As of August 8, "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC has sold 15 million tons of coal. The company reported that this figure is the highest sales in the company's history.

Last year, 11.5 million tons of coal were sold. Actually, the amount of coal that was sold during the whole year is fulfilled in half a year.

"Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC has paid MNT 1.5 trillion in taxes, payments, and fees to the state and local budgets in the first 8 months of this year.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Shannon Cowlin as its new Country Director for Mongolia. Ms. Cowlin will oversee ADB’s operations in Mongolia, including the implementation of the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 2021–2024 to help the country continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and lay resilient foundations for inclusive and sustainable growth.

“ADB’s operations in Mongolia focus on three strategic priorities: inclusive social development and economic opportunity; climate-resilient infrastructure; and sustainable, green, and climate-conscious development,” said Ms. Cowlin. “I am looking forward to working with the government and other key partners in supporting these priority areas.”

Ms. Cowlin has over 24 years of professional experience, including more than 10 years in ADB. She has been leading energy and multidisciplinary climate change dialogue and projects. She has been based out of Mongolia Resident Mission since September 2021. A national of the United States (US), Ms. Cowlin holds a master’s degree in environmental health sciences and a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering sciences from the University of California, Berkeley in the United States. Prior to joining ADB, she was a manager at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the United States where she led US–India and South Asia regional energy collaboration on behalf of various US government and multilateral agencies.

Mongolia has been a member of ADB since 1991. To date, ADB has committed 357 public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance totaling $3.7 billion to Mongolia. ADB’s assistance is aligned with Mongolia’s New Recovery Policy and Vision-2050.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Source: ADB

XII International Congress of Mongolists is to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 9 to 14, 2023. The Congress is co-organized by the Office of the President of Mongolia, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the International Association for Mongol Studies. The central theme of the Congress is "Pax Mongolica and Historical Experience."

XII International Congress of Mongolists will have six sections:

Prehistory and History of Mongolia and the Mongols

Current Situation and Historical Development of Mongolian Language and Literature

Mongolian Society, Economy, Politics, and Legislation

Mongolia’s Relations with the Outside World

Mongolian Culture: Tradition and Innovation

Young Mongolists Conference

The organizers emphasized that the sections would examine the distinctive aspects of history, tradition, language, literature, society, economy, politics, relations with the outside world, and civilization of nomads.

The opening ceremony will be held at the State Palace on August 10, 2023. Mongolists with a Doctorate or higher degree are allowed to participate in the Congress.

The Congress will feature presentations from 307 Mongolists from over 20 countries, including the United States, the Republic of Korea, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Canada, the Russian Federation, Poland, Türkiye, Hungary, Germany, China, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, the Czech Republic, Australia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Norway, Italy, and Denmark. Invitations to the Congress were sent to over 650 Mongolists from 36 countries between April 24 and May 15.

In addition to the main sections, the Congress will also host activities to support the young generation of Mongolists. This includes a conference for doctoral researchers, where 59 young Mongolists will present their work.

Academician S. Chuluun, Secretary-General of the International Association for Mongol Studies, said that the International Congress of Mongolists is the major conference that has been held every five years since 1959. On average 400 scholars from 30 countries participate in the Congress. The Congress is well recognized in the world for its number of participants, the breadth of its research, and its regularity.

With the financing of the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, expansion and renovation of the Ulaanbaatar-Darkhan road and the construction of an additional two-lane road have been under construction since 2019.

The construction work funded by the Asian Development Bank has been completed and traffic has opened. As for the remaining two sets, the second set has performance of 72.27% and the fourth set has 66.5%. 275 people and 103 machines are operating on the road construction work.

The construction of an additional two-lane road financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development continues with completion of 60.2%.

In particular, the first set from the intersection of Western province to Kharmodot pass has performance of 77.1%, the second set from the back of the Kharmodot pass to Urikhan has performance of 54.2%, the third set from Urikhan to the Sumber intersection has performance of 53.1%, and the fourth set from the Sumber intersection to the Tsaidam valley is 53.4%, and the fifth section from Tsaidam valley to Darkhan intersection is 63.2%. Total of 548 people and 259 equipment are operating.

Four people died and hundreds of families were affected and suffered damages associated with the flooding in Ulaanbaatar from torrential rain on August 5.

According to the Mongolian National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring, 12 mm of rain fell in the areas of Jamsran Mountain, the territory of 21, 27, 29 khoroos /the smallest administrative unit/ of Bayanzurkh District, causing heavy flash flooding.

The emergency response began with rescue and displacing operations, cutting off damaged roads and passages, recovering the electricity supply, and distributing relief items.

Governor of the capital city and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar Sumyabazar Dolgorsuren informed that the city administration decided to provide apartments to the families of the deceased and furnished Mongol Gers to 16 families, who lost homes due to the flooding, financed from the Capital City Governor’s Reserve Fund.

Now flooding rescue and relief activities, including setting up relief centers, distribution of more relief items, disinfection of flooded areas, and restoring and strengthening damaged roads and bridges are underway. Over 1200 emergency officers and some 90 vehicles are working in the damaged areas.

A total of 250 cars have been affected by the three extreme events of flooding in Ulaanbaatar this summer times, as insurance companies reported.

Chief of the National Emergency Management Agency Major General G. Ariunbuyan received Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Guo Yezhou.

During the meeting, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Guo Yezhou briefed on his official visit to Mongolia and presented the projects under implementation by the two countries. He informed about their intention to donate CNY 300,000 to overcome the flood disaster caused by heavy rains in the capital and rural areas in recent months, eliminate the harmful effects, and provide assistance to needy families.

Major General G. Ariunbuyan expressed the gratitude, touched upon the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries, and the National Emergency Management Agency of Mongolia and the Ministry of Emergency Management of China, and exchanged views on cooperation in the introduction of innovative technique and equipment that are used in China during disasters and accidents.