRADES! WWW.TRAVELANDTOURWORLD.COM PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      4 MONGOLIA TO MARK 820TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREAT MONGOL EMPIRE WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      5 PARLIAMENT SUPPORTS SOLAR GER INITIATIVE UNDER NEW REGULATORY REFORMS WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      6 MONGOLIA TO PURCHASE 710 THOUSAND TONS OF GASOLINE FROM RUSSIA WWW.OPEN.KG PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      7 ULAANBAATAR TO INSTALL 11.7 KM OF STORM DRAINS AT 19 SITES WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2026/01/09      8 BUILDING MONGOLIA'S NEW, OLD CAPITAL AT KHARKHORUM WWW.THEDIPLOMAT.COM PUBLISHED:2026/01/08      9 BACKED BY INDONESIAN TYCOON, THIS LISTED FIRM RUSHES TO ACQUIRE A MONGOLIAN MINE WWW.CNBCINDONESIA.COM PUBLISHED:2026/01/08      10 PREPARATORY WORK LAUNCHED TO BRING THE BORTEEG DEPOSIT INTO ECONOMIC CIRCULATION WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2026/01/08      УЛААНБААТАРТ ӨНДӨР ТЕХНОЛОГИЙН ХОЁР ҮЙЛДВЭР БАЙГУУЛЖ, УСАН ХАНГАМЖИЙГ 80 ХУВИАР НЭМЭГДҮҮЛЛЭЭ WWW.GOGO.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     ХУУЛЬ БУС ЭЗЭМШИЛД БАЙСАН 15 БАРИЛГА БАЙГУУЛАМЖИЙГ НИЙСЛЭЛД БУЦААН АВЧЭЭ WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     МОНГОЛ УЛСАД 37 097 ГАДААД ИРГЭН ОРШИН СУУХ БҮРТГЭЛТЭЙ БАЙНА WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     ҮСХ: 12 ДУГААР САРЫН ИНФЛЯЦ 7.5 ХУВЬТАЙ ГАРЛАА WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     2026 ОНД НИЙСЛЭЛД ХЭРЭГЖИХ ТОМООХОН БҮТЭЭН БАЙГУУЛАЛТУУД WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     ДУЛААНЫ ТАРИФ НЭМЭГДҮҮЛЭХ ШИЙДВЭРИЙГ ХОЙШЛУУЛЖ, 2027 ОНЫ НЭГДҮГЭЭР САРЫН 1-НЭЭС НЭМНЭ WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     НИЙГМИЙН ДААТГАЛЫН ӨР ТӨЛБӨРТ ТООЦОЖ, "КАПИТАЛ" БАНКНААС ХУРААСАН ХӨРӨНГИЙГ ДУУДЛАГААР ХУДАЛДАНА WWW.GOGO.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/09     НИЙСЛЭЛИЙН 19 БАЙРШИЛД 11.7 КМ АВТО ЗАМЫН БОРООНЫ УС ЗАЙЛУУЛАХ ШУГАМ УГСАРНА WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/08     "БНХАУ-ЫН НЭГ КОМПАНИТАЙ ШАТАХУУНЫ ГЭРЭЭ БАЙГУУЛСАН" WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/08     ЕРӨНХИЙ САЙД Г.ЗАНДАНШАТАР “РИО ТИНТО-Д ХАТУУ ШААРДЛАГА ХҮРГҮҮЛНЭ WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2026/01/08    

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Events

Events

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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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Policy to ‘strangle’ construction companies www.ubpost.mn

