During its regular session on August 23, 2023, the Cabinet made the following decisions:

Secondary schools affiliated to six state-owned universities will be re-established based on branch institutions in Ulaanbaatar and local areas

The Government issued a Resolution on measures to take regarding secondary schools affiliated to some state-owned universities in order to diversify and develop secondary schools in particular areas, clarify the status of university-affiliated secondary schools, reorganize them, reduce school load, and increase accessibility.

According to the Resolution, secondary schools affiliated to six state-owned universities will be re-organized based on branch institutions in Ulaanbaatar and local areas, and policies and activities will be implemented to strengthen the gymnasium or secondary school system by implementing comprehensive measures.

Thus:

- The status of secondary schools affiliated to the state-owned universities will become definite.

- Secondary schools, affiliated to some state-owned universities, will create educational services that meet the demands of students with in-depth natural science content.

- It will become possible to train citizens with scientific knowledge and a desire to conduct research who meet the basic requirements for training engineers, teachers and other specialists with knowledge and skills in the natural sciences necessary for the country's economic priorities.

- It will become possible to count the content acquired from a specialized secondary school for admission to a university or a college. In connection with the above decision, the Minister of Education and Science L. Enkh-Amgalan was instructed to take comprehensive measures to compile and enhance teaching human resources, provide teachers and employees with work places and rotate them, develop programs of secondary schools under universities in conformity with international standards, and create a stage-by-stage system of secondary and higher education programs.

The system of technical and vocational education training institutions will be updated

A Government Resolution on the measures to take in respect of some state-owned higher educational institutions, and technical and vocational education training institutions is in the process of issuance.

· Improve governance and training quality of local vocational and polytechnic colleges.

· Transfer students of some major professional programs of universities to the countryside by a joint program in a stage-by-stage manner.

· Implementation of training, research, and industrial internship cooperation with branch schools of local polytechnic colleges and universities.

· Implementation of a system of compensating credit hours when students in agricultural and engineering programs of polytechnic colleges continue to study at a university.

· Establishment of an Agricultural interdisciplinary internship base for technical and vocational education, and higher education.

· It is estimated to result in the increase of opportunities to study leading fields in rural areas.

The National Education Council was established

With the establishment of this Council, conditions for sustainable implementation of the collective accountable education policy ensuring the participation of the state and the public, sustainable implementation of the educational policy of shared responsibility, implementation of public-private partnership and inter-sectoral coordination, fulfillment of human rights and freedoms, and implementation of training contents, programs, plans, and textbooks that cherish democratic and humanistic ethics. The Prime Minister of Mongolia will chair this Council.

Information technology services will be performed by the private sector and non-governmental organizations

The Resolution "On the measures to take regarding the implementation of information technology services by the private sector and non-governmental organizations" was approved.

The Minister of Digital Development and Communications was tasked to approve and implement the criteria for placing products and services in the "National Software Supermarket" /Mindgolia/ system, and the Minister of Finance was instructed to create the conditions for purchasing from the system, and coordinate with the procurement digital system specified in the Law on the Purchase of Goods, Works and Services with State and Local Property Funds.

Brief news:

· A five-year special permit for the construction of the basic structure for the Mongolian-Chinese "Gashuunsukhait-Gantzmod" cross-border railway was granted to "Tavantolgoi Railway" LLC.

· The Draft Law on the Ratification of the "Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education 2019" was discussed upon and decided to be submitted to the Parliament.

· The Cabinet discussed and approved the Guidelines for the representatives of Mongolia to participate in VII Session of the Mongolia-United States Joint Trade and Investment Committee to be held on August 29, 2023 in Ulaanbaatar.

· The 1994 Convention on Nuclear Safety, 1997 Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, and the Safeguards Implementation Guide for States with Small Quantities Protocols were discussed and supported by the Cabinet. It was decided to consult with the related Standing Committee of the State Great Khural.

· Procedures for developing and approving performance plans for full-time civil servants, and evaluating performance, results, and qualification levels were approved.

