China is seen falling short of 50 million tonnes of metallurgical coal in 2021 amid rising domestic coking output capacity, sources said 15 September.

In 2021, the country is seen retiring 28.92 million tonnes of old coking output capacity, and adding 58.575 million tonnes of new coking production capacity, which translates to a net 29.655 million tonnes increase in coking capacity this year, latest data by China Securities International, or CSI, showed.

China is expected to see a wide deficit for met coal supply in 2021, according to Shenzhen-based brokerage Guotai Junan Securities. This comes at a time when China is vigorously putting effort at dual control of energy consumption and energy intensity, capping production of its high energy consuming domestic steel sector.

The domestic met coal sector is finding it difficult to release back output capacity that are on hold due to environmental controls, while import restrictions play a role in propping up met coal prices.

On the import side, recent COVID-19 cases have often led to the shutdown of Ganqimaodu port in Inner Mongolia, which has restricted the inflow of Mongolian met coal imports. Since August, some coal truck drivers were tested positive for COVID-19 at Ganqimaodu, disrupting truck movements at customs clearance.

Ganqimaodu, a land border port, is the largest channel for importing coal from Mongolia. (S&P Global)

A total of 245 schools are being closed after covid-19 cases are detected as Mongolian Government decides to keep facilities open to in-person learning. The closures affect more than 43 thousand pupils who are now taking online classes from home.

Furthermore, over 31 thousand students and 2078 teachers are being quarantined after coming in contact with someone who was COVID-positive.

According to Ministry of Education and Science, over 90 percent of teachers and students above age 12 have vaccinated against covid-19.

Each child in Mongolia must attend school for 165-180 days. However, due to the pandemic, pupils received only classes for 80 days in 2020; this has resulted in 70-80 percent of students falling seriously behind. Furthermore, 174 thousand students failed to learn in online classes due to there being no internet, smartphones or televisions.

This week the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) marks 15 years since the start of its operations in Mongolia and establishment of its resident office in Ulaanbaatar. During this time the EBRD has invested US$ 2.1 billion in various sectors of the national economy. Ninety-three per cent of the Bank’s loans were extended to private companies, making the EBRD the largest lender to Mongolia’s private sector out of the international financial institutions (IFIs).

In Mongolia the EBRD is helping to promote the country’s resilience by supporting non-extractive sectors of the economy, providing better access to finance and improving energy supply. The Bank is also working to improve the sustainability of infrastructure services through greater efficiency, commercialisation and green technologies.

After providing its first loan to XacBank in 2006, the EBRD significantly expanded its work with local financial institutions such as Khan Bank, XacBank (including its subsidiary XacLeasing) and Transcapital through its Trade Facilitation Programme, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and energy efficiency lending facilities and risk-sharing schemes. To date, almost 190,000 loans worth more than US$ 535 million of EBRD funds have been provided to local micro and small businesses.

In early 2021 the EBRD and the Bank of Mongolia set up a long-term dollar-tugrik (MNT) swap facility to increase the availability of local currency financing to Mongolian businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The swap helped the EBRD secure reliable access to MNT liquidity and to provide local currency loans both directly and through local banks to companies in such sectors as agribusiness, building materials, light manufacturing and services, as well as to SMEs which employ over 40 per cent of the country’s population.

A lot has been done to promote sustainable infrastructure and green municipal solutions, both in the country’s capital Ulaanbaatar and beyond. The city, with a population of 1.4 million, became the first municipality in Asia to join the EBRD’s Green Cities programme and is now addressing environmental and infrastructure challenges. As part of the Ulaanbaatar Green City Action Plan, the city is improving its waste management. This work is supported by the Republic of Korea and the European Union (EU).

A major step towards improved regional integration and international trade between Mongolia, China and Russia is the reconstruction of a 202-km road between Mongolia’s capital and Darkhan, the third-largest city in Mongolia and 100 km south of the border with Russia.

The promotion of renewable energy is another area where the Bank has been active in Mongolia. The EBRD has financially supported the construction of the Sainshand, Salkhit and Tsogttsetsii wind farms. These facilities are today helping to reduce the country’s carbon emissions and provide a better energy mix.