Over the past decade, Mongolia’s construction sector has developed rapidly, becoming one of the main drivers of the national economy, as many studies have shown. Across the country, new residential zones have been added, and satellite cities and sub-center projects have been pushed forward with investments from both the government and the private sector.
Expanding the capital city through sub-centers to reduce traffic congestion, ease the burden on public services like hospitals, schools, and kindergartens, and to decentralize the population is the right approach. However, a key issue that arises is the level of participation of national manufacturers and businesses in the ongoing projects and programs.
This has become a constant topic of contention and debate. Every construction effort involves taxpayer money to some degree, and more importantly, it affects the livelihoods, jobs, and future of many thousands of people and national industries.
Nevertheless, industry insiders have long criticized that the space for domestic producers and contractors in the construction sector is shrinking year by year, and the government itself is allegedly implementing a covert policy of exclusion and suppression. “The moment something starts, there's a desire to buy goods and services from abroad.”
According to the National Statistics Office, over 200 large and small building materials factories are registered and operating in Mongolia. They produce cement, bricks, lightweight blocks, glass, steel, insulation materials, and rebar, among others. Many of these have the capacity to supply up to 500,000 tons of products annually, yet they reportedly cannot participate fully in national projects and developments. Experts in the field say that the tender requirements for government and concession projects do not match the real capabilities of domestic manufacturers.
They note, “Government agencies usually require companies to supply around one million tons of product per year in contracts. There are barely any factories in Mongolia with that kind of experience or capacity, which simply opens the door for foreign suppliers. In other words, while giving preferential treatment to foreign companies, the government fails to support domestic producers through policy. Even though they are aware of the financial and technological limitations and capacity issues of local companies, the tender criteria are excessively high—this is what leads to these criticisms. Furthermore, due to lack of investment, bank loans, and government support, the competitiveness of domestic factories continues to decline. The hidden ‘suppressive policy’ that some authorities practice has significantly hindered the development of the sector.”
As a result, this sector, which has a 99-year history, has not yet stabilized. Domestic production remains unstable, and the market is still heavily dependent on imports. National producers and contractors often submit complete documentation for tenders in the capital and provinces but are frequently excluded on grounds such as “lack of experience, weak financial capacity, or insufficient production scale”.
These factories and companies provide jobs to many people and try to compete fairly in the industry. But they are often mocked as “wannabes,” while both public and private institutions clearly show a strong preference for buying goods and services from abroad at the earliest opportunity.
At the recent “Barilga Expo 2025” one manufacturer said, “Not all national manufacturers are of poor quality, and not all foreign companies are excellent either. But lately, the capital city’s road, building, and other construction projects have started employing more foreign workers—especially contractors from China and other countries. The reason again comes down to tenders. Our authorities now frequently announce international tenders. We’re not denying the value of foreign investment, manpower, construction quality, or technical capacity. But currently, there are about 17,000 companies registered in Mongolia’s construction sector, of which only half are active. Over 70 percent of those are small to medium enterprises with fewer than 50 employees. Think of how many lives depend on them. The government claims to support SMEs, but in reality, it continues to suppress them. Even the ‘Barilga Expo’ itself now clearly reflects this.”
9.1 trillion MNT circulating in construction sector
Even the “Barilga Expo”, which is supposed to help companies introduce and sell their products and services to the public, has, they say, fallen into foreign hands. This major construction event took place from September 12 to 14 at the “Buyant-Ukhaa” Sports Palace. In recent years, the event has grown into an international exhibition. At this 38th edition, around 60 companies from more than 30 countries—such as China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and Turkey—participated to promote their products and services.
According to presentations at the expo, the volume of construction and major repair work increased from 7.5 trillion MNT in 2023 to 9.1 trillion MNT last year. At the 37th Barilga Expo held in April this year, around 400 companies participated, but only about 100 of them were Mongolian. This was criticized at the time as well.
Therefore, many suggested that exhibition space should be allocated more equitably to national manufacturers and that more attention should be paid to local companies. It is quite disappointing that the only major event that showcases the current state of Mongolia’s construction sector is now dominated by foreigners.
Although the goal is to promote and showcase domestic products and services, it has long turned into a chaotic affair under a nice name. According to last year’s data from the National Statistics Office, around 96,000 people worked in the construction sector, earning an average monthly salary of two million MNT.
The majority of essential building materials in the market are imported. Only cement production met about 60 to 70 percent of domestic demand. Most other materials were imported from China. Moreover, the participation of national companies in the construction sector was relatively low. The National Statistics Office’s report, “Construction Sector Overview,” states that about half of the construction and housing project work was carried out by foreign companies.
Researchers say that even Mongolia’s largest companies have been downsized and are increasingly being forced into the small and medium enterprise (SME) category.
Will we celebrate 100 years of construction with this outlook next year? 
According to statisticians, the main challenges facing national manufacturers are multifaceted and clearly have a significant impact—both directly and indirectly—on the development of the construction sector.
As mentioned earlier, there has been continued criticism regarding the lack of access to project and development tenders for domestic companies. The Mongolian Builders’ Association has held multiple press conferences demanding greater involvement for national producers.
They argue that unless the government implements a consistent policy to support domestic manufacturers, the market will soon be monopolized by a handful of large corporations, pushing out small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Therefore, they insist on adjusting tender thresholds and requirements to match the real capabilities of national companies, increasing their access to major projects, and maintaining market balance by mandating a set quota for domestic businesses in government procurement. Otherwise, Mongolia’s construction sector will enter its 100th anniversary next year—and likely the years that follow—with this same grim outlook. In developing countries like ours, government policy plays a crucial role in supporting national industries.
For example, Kenya’s National Construction Authority operates with the purpose of supporting small and medium-sized manufacturers. It provides training for construction companies, implements professional development programs, and enables them to participate in tenders—focusing on building their competitiveness.
Similarly, Tanzania’s National Construction Council, funded by the national budget, also enforces policies that support domestic production. The council sets quality and safety standards for the construction sector, works to improve workforce skills, and supports SMEs to ensure sustainable development within the sector.
 Russia is considered a good international example for implementing various supportive measures for construction companies—such as offering flexible loans, tax incentives, lowering mortgage interest rates, and increasing state-backed investments.