“Ulaanbaatar 2023” East Asian Youth Games were successfully organized in Mongolia for the first time from August 16 to 23, 2023, in 12 categories of 11 sports. The Closing Ceremony was held at the Sukhbaatar square on the last day of the Games.

The People’s Republic of China topped the medal tally with 89 medals - 38 gold, 32 silver, and 19 bronze, followed by Japan, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei.

Mongolia rounded off the 2023 East Asian Youth Games in fifth place with 44 medals, including three gold, 13 silver, and 28 bronze.

“Mongolia successfully hosted the biggest regional youth games for the first time. For our country, sports play a significant role in developing friendly relations and stable cooperation with East Asian countries, the world leaders in economy, society, and human development. Through sports, we can promote Mongolian culture and traditions abroad. Therefore, the Government of Mongolia is committed to supporting youth sports,” highlighted B. Bat-Erdene, Member of the State Great Khural and Head of the State Committee for Physical Education and Sport.

The East Asian Olympic Committee unites nine National Olympic Committees. This year, more than 880 athletes from seven National Olympic Committees competed in the "Ulaanbaatar 2023" EAYG, testing their skills and power for eight days. The EAYG brought together over 1,200 volunteers, 226 coaches, 123 technical and referee representatives appointed by Asian sports federations, and 191 national judges and technical staff.

As part of the Mongolian Government's New Revival Policy, goals to fully connect border ports with railways and paved roads in stages, improving the competitiveness of transport and logistics, improving freight traffic, and creating the basic conditions for becoming a transit country in the future have been set.

In this framework, the construction of a 7.1 km railway connecting the Mongolian port Shiveekhuren with the Chinese port Sekhe started in May.

According to the plan, the construction of the railway will be put into operation in the fourth quarter of this year. When the port is into operation, the coal export through Shiveehuren port will be doubled, and it will be possible to export 20-25 million tons of coal per year.

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) announced Wednesday it has reached an agreement with the government of Madagascar on future fiscal arrangements for QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) and renewed their partnership for its sustainable operation.

QMM extracts ilmenite – an industrial whitener – from mineral sands near the town of Taolagnaro. QMM is 80% owned by Rio Tinto and 20% owned by the Madagascar government.

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Last year, at its annual general meeting in London, investors questioned Rio repeatedly about the Madagascar mineral sands operation after a 2019 study found water downstream contained high concentrations of uranium and lead, potentially endangering local residents who depend on a nearby lake and river for drinking water.

QMM had to release water from the mine site into the surrounding environment due to unusually heavy rainfall in the first months of 2022. Dead fish were found after the water release, but the company’s tests on the fish found no signs of toxicity or contamination with heavy metals.

Madagascar media reported that communities living near QMM had protested at a nearby town hall and that the water ministry was investigating the water release.

Chairman Simon Thompson said at last year’s AGM that Rio was planning a water treatment plant and developing clean water projects for the communities around the mine.

The miner has invested $1 billion in QMM since the first agreement in 1998. While the agreement remains in place for the duration of QMM’s mining activities, the fiscal component was subject to renegotiation after 25 years.

The new agreement will enhance the benefits received by the people of Madagascar and support a sustainable future for the QMM mine, providing certainty for Rio Tinto on the fiscal arrangements, the company said.

Under the terms of the agreement, there will be an increase in the royalty rate from 2% to 2.5%, and QMM will issue its first dividend to the government of Madagascar in 2023.

A $12 million dividend will be invested by the government in the 109-kilometre rehabilitation project of the National Road 13 (RN13). Rio Tinto will also contribute up to $8 million to the road. The project will bring significant improvement to the region by facilitating the movement of people and critical supplies to hard-to-access areas.

Rio Tinto has agreed to cancel $77 million in advances made to the government of Madagascar to finance their funding of QMM. The state will now hold a 15% free carry ownership of QMM and maintain its 20% voting right, with no obligation to contribute to capital funding or exposure to dilution.

QMM will also increase support for local communities by doubling its annual contribution to fund programs of interest.

“Rio Tinto is committed to the responsible development of its mineral sands extraction business in Madagascar,” Rio Tinto iron and titanium managing director, Sophie Bergeron said in the statement.