Mongolia’s mining sector is a major contributor to the national GDP. The EBRD has been working with international and local mining companies such as Rio Tinto, Energy Resources, Kincora Copper and Erdene Resource Development to promote sustainable mining in line with best international corporate and environmental standards.

The Bank’s efforts to support non-extractive industries in Mongolia gave a major boost to local agribusiness producers such as the juice manufacturer Vitafit, beverage producers APU and MCS, the food producer Teso Group and the country’s leading dairy company Suu Milk. With the help of the EBRD, Suu Milk is renewing its transport fleet, serving more than 2,500 nomadic herders across Mongolia.

For 15 years the Bank has also been supporting the country’s traditional industries such as the production of cashmere with loans to the local manufacturers Gobi and Ezio Foradori. The cashmere sector is one of Mongolia’s key industries; the country is the largest supplier of cashmere wool in the world, accounting for 30 per cent of global production.

EBRD funds have also helped to develop other modern production facilities for clients such as Mongolia’s leading pharmaceutical conglomerate Monos Group and the leading local logistics company Terra Express.

Almost 600 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Mongolia, including those in remote rural areas, have participated in various advisory projects supported by the EU and implemented by the EBRD. More than half of them are women-led businesses. These projects have helped create almost 5,000 new jobs, increased their efficiency and productivity and widened product range.

Hannes Takacs, EBRD Head of Mongolia, said: “The EBRD is very proud to have contributed to the development of so many good projects in Mongolia. Our work of making the country’s economy greener, more diversified, sustainable, inclusive and digital, is far from complete. These are the challenges we look forward to tackling.”

To date, the EBRD has invested more than US$ 1.85 billion in Mongolia’s economy through 116 projects.

On September 13, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Munkhjin, who is currently visiting the UK, had a meeting with the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Mongolia, MP Mr. Daniel Kawczynski in the Palace of Westminster.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the present state of trade and economic cooperation of the two countries, how to further expand the relationship, and some regional and international issues.

Expressing an interest in expanding friendly relations and cooperation between Mongolia and the United Kingdom in all fields, in particular economic cooperation, trade and investment, Deputy Minister B.Munkhjin emphasized that Mongolia’s accession to the Enhanced Framework of the UK’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) is of great significance in increasing trade turnover between the two countries, diversifying Mongolia's exports and developing the production of value-added products.

Deputy Minister B.Munkhjin invited Mr. Daniel Kawczynski to visit Mongolia in the near future and expressed commitment to build the opportunity for him to get acquainted with the trade and economic environment of Mongolia and meet with representatives of major Mongolian businesses.

On February 5, 2021 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs B.Munkhjin and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Mongolia Philip Malone exchanged notes on Mongolia’s accession to the Enhanced Framework of the UK’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP). It creates a possibility to export 7,200 Mongolian-made items to the UK market at duty-free and preferential tariffs.

The trade turnover between Mongolia and UK amounted to USD117 million in 2020, of which exports were USD84 million and imports were USD33 million.

A new, energy-efficient wastewater treatment plant has opened in the capital of Khentii province. The plant was built under additional financing for the ADB-funded Southeast Gobi Urban and Border Town Development Project and has an operating capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day.

Member of Parliament Bat-Erdene Badmaanyambuu, ADB Deputy Country Director for Mongolia Declan F. Magee and State Secretary of the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development S. Magnaisuren inaugurated the new wastewater treatment plant in Chinggis city on September 13.

Advanced technologies of the treatment plant will enable the reuse of treated wastewater for city landscaping and sewage sludge for fuel briquettes.

This is the sixth of ten similar facilities to be constructed around the country under ADB-funded projects in Mongolia.

Source: ADB Mongolia

Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Two pet cats have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mongolia, the country's National Center for Zoonotic Diseases reported on Tuesday.

The cats may have contracted the virus from their owners, who have tested positive for the virus, the center said, urging the public to protect both themselves and their pets from the virus.