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Draft Budget 2026 Includes Funding for 579 Projects and Programs www.montsame.mn

In accordance with the Prime Minister’s official instruction, dated July 25, 2025, “On Certain Urgent Measures to be Taken by the Government,” Deputy Prime Minister Dorjkhand Togmid presented a plan to improve public procurement and promptly organize it in compliance with law and regulations at the Cabinet meeting on September 10, 2025.
Following the presentation, the general budget governors were instructed to organize the public procurement for new projects and programs promptly in line with the plan. The 2026 draft State Budget Law, submitted to the Parliament, includes funding for a total of 579 projects and programs through state budget investment, comprising 149 new projects to be implemented in 2026 and 430 continuing projects from the previous year, across the budget portfolios of 26 general budget governors.
According to the list approved by the Government, the general budget governor will be able to organize the public procurement expeditiously by immediately submitting the necessary supporting documents, such as the design drawings and estimates, feasibility study calculations, technical specifications, scope of work, and other required materials to the State Procurement Agency.

 

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Gold purchase by Mongolia's central bank drops 19.5 pct www.xinhuanet.com

The Bank of Mongolia said Thursday that its purchase of gold dropped by 19.5 percent in the first nine months of 2025 compared with the same period last year.
The country's central bank has purchased a total of 9.8 tons of gold from legal entities and individuals in the January-September period.
As of September, the average price of gold per gram purchased by the Bank of Mongolia was 421,178 Mongolian tugriks (117.2 U.S. dollars).
Purchasing gold is a major way to protect wealth against inflation and economic uncertainty and to ensure the country's economic stability by consistently increasing foreign currency reserves, said the bank.

 

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Ecosystem Resilience Project Concludes, Adding 1.2 Million Hectares of Protected Land www.montsame.mn

The project “Ensuring Mongolia’s Ecosystem Resilience and Stability,” a seven-year initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility and jointly implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2019 to 2025, has been concluded.
The project focused on reducing forest degradation, conserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable livelihoods across some of Mongolia’s most ecologically significant and climate-vulnerable areas. These included the Sayan-Khangai Mountain Range covering the Tarvagatai and Bukhmurun Mountains and the Southern Gobi region, spanning the Ulaan Shalyn Valley and Zakhui-Zarmanguin Gobi.
At the closing workshop, held on September 29 in Ulaanbaatar, more than 100 participants, including government officials, local authorities, scientists, civil society organizations, private sector representatives, and the project beneficiaries, reviewed the project’s outcomes, shared lessons from the field, and discussed ways to sustain its achievements through strengthened collaboration and partnerships.
The project significantly expanded Mongolia’s network of protected areas, bringing 1.2 million hectares across 20 sites under state protection, moving the country closer to its goal of safeguarding 30 to 35 percent of its territory by 2030–2050. It restored habitats for rare and endangered species, including the Siberian ibex, red deer, Mongolian marmot, and red squirrel. At the same time, the project introduced innovative pasture management practices that reduced livestock numbers in project areas by 30 percent without harming herders’ incomes.
Furthermore, the project strengthened the legal and institutional framework for environmental conservation and enhanced the capacity of local authorities and communities to manage natural resources sustainably.
At the event, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Batbaatar Bat highlighted the project’s role in advancing Mongolia’s green development agenda, stating, “By expanding protected areas, restoring rare species, and introducing innovative pasture management practices, we are laying the foundation for a greener, more resilient Mongolia that benefits both people and nature.”
Governors from Zavkhan, Gobi-Altai, Arkhangai, and Bayankhongor aimags, where the project was implemented, underscored the importance of continuing community-led conservation efforts, noting that they have strengthened both environmental protection and local resilience.
UNDP Resident Representative Matilda Dimovska noted, “The success of this project shows what is possible when governments, communities, and development partners work hand in hand. Protecting ecosystems while improving livelihoods is not only achievable but essential for building a sustainable future for Mongolia.”