“This agreement is a significant milestone to support a long-term future for QMM and reaffirms our commitment to provide increased benefits for all parties, including the communities of Madagascar.”

The prime minister of Mongolia just visited Washington, D.C. – and no other country in our region is doing that right now. For Mongolia, it’s business as usual, because Mongolia is a functioning democracy and strategic partner to the United States. But this business as usual cannot be taken for granted.

Mongolia has a rather unique foreign policy called the Third Neighbor Policy. Having only two physical neighbors, China and Russia, the basis of this policy is to actively engage with countries beyond them – chief among them the United States.

Predictably, Russia and China have always been skeptical of the Third Neighbor Policy, to say the least. Under platitudes such as “friendship” and “eternal neighbors,” China and Russia have undermined, suppressed, and even attempted to sabotage Mongolian foreign policy in the past.

One key factor is that Mongolia, alone among the Central Asian countries, has demonstrated its commitment to a functioning democratic system. To save our democracy, Mongolia has no choice but to venture beyond our two geographical neighbors.

For its part, the United States has made no secret of the fact that its outreach to Mongolia is strategic. Investment and aid to Mongolia is designed to counter Russia and China’s dominance and support Mongolian sovereignty and security.

Mongolia and the United States established formal diplomatic relations in 1987; over the past three decades, Mongolia has been a reliable diplomatic partner of the United States. Although not widely known, Mongolia has been working with the U.S. on strategic issues for a long time now. Mongolia is one of NATO’s nine “global partners,” along with formal U.S. allies like Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Mongolia also actively engages in U.N. peacekeeping missions.

Starting in 2003, Mongolia contributed close to 1,200 troops to Iraq and 6,000 troops in Afghanistan, both U.S.-led wars. Almost 10,000 Mongolian peacekeepers have also served in South Sudan and elsewhere in Africa. For a country of only 3.5 million people, this is a tremendous commitment.

Now is the time to elevate cooperation at all levels. The United States should boost major investment and technology support that can strengthen the Mongolian economy. Without a sizable commercial and trade backbone, the bilateral relations could yield under pressure from Russia and China.

Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai’s visit to Washington was an act of defiance. At a time when no leader of another Central Asian country has visited the United States in over five years, Mongolia is charting its own path. Thus Mongolia could serve as a model for engagement with the United States in the region.

Yet, when it comes to underpinning the bilateral relations with increased commerce and investment in Mongolia, the U.S. is seriously lagging behind.

In the past decade, Mongolia’s trade with China reached $85 billion; trade with Russia amounts to $17 billion. In comparison, trade with the United States was worth only $2.6 billion, over 30 times less than China-Mongolia trade. Even when the U.S. is trading with Mongolia, it is heavily imbalanced. In 2022, for example, Mongolia imported $375 million worth of goods from the United States, while exported goods were almost 30 times less than imported goods – only $12.7 million.

Understanding the strategic importance of bilateral trade, nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced a trade bill that aims to provide an import tariff waiver for Mongolian cashmere. Although the bill has been reintroduced now three times, it is going nowhere – mostly bowing to U.S. domestic sentiment against free trade.

When the situation is like this, it is hard to tell how long Mongolia could continue to stay defiant and fulfill its role as a strategic partner of the United States. Democracies function only when the people prefer democracy over authoritarianism. If the citizens of authoritarian countries are financially thriving, there is a risk of Mongolians finding Russian and Chinese economic and governance systems more enticing.

Exactly 20 years ago, Mongolia started to host a multinational peacekeeping operations exercise, Khaan Quest. Over the years, it has become an important platform for the armed forces of various countries to work together and learn from each other.

In this year’s Khaan Quest, militaries of 26 countries – including the U.S., Indian, and Chinese armies – trained together and befriended each other. U.S. Ambassador Richard Buangan excitedly noted that “militaries from the U.S. and China played a friendly game of basketball against a beautiful Mongolia backdrop.” This is not happening anywhere else in the world.