Previously, the country had confirmed that seven beavers of the Beaver Breeding Center at the Environmental Department of the capital Ulan Bator had tested positive for the coronavirus

The Bank of Mongolia organized the first consultation meeting on the draft of the Monetary Policy Guidelines for 2022, focusing on inclusive growth and climate and sustainable financing. Representatives from about 20 organizations, including the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics, Standing Committee on Environment, Food and Agriculture, Cabinet Secretariat Office, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ministry of Health, National Development Agency, Financial Regulatory Commission, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, UNDP, UNICEF, Mongolian Bankers Association and Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association participated in this consultation meeting.

During the meeting held on September 7, the UN Joint Programme ‘Rolling Out an Integrated Approach to SDG Financing in Mongolia’ implemented by UNDP and UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Finance presented the development of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) and the sustainable financing strategy in Mongolia.

During the meeting, the UN Joint Programme ‘Rolling Out an Integrated Approach to SDG Financing in Mongolia’ implemented by UNDP and UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Finance presented the development of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) and the sustainable financing strategy in Mongolia.

The development of an INFF is a global recommendation following the Addis Ababa Action Agenda to enable the achievement of SDGs, and over 60 countries globally, including Mongolia, are currently working on its development. The INFF aims to align the financing with the development priorities and increase the financing flows dedicated to sustainable development by leveraging private sector financing.

At the heart of the INFF lies the financing strategy for sustainable development. The current draft of the strategy builds on the ongoing public and private sector reforms as well as the new pilot initiatives that help align financing with the SDGs, including the piloting of the SDG-aligned, results-based, gender-responsive budgeting, SDG bonds, impact investment fund and adoption of Environment, Social and Governance risk management framework across the financial sector.

During the consultation, the Central Bank highlighted the need for the development and implementation of coherent, sustainable financing strategies, economic policies and strategic plans and the cooperation among all stakeholders in tackling the climate and sustainable development challenges. The consultation meeting was a significant initiative by the Central Bank of Mongolia in bringing the voices of various stakeholders in policy making and ensuring closer and aligned cooperation.

The Monetary Policy Guidelines 2022 will be discussed and approved by the Parliament’s autumn session.

Source: UNDP Mongolia

As according to the agreement established between the Government of Mongolia and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on border checkpoints and its regime, a decision has been made concerning the operations at the Mongolia-China border checkpoints for the rest of the year.

In the framework of the decision, operations will be carried out as normally at auto road border checkpoints at Bulgan - Takashiken, Bulgan - Laoemyao, Shiveekhuren - Sekhee, Gashuunsukhait - Gantsmod, Khangi - Mandal, Zamiin-Uud - Ereen, Bichigt - Zuunkhatavch, Bayankhoshuu - Uvdug during holidays on the side of Mongolia (which includes the Day of Proclamation, the Birth Anniversary of Great Chinggis Khaan, and the National Liberation and Independence Day).

ERDENET, ORKHON PROVINCE, MONGOLIA — Erdenebolor Dorjsuren takes a break from repairing bicycle tires and wipes sweat from his brow.

The 46-year-old opened his repair shop a year ago, and demand has kept him busy. About 10 repaired bicycles stand outside the shop, ready for customers to collect.

Cycling has traditionally not been a popular form of transportation in Mongolia. Poor road conditions – particularly wet, slippery and snow-covered roads in winter – can make cycling treacherous. Dedicated bicycle lanes are few and far between, leaving cyclists vulnerable to aggressive drivers. And the lack of secure parking has made bicycle theft a common concern.

Despite these challenges, bicycle ridership has increased dramatically during the pandemic – a trend echoed in many parts of the world. When the Mongolian government suspended public transportation and banned cars, buses and other motor vehicles from the roads during lockdowns, cycling became a convenient way for many Mongolians to shop for groceries and commute to work. The Ministry of Health also encouraged Mongolians to take up cycling as a way to exercise and improve their health.

That’s been good for Erdenebolor. His income has soared since he launched his repair business, and he’s hired three assistants to keep up with demand.

“Soon I am going to hold a workshop on bicycle repair,” he says. “It will be great to train as many people as possible during these tough times and to help them to have jobs and sustain their livelihoods.”

Erdenebolor Dorjsuren fixes tires while customers wait. As cycling has grown in popularity during the pandemic, Erdenebolor’s business has boomed.