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GrabMaps partners Tino to build advanced digital map of Mongolia www.technode.global

GrabMaps, Southeast Asia’s hyperlocal mapping service, is partnering with Tino, Mongolia’s superapp, to build an advanced digital map of Mongolia.
This milestone marks GrabMaps’ first mapping partnership of a country outside Southeast Asia, Grab said in a statement on Thursday.
This also represents a milestone for Tino, launched by TESO Investment, which will harness GrabMaps’ technology to enable ride-hailing, delivery, tourism and ecommerce services in Mongolia.
GrabMaps is an enterprise service provider of hyperlocal mapmaking technology and location data solutions offering precise, refreshed and comprehensive maps that are enabled by artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data collection.
Its technology was first built to enable on-demand services offered by Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading superapp.
Leveraging its experience in Southeast Asia, GrabMaps is tailored for the needs of fast-developing regions.
It will offer Tino mapping hardware and software solutions that are both cost effective and designed to keep pace with the speed of change and infrastructure development on the ground.
Tino and GrabMaps will together map Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, before expanding into other cities.
Jointly branded vehicles, installed with GrabMaps’ proprietary mapmaking hardware KartaCam 2 and KartaDashCam, will be seen across the city as they collect mapping data and high-quality street-level imagery.
Rich data on road networks, street names and POIs, as well as traffic lights, stop signs, speed limits and more, will be captured by GrabMaps’ hardware before being processed by its robust mapmaking data pipeline to create a detailed map of Mongolia that is frequently refreshed and rich in data.
GrabMaps will develop local maps for Tino with its mapmaking software suite and provide on-demand map services APIs to power Tino’s superapp.
These include geocoding and routing APIs, which will enable more precise geolocation capabilities, address capture for undermapped areas, and enhanced navigation accuracy.
GrabMaps’ technology will support Tino’s own taxi and delivery services when they are launched later this year.
GrabMaps technology underlies Grab’s on-demand services across eight countries in Southeast Asia.
Its proprietary mapping hardware and software offers Grab users and driver-partners advanced maps that enable reliable and seamless ride-hailing and delivery services across the region, enhancing their experience of the Grab app by offering a high level of clarity on changing road conditions, fastest routes, ETAs, and more.
Today, Grab is one of the world’s only on-demand platforms that has built, and relies upon, its own proprietary maps and location-based technology.
Leveraging its success in Southeast Asia, GrabMaps offers its services to third-party enterprises including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft’s Bing Maps, Huawei’s Petal Maps, and PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency.
“Through our experience operating across eight countries in Southeast Asia, we know that advanced, precise, and frequently refreshed maps are crucial for superapps offering on-demand services,
“GrabMaps technology has been instrumental for Grab’s own ability to adjust its marketplace to fast-changing conditions, as well as users’ and partners’ experience of our app,” said Sriram Iyer, Head of Product, Geo and Fulfilment at Grab.
“We are excited to partner with Tino to support its success and growth as Mongolia’s first superapp, as the country’s digital economy continues to expand,” he added.
Erdenebayar Sainjargal, Teso Investment Chief Executive Officer, said tey are delighted to partner with GrabMaps as we expand our suite of services across Mongolia and continue to grow as a business.
“GrabMaps’ technology and APIs will enhance the accuracy and currency of the maps that power Tino Super App, so our users can experience more reliable mobility, delivery, tourism and ecommerce services,
“Grab’s own success in Southeast Asia is a testament to the impact that advanced maps have on a superapp’s growth and scale,” he added.
UK-based Loqate partners with GrabMaps to enhance location data capabilities in Southeast Asia

 

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Vietnam-Mongolia comprehensive partnership poised for substantive growth www.en.vietnamplus.vn