Mongolia is always ready to lend our “beautiful backdrop” to advance global peace and the rules-based international order. But we need the U.S. support to keep this backdrop free and democratic.

GUEST AUTHOR

Bayarkhuu Dashdorj

Professor Bayarkhuu Dashdorj is an adjunct foreign policy adviser to the prime minister of Mongolia. He is one of the most well-known columnists in Mongolia and previously served as an ambassador to Egypt. The views expressed in this article are his own.

Mongolians highly value water, referring to it as "chandmani erdene" or precious. However, the global danger to this vital resource can no longer be ignored. A worldwide water crisis looms, urging nations, communities, and businesses to reconsider how we manage, appreciate, and utilize water.

This concern takes center stage during the ongoing World Water Week, an annual event and prominent global conference addressing water-related issues. Hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), this conference serves as a significant platform for networking and knowledge exchange within the water sector. World Water Week 2023 spotlights innovation in the face of unprecedented challenges, encapsulated by the theme "Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World," encouraging a fresh perspective on water management.

Mongolia is also facing these challenges. In households, there's a problem with many people not having safe drinking water (only 30%) and proper sanitation facilities (only 56%). This issue is made worse by differences in where people live, how much money they have, and even gender. Also, not much water is being reused.

One big issue in Mongolia is the quality of drinking water. UNICEF supported the Water Service Regulatory Commission to check the water quality in Mongolia. They found that in many provinces, the levels of Radon, Uranium, and Lead in the drinking water are higher than what's considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

When they looked at 3,582 groundwater wells all across the country, they found that 38% of them (which is 1,367 wells) don't meet the national standard for clean drinking water (MNS 0900:2018). Some of the wells (4% or 151 wells) are so bad that the water can't even be used for drinking. Others (34% or 1,215 wells) need special filters and disinfection to be safe to drink.

Lead, arsenic, chromium, and copper are common in the drinking water in Mongolia. If people are exposed to too many of these chemicals, it can cause issues like changes in skin color or more serious problems like damage to the nervous system or organs. It can even affect how we develop, cause diseases like cancer, and lead to other health troubles. Children are especially at risk because they start being exposed to these chemicals when they are young, and the effects can be devastating as they grow up.

The primary reasons for insufficient access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) stem from inadequate infrastructure. These challenges are further exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, dwindling freshwater sources, expanding desertification, pollution, geographical isolation, and insufficient prioritization in policies and budgets.

The undeniable influence of climate change on water accessibility and safety is evident. Recent extreme weather conditions globally, such as intense heatwaves in Europe, record-breaking rainfall in Asia, unusual heatwaves in South America, and devastating wildfires in North America, underscore the urgent need for action.

In Mongolia, recent destructive rainfalls and floods have resulted in loss of life and hardship for many families. This serves as a stark reminder that the country and its communities must prepare for more frequent and unpredictable weather events, as experts predict.

To mitigate these impacts, it's crucial to bolster water systems and enhance the resilience of communities. Resilience entails empowering communities, organizations, and nations to adapt to and recover from challenges without compromising long-term progress.

This can be achieved by:

• Enhancing cooperation among humanitarian and development sectors to connect life-saving actions with sustainable water and sanitation systems.

• Integrating WASH considerations into climate policies, plans, and budgets at national and local levels.

• Strengthening the resilience of WASH systems through actions like using renewable energy, improving water and energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and generating energy from waste.

UNICEF has already begun strengthening the resilience of rural communities by adopting comprehensive approaches to address climate risks through disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures. As part of this effort, UNICEF has successfully established Water Safety Councils in western provinces, ensuring water safety plans are in place.

Moreover, UNICEF has transformed water wells into smart water kiosks, providing round-the-clock water access, and has also set up teams to maintain hygiene around these kiosks.

In schools, kindergartens and dormitories, UNICEF has supported the creation of climate-resilient, energy-efficient water and sanitation facilities, capable of withstanding extreme weather and providing clean water and sanitation for children.