The Orkhon Province Department of Physical Culture and Sports doesn’t keep statistics on the number of cyclists in Mongolia. But Munkhchuluun Otgonbold, a police officer and traffic police coordinator at the Orkhon Province Police Department, has noted more people riding bicycles in recent months.

“There was hardly anybody who traveled with a bicycle before,” he says.

Other countries experienced similar surges. From 2019 to 2020, the level of cycling increased an average of 8% in 11 European countries (and 23% on weekends), according to Eco-Counter, a French company that tracks global bicycle use. In the United States, it increased 16% overall, with a 29% jump on weekends. Bicycle sales soared, and hundreds of cities built or expanded bike lanes and paths. Many cities also installed more bike parking or subsidized the cost of bike sharing and repairs.

Mongolia is working on similar reforms. In response to cycling’s increasing popularity, the government plans to build bicycle lanes and secure parking areas across the country, according to Khan-Uul Dorjgotov, a senior urban planning specialist at the Department of Urban Development.

In the capital, Ulaanbaatar, the government plans to build more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) of bicycle lanes in the city center over the next five years, as well as 70 bicycle parking lots outfitted with security cameras. Residents will also be able to register their bicycles with the traffic police.

The Governor’s Administration Office of Orkhon Province installed secure bicycle parking at the request of employees.

Even as those plans are in development, banks, shopping centers, schools and some government agencies have implemented their own initiatives to encourage and support cycling. The Governor’s Administration Office of Orkhon Province, for example, built a bicycle parking area at the request of employees who cycle to work. That, in turn, has encouraged even more employees to take up cycling.

“It is important to provide people with opportunities and conditions to ride bicycles,” says Odgerel Demberelsuren, a specialist in charge of physical training and recreation at the Orkhon Province Department of Physical Culture and Sports.

The department is discussing the possibility of building dedicated bicycle lanes in the province, and Odgerel says she hopes the lanes will be constructed in the next year or two.

That’s welcome news to riders like Batkhuyag Bilegsaikhan, head of the local Association of Cyclists.

“If we have special bicycle lanes,” he says, “everyone will be able to ride bicycles without fear.”

Khorloo Khukhnokhoi is a Global Press Journal reporter based in Mongolia. Born and raised in Uvs province, she was a television journalist prior to joining Global Press Journal.

U.S. Embassy in Mongolia -- The U.S. - through the United States Agency for International Development—announced $3.7 million (10.5 billion MNT) in additional urgent COVID-19 assistance for Mongolia. This assistance will provide life-saving medicine, testing kits, urgent medical equipment and supplies, oxygen therapy, and personal protective equipment (PPE). USAID will also improve hospital incident management, support field hospitals and laboratory sequencing to identify variants, improve mental health and psychosocial support, design educational TV content for pre-primary children, provide psycho-social and psychological support for children and families, and promote messaging on the importance of vaccinations and how to prevent the spread of COVID.

Deputy Chief of Mission Gregory May made the announcement during a ceremony at the Ministry of Health to officially hand over recently arrived vaccines and ventilator test lungs. “The only way we as a global community can stop this disease is for all of us to work together. As Mongolia’s strategic partner and third neighbor, the United States remains committed to help the people of Mongolia overcome this global pandemic,” he said.

This announcement nearly doubles the more than $4 million (11.4 billion MNT) in COVID-19 assistance the U.S. has already provided to Mongolia since the pandemic first broke out. In addition to providing much needed supplies to support Mongolia’s effort, these funds have and continue to support training Mongolian medical staff on the latest techniques to treat critically ill patients and prevent further spread of the disease.

The United States is also the world’s largest donor to the COVAX Facility and The Global Fund, which provide funding to Mongolia in its efforts to defeat COVID-19.

These efforts build on decades of life-saving work and U.S. leadership in tackling global health crises. Over the past 60 years, USAID has saved millions of lives from diseases such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and now COVID-19.

Diseases know no borders. The U.S. is committed to partnering with Mongolia to end the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigate its devastating social and economic impacts, and build back a world that is even better prepared for future outbreaks.