The ongoing visit to Mongolia by Sen. Lieut. Gen. Tran Quang Phuong, member of the Party Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), is expected to give new momentum to the Vietnam-Mongolia Comprehensive Partnership and make bilateral ties deeper and more substantive.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency, Vietnamese Ambassador to Mongolia Nguyen Tuan Thanh highlighted the significance of the September 30-October 3 trip and the future direction of bilateral cooperation.
According to the diplomat, Vietnam and Mongolia share a long-standing friendship and have enjoyed cooperation across many fields. During the state visit of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam to Mongolia in 2024, the two countries elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Partnership, committing to expanding cooperation in economy, trade, culture, education, law, security and defence, among others.
Thanh stressed that cooperation between the legislatures of the two countries has always played an important role in strengthening mutual understanding and political trust, thereby laying a solid foundation for collaboration in other spheres. Phuong’s visit is expected to further materialise the common perceptions reached by high-ranking leaders of both nations.
First, the trip will reinforce political trust and consolidate the Comprehensive Partnership through high-level meetings and parliamentary dialogues, affirming the priority both sides give to bilateral ties.
Second, it will deepen cooperation between the two parliaments by strengthening exchanges between specialised committees, friendship parliamentary groups, and parliamentarians, especially women and young legislators. This will help ensure that commitments made by the two countries’ leaders are implemented effectively.
Third, the visit is expected to boost trade, investment and business connectivity. Enterprises from both sides will have opportunities to explore markets, exchange information on investment incentives, and facilitate stronger flows of goods in areas of strength.
Fourth, it will help enhance cooperation in culture and education, and people-to-people exchanges to foster mutual understanding and support for Vietnamese citizens studying and working in Mongolia.
Fifth, security and defence cooperation will be advanced, including joint efforts in law enforcement and experience-sharing in addressing common challenges such as climate change, non-traditional security issues, and transnational crime.
Finally, the visit will help enhance Vietnam's global position and foster its international cooperation via coordination at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting, and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum.
In recent years, the Vietnam-Mongolia relationship has witnessed dynamic development with many notable achievements. Political and diplomatic ties have been strengthened through regular exchanges of high-level delegations and the maintenance of cooperation mechanisms such as the political consultation and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economy, Trade, Science and Technology.
Economic and trade relations have also seen encouraging progress, with two-way trade increasing significantly compared to previous years. The two sides have signed various agreements on economic, trade and agricultural cooperation, creating stable supply. Mongolia has exported goat and sheep meat to Vietnam, while Vietnam has shipped poultry meat and eggs to Mongolia.
Cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges have been promoted, with both sides expanding scholarships, student and lecturer exchanges, and cultural and sports activities. The visa exemption policy for tourists and efforts to open direct flights between Ulaanbaatar and major Vietnamese cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang have further facilitated travel and tourism.
Information technology and digital transformation have emerged as promising new areas of cooperation. Vietnam and Mongolia have begun exchanging experience in artificial intelligence (AI), e-government and digital public services. Mongolia has expressed keen interest in partnering with Vietnam in AI development, digital economy, start-ups and new technologies.
The two countries also share common concerns about climate change and environmental protection. Mongolia will host the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) in 2026, an area of strong potential cooperation with Vietnam.
To strengthen the Comprehensive Partnership, Thanh suggested several measures including expanding trade and striving for a balanced trade structure, with Vietnam exporting consumer goods, processed agricultural products and technology items, while Mongolia capitalises on its strengths in animal husbandry and agriculture. Logistics and transport connectivity, particularly rail and air links, should be enhanced, with efforts to maintain direct flights and streamline customs procedures.
The two countries should deepen cooperation in digital technology, AI, data centres and start-ups, while sharing experience in e-government. Collaboration in agriculture and food security should also be expanded to ensure stable supply and sustainable growth.
On environmental cooperation, Vietnam could support Mongolia in developing green models, renewable energy and efficient resource use.
At the same time, parliamentary cooperation should continue to be promoted through legislative exchanges, oversight activities and the protection of citizens’ rights. People-to-people contacts, student exchanges and tourism cooperation will also be further encouraged to enhance mutual understanding and ties between the two nations.