Still, more work remains. The world must embark on a mission to revolutionize water management. By doing so, we can confront the water crisis and climate change, while simultaneously reducing inequality and poverty. With the present-day advances in science, technology, and collaboration, we have the tools to solve previously insurmountable problems.

However, this requires a broader form of innovation, one that integrates behavioral change, governance improvements, and systems thinking. World Water Week 2023 marks the beginning of this transformative journey. UNICEF is actively seeking partnerships for solutions, urging businesses and governments to join in making meaningful, transformative commitments. Only through united, collective action can we ensure a more water-secure world and attain Water Security for All by 2030.

"I met the Mongolian rulers and they assured me that the new Constitution guarantees religious pluralism and that all religions and confessions will be welcomed. The interesting thing is that so far among the more than two million Mongols there is not a single Christian. One in number, I mean". Thus, in April 1992, the great Belgian missionary and sinologist Jerome Heyndrickx, former superior of the Chinese province of the Scheut missionary Congregation, recounted some interesting details of the trip he made in October 1991, when he went to Ulaanbaatar to set up the first Catholic missions in Mongolia, after the rulers of that country had asked for diplomatic relations to be established with the Holy See. Even today, the approximately 1,500 Mongolian Catholics represent a small community in a population that mostly professes Lamaist Buddhism (see Victor Gaetan's article in Fides 24/7/2023).

According to the 2020 national census, 52% of the nation is Buddhist, 41% consider themselves "non-religious", 3.2% are Muslim. And all the missionary work that has flourished in Mongolia in recent decades has always had as an indispensable dimension and structural trait, openness to encounters with believers of other faiths, as attested by the fifth video-reportage produced for Fides Agency by Teresa Tseng Kuang yi in view of Pope Francis' trip to Mongolia (August 31-September 4)

Mongolia - Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Consolata missionary and Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, explains in the video-reportage - as "a Country with a long tradition of spirituality, both shamanic and Buddhist, and also partly Islamic" immediately stood out "for this great richness" that also appealed to Catholic missionaries. A religious plurality that men and women missionaries have come to know, study and appreciate, in a dialogue that has grown over time, and has also taken the form of a practice of increasingly frequent regular meetings with representatives of other faiths. For the past two years, meetings on coexistence and inter-religious dialogue have been held bimonthly. And during the meetings - adds Cardinal Marengo in the video-reportage - "themes of common interest and also difficulties and possibilities for common solutions are explored in depth", and shared initiatives are promoted, especially in the charitable field.

The experience of friendship and collaboration between believers of different faith communities, far from any abstraction, has practical implications that affect national coexistence. This experience - emphasizes the Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar - shows that "every genuine, authentic religious tradition contributes in its own way to the growth of society". And "the various religious traditions are not a threat in their diversity, but if they manage to harmonize well with each other, they are a resource for every society, for the State". Like a "wealth that we put into dialogue, into circulation among us".

The meetings that Pope Francis will have with religious leaders during his upcoming trip to Mongolia will be able to comfort and confirm missionaries and the Mongolian Catholic community in their journey of brotherhood and closeness with believers of other faiths. "We know", Cardinal Marengo confides in the video reportage, "that friends and representatives of other religious traditions also have great respect and admiration for the Holy Father".

Europe and Asia's Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) stand at a critical juncture in their development journey. They are confronted with intricate development challenges, emanating from their lack of direct access to the sea, geographical remoteness, and lack of integration with world trade and global value chains. They contend with high trade costs, limited transport infrastructure, and cumbersome border and customs regulations — all of which undermine the competitiveness of their exports and hinder economic growth. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions, and the global macroeconomic downturn, have further compounded these pre-existing structural challenges, eroding some of the hard-won achievements of the past decade.

So where do we go from here?

The challenges are daunting, but there is a window of opportunity to reshape the trajectory of development for Europe and Asia's LLDCs. Next year, world leaders will gather in Kigali, Rwanda, to agree on a new programme of action to transform the livelihoods of over half a billion people living in landlocked developing countries globally. In the lead-up to this momentous conference, the United Nations is joining the 14 LLDCs in Europe and Asia, along with their transit neighbours, development partners, and other stakeholders this week in Bangkok. The meeting will undertake a comprehensive review of the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs (VPoA) - a major international development compact agreed upon in 2014, outlining key areas of development to improve landlocked economies. It will also discuss priorities for the formulation of the next Programme of Action. For Europe and Asia, these priorities should include, among other important elements, the following five key areas.

Transit and Trade facilitation

The urgency of better integrating Europe and Asia's LLDCs into the global trade landscape and value chains cannot be overstated, and freedom of transit - allowing LLDCs to move freely through their neighbouring countries under mutually agreed terms - holds the key to achieving this. By providing LLDCs with unimpeded access to international markets, freedom of transit can help Euro-Asia's LLDCs to diversify their economies, attract investments, and integrate into global trade networks. In turn, this will also help transit countries to harness untapped potentials of enhanced connectivity, trade, and regional integration.

The continued establishment of efficient border infrastructure, such as one-stop border posts, SMART corridors, and intelligent transport systems (ITS), also remains of equal importance in their bid to increase trade. These measures have the potential to streamline and accelerate the movement of goods, ultimately reducing bottlenecks and trade expenses. But none of this would be possible without adequate infrastructure in the LLDCs, their transit neighbours, and stronger partnership and collaboration to enhance connectivity.

Infrastructure development

Infrastructure development is a catalyst for overcoming the inherent geographical challenges and other structural constraints faced by LLDCs. Adequate and well-maintained infrastructure, including road, rail, and air networks, can facilitate the efficient movement of goods and people across borders, reducing transportation costs and transit times, while IT infrastructure is vital for digital solutions, streamlining trade processes, fostering economic diversification, and harnessing the potentials of e-commerce. It is important to highlight the strides that have been achieved in enhancing transport networks across many Euro-Asian LLDCs, such as the Asian Highway Network, Trans-Asian Railway Network, and Euro-Asian Transport Links. However, several LLDCs in Europe and Asia continue to grapple with inadequate infrastructure and disjointed connections between different modes of transportation. Prioritizing investments in infrastructure developments, particularly robust transportation networks will also enable the efficient movement of raw materials and finished products from LLDCs to global markets, facilitating value addition and fostering the growth of new manufacturing sectors.

For instance, in Bhutan - reliability and quality of roads continues to be an issue due to its rugged terrain while Nepal is confronted with multiple challenges such as a lack of operational efficiency and an inability to attract investment through public-private partnerships. During the next programme of action, Euro-Asia's LLDCs need to significantly boost investment in infrastructure development that can complete missing links, both domestically as well as along the Asian Highways, Trans-Asian Railways and Dry Ports. Investing in robust transportation networks will also enable the efficient movement of raw materials and finished products, facilitating value addition and fostering the growth of new manufacturing sectors, which brings us to yet another crucial area.

Diversifying economies and embracing digital technologies

LLDCs need to create more diversified and resilient economies while embracing technological advancements. Diversifying LLDC economies will help mitigate the risks associated with commodity price fluctuations and market uncertainties and provide a more stable path for equitable growth and development. Every chance to connect with regional and worldwide value chains should be explored to overcome the challenges posed by limited domestic markets. LLDCs should also explore new technologies that allow local enterprises to sell into global markets. More involvement in online businesses, digital services, and helping small businesses and women entrepreneurs are important too. We have witnessed it time and again - by bridging digital and connectivity gaps, LLDCs can effectively improve productivity and competitiveness on the global stage.

Building sustainable and climate-resilient economies

As a result of their location and greater reliance on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, Euro-Asia's LLDCs continue to be disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. At the same time, their capacity to adapt to climate change is constrained by limited resources and productive capacities, weak infrastructure, and institutional shortcomings. Addressing these limitations through sustainable development strategies, technology transfer and investments in climate-resilient infrastructure can enhance resilience against climate shocks. Simply put – preparedness, capacity to respond, climate-resilient roads, bridges, and disaster-resistant buildings can minimize the impact of extreme weather events, by reducing disruptions to trade and economic activities.