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October 2, 2025: Ulaanbaatar among top 10 most polluted cities in the world www.iqair.com

On October 2, 2025 at 4 AM PT, air quality in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is poor with an AQI of 145, classified as "unhealthy for sensitive groups".
The city continues to record some of the highest pollution levels in the world, driven by its reliance on coal for heating and industrial activities.
Residents face prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which significantly exceeds international health guidelines. Vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly are particularly at risk, with rising reports of respiratory illnesses (3).
Air quality is dynamic and, like the weather, can change frequently. Ulaanbaatar is ranked 2nd most polluted major city in the world on Thursday morning.
While the air quality conditions today are poor, it is important to keep in mind that the average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 for Ulaanbaatar was 25.7 µg/m³. This corresponds to an AQI of 79, which falls into the “moderate” category and was 5.1 times the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.

 

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Mongolia issues warning of strong winds, wet snow www.xinhuanet.com

Mongolia's National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring on Thursday issued a warning of strong winds, dust storms, rain and wet snow.
Strong winds and yellow dust storms are expected to hit large parts of Mongolia, including the country's southern Gobi desert provinces such as Umnugovi, Dundgovi and Dornogovi, from Friday to Saturday, with an average wind speed estimated at 14 to 16 meters per second, said the weather monitoring agency.
Meanwhile, a mix of rain and wet snow will sweep the Altai Mountains in the west and southwest and the Khangai Mountains in central and north-central Mongolia, starting from the night of Oct. 3.
In this regard, the country's meteorological agency warned the residents of Ulan Bator and 21 provinces, including nomadic herders, to take extra precautions against possible disasters.
Mongolia is known for its harsh continental climate, marked by long, frigid winters and short summers.

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India Taps Mongolia For Critical Minerals, Energy www.stratnewsglobal.com

India is stepping up engagement with Mongolia to secure critical resources and strengthen long-term economic ties. The upcoming visit of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh to India, expected next month, is set to highlight this growing partnership across mining, energy, infrastructure, and technology.
For India, access to reliable mineral supplies has become a strategic priority. Rising demand for copper, coking coal, and other industrial resources—driven by manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, and electric vehicles—has pushed mineral security high on the policy agenda. Mongolia, with its untapped reserves, has emerged as an attractive partner.
A memorandum of understanding on cooperation in geology and exploration is reportedly in its final stages. Once signed, it would open the way for joint mineral surveys, investment projects, and eventual sourcing of materials. Several Indian companies, including Adani, Hindalco, and Vedanta, have already shown interest in Mongolia’s mining sector, which offers opportunities for joint ventures and direct supply agreements.
Reducing reliance on a narrow set of mineral exporters is central to India’s diversification strategy. By expanding ties with Mongolia, New Delhi seeks to limit vulnerability to global supply disruptions and price fluctuations.
Logistics, however, remain a challenge given Mongolia’s landlocked location. Both sides are working to identify viable transport routes. Current discussions focus on the Russian Far Eastern port of Vladivostok as a preferred gateway for trade, rather than a shorter route through China. This choice aligns with India’s broader connectivity vision, including the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which emphasizes resilient trade corridors that bypass potential chokepoints or politically sensitive routes.
Energy cooperation continues to be a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. India is financing Mongolia’s first oil refinery in Dornogovi with a $1.7 billion soft loan. The refinery, being developed with technical support from Engineers India Ltd as the project management consultant, is expected to be operational by 2026. Once complete, it will reduce Mongolia’s dependency on imported fuel, particularly from Russia, and demonstrate India’s role as a development partner focused on infrastructure that builds local economic resilience.
Beyond minerals and energy, India and Mongolia are looking to widen cooperation into agriculture, digital technologies, and education. Mongolia has expressed openness to adopting Indian agri-tech solutions suited to its harsh climate, while discussions are underway on deploying Indian English-language teachers and supporting Mongolia’s digital education initiatives. These initiatives reflect a model of partnership that goes beyond trade, emphasizing knowledge sharing and capacity building.
Cultural and civilizational ties provide a steady foundation for the relationship. Mongolia regards India as its “third neighbor,” a term that acknowledges shared democratic values and deep Buddhist connections. Events such as the 2022 exposition of the Kapilvastu relics in Ulaanbaatar have reinforced these bonds.
This year marks 70 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations. India, among the first democracies to establish relations with Mongolia in 1955, also supported Ulaanbaatar’s entry into the United Nations. As both countries prepare for a new phase of cooperation, minerals, energy, and cultural links are set to shape the next chapter in their long-standing partnership.
By Huma Siddiqui

 

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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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