Another crucial avenue for LLDCs lies in prioritizing clean energy. In South and Southeast Asian LLDCs, hydropower development emerges as a pivotal opportunity for generating clean energy and fostering regional cooperation. Notably, countries like Laos, Bhutan, and Nepal possess abundant rivers, translating into significant hydropower potential. This potential not only shapes their economic growth but also positions them as exporters of clean energy. Additionally, Euro-Asia's LLDCs need to have an enhanced voice in global climate negotiations and discussions, for their needs and priorities

to be incorporated into the global climate discourse.

Financial Support and capacity building

Given the heightened dependence of Euro-Asia's LLDCs on external finance both to address their macroeconomic challenges and to finance their development needs, they are highly reliant on developments in the global economy, including the international financial markets and the aid architecture. LLDCs often face limitations in terms of mobilising the financial resources necessary to support their development needs. During the current poly-crisis, these financing needs have widened further, with many LLDCs carrying growing debt burdens, which impede their development efforts.

The next Programme of Action needs to focus urgently on the debt issue in a comprehensive manner. Adequate financial support from various sources, including domestic revenues, international aid, and multilateral institutions, will be essential to bridge funding gaps and enable critical development projects. Development partners, International Financial Institutions, Regional Development Banks, multilateral institutions, and the private sector should prioritize targeted assistance in financing for development and long-term solution to debt. , This is indispensable in addressing the multifaceted challenges of LLDCs.

Ultimately, Euro-Asia's LLDCs cannot do it alone.

Forging the widest possible coalition of multi-stakeholder partnerships among LLDCs and transit countries as well as development partners and the private sector, is now more critical than ever as we embark on a new decade of action for LLDCs. The global community must stand together to support these countries, fostering an environment of growth, prosperity, and integration into the global economy. Only through collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision, the LLDCs can overcome their challenges and embark on a journey towards a brighter future for their people.

With the Third United Nations Conference on LLDCs on the horizon, the regional review meeting in Bangkok this week presents a unique opportunity for Euro-Asia's LLDCs to rally global support and forge partnerships for transformative change. The meeting will set the stage for meaningful dialogues, innovative ideas, collective aspirations, exchange of best practices and experiences among LLDCs, transit countries, and development partners, as leaders and policymakers strive to unlock the immense potential of LLDCs in Asia and Europe.

Together, we can create pathways to prosperity for Euro-Asia's LLDCs and ensure that they are not left behind in our shared journey toward sustainable development.

Rabab Fatima is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.

The development index of Ulaanbaatar city is 0.464, defined by 86 indicators in four groups: sustainability, quality of the living environment, accessibility, and competitiveness, and six categories: health, infrastructure, economy, society, education, and governance. The capital city authorities aim to increase the index to 0.570 in 2025, 0.630 in 2030, and 0.930 in 2050.

On August 21, the Governor of the Capital City and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar Sumiyabazar Dolgorsuren made a report on the actions and measures, including Law, Economy, and Healthy Governance Programs implemented since taking office as well as future plans to Members of Parliament elected from Ulaanbaatar city.

Having reported on the implementation process of the three pillars program - Law Program (70 percent performance) Economy Program (60 percent), and Healthy Governance Program (over 40 percent) Governor D. Sumiyabazar noted, "If a set of laws related to Ulaanbaatar city are developed and the law on land, law on construction, law on water, law on road transport, law on energy, law on specially protected areas, and the general law on state registration are adopted, the problems facing to the capital can be sorted out economically and in terms of governance. Over 48 thousand employees are working in 123 organizations under the capital. It is possible to direct the development of Ulaanbaatar city within the 86 indicators that are presented today.”

“With the support of the Temporary Committee responsible for the development of Ulaanbaatar city, the Law on the Legal Status of the Capital was renewed after 27 years. Also, at an extended session of 2021, the government comprehensively discussed the problems in Ulaanbaatar city for the first time and decided to allot a budget of MNT 420 billion annually to solve the city congestion, one of the biggest problems in the capital.

An average of 2.8 million daily commuters travel to the city center from five major locations. 1042 buses serve 107 routes on the 48.2 km road through the city's four main avenues: Peace Avenue, Chinggis Avenue, Ard Ayush Avenue, and Chinggeltei Avenue. The population of Ulaanbaatar is expected to reach 2.6 million by 2040. To increase the accessibility of public transport and assist relieve traffic congestion, it is considered necessary to extend the above four avenues, creating new lanes to make them have three lanes at the first stage. Only public transport should travel on the first lane, and the 13.7 km of road should be expanded in the first step. As a result, traffic congestion will be reduced by eight percent, and the average driving speed will be 11.7 km/h.

Moreover, it has been estimated that traffic congestion will decrease by six percent by introducing short turns to remote areas of the capital city, where accessibility of public transportation is poor. In other words, by establishing 181 bus stations for short-turn service and building 86.1 km of new roads, it is possible to expand access to public transportation, underscored Mayor D.Sumiyabazar. A comprehensive reform is being carried out to renew the fleet of public transport, planning to buy a total of 1225 buses. Out of them, 415 buses have been imported and the remaining 810 buses will be brought this year.

In addition, the Mayor pointed out that the Policy Research and Analysis Center operates under the Governor of the Capital and the Capital makes decisions based on the results of studies and research by foreign and domestic scholars.

In the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, the number of seats in general education schools increased by 5300 and kindergarten beds by 3605 in the past three years. Specifically, four schools, 14 kindergartens, seven complexes of elementary schools and kindergartens, and 11 Houses of Mongolian heritage and traditions were established.

In conjunction with the Mongolian Government’s announcing 2023 to 2024 as the “Years to Visit Mongolia,” Nas Summit, a global conference for content creators took place in Mongolia on August 19, 2023. It was co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia.

The most influential Mongolian and international content creators and investors in the creative economy gathered at the Conference, which has been held in over ten countries, to share their unique knowledge and insights.

"Nas Summit – Mongolia" received applications from over ten thousand young people, and 1,200 participants were selected to attend.

The Nas Summit featured a variety of speakers, including:

Nuseir Yassin, CEO of Nas Company and Creator of the popular YouTube channel Nas Daily (63 million followers)

Julius Dein, the World's Biggest Magician (72 million followers)

Dhruv Rathee, Explainers that Inspire (21.4 million followers)

Daniela Rita, travel creator and audiovisual communicator (4 million followers)

Wil Dasovich, Filipino-American television personality, model, and vlogger (7 million followers)

Alan Wurman, creator of Alan's Theory (1.3 million followers)

Alyne Tamir, the internet's favorite travel vlogger (3.8 million followers)

Jordan Matter, the Most successful “Old” YouTuber in the World (28 million followers)

Mark Weins, an American travel and food blogger (20 million followers)

Ch. Nomin, Minister of Culture; Una Bold, Mongolia's Best Vlogger; Gremix, the biggest Mongolian YouTuber; and Gankhuyag Chuluun Khutagt, CEO of Ard Financial Group participated in the Nas Summit – Mongolia from the Mongolian side, discussing the future of content creation in Mongolia, and creating content outside and inside Mongolia.

“Good content is produced by people who can build relationships with others, not people with a lot of money. Content creators in the online world are all unique. They can stand out for a variety of reasons, such as the topics they discuss, their dress, style, or words. For example, you could stand out as a Mongolian, as there are only about 3 million Mongolians in the world out of more than 8 billion people. Please remember to share with someone what you have learned through content creation,” highlighted Alyne Tamir.

In his presentation, Charles Kerr, Strategic Partner Member at YouTube, said “To stay ahead of the curve, content creators must be mindful of the ever-changing needs and preferences of their audiences and make sure to update their content accordingly. Based on a recent survey, YouTube users are more likely to watch content presented in a variety of formats. Therefore, it is significant to diversify your content on your YouTube channel by creating different types of content, such as long and short videos, podcasts, and live streams. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly developing and is making inroads into the content industry. AI-based systems, such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Midjourney can help content creators increase their reach by automating tasks, generating ideas, and personalizing content.”