In his opening remarks, Governor of the Capital City S.Amarsaikhan noted “The project will provide learning opportunities for young people, who make up 65 percent of Ulaanbaatar city population. We have started setting up innovation centers for youths in Bayankhoshuu and Selbe sub centers and districts. It is impossible for Ulaanbaatar city to flourish further without technological advances and smart solutions. Governments of the countries are imposing various quarantine regimes today due to COVID-19 infection. Maybe this is giving chances to many young people to improve themselves, by taking online coding courses and developing new software.

At the project launch, the Governor’s Office of the Capital City and ‘Empasoft’ Academy established a cooperation agreement on organizing elementary level training for 400 children and advanced level training to another 100 children of target groups with a view to disseminate basic knowledge of programming skills.

“Mongolia is a country of youth as people aged between 18-35 make up more than half of the entire population. However, many youths are still not employed and have no income. The project to train 10.000 programmers will be carried out in stages. Works to open elective classes and run training clubs at general education schools are planned,” said M.Khaliunbat, initiator of the project and officer in charge of innovation and technology projects of the capital city.

As of today, the country of three million has 141 confirmed cases of coronavirus; all of them are imported. Currently 1500 people remain in observation for symptoms of coronavirus after 4950 people have been discharged from isolation centres.

Wedged between Russia and China, landlocked Mongolia on March 12 become one of the first countries to close its borders in the face of the growing global epidemic.

Universities, schools and kindergartens are closed until September, conferences and public protests are banned, children under 12 are not allowed in malls or restaurants, and facemasks are mandatory.

"The country will keep the quarantine rules until a vaccine becomes available," Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa told reporters in the country's parliament.

He did not provide more details about what measures would remain in place, but said he did not know when borders would reopen.

Despite the announcement, he said parliamentary elections will be held as scheduled on June 24.

Scientists around the world are rushing to find a vaccine for the virus that has killed more than 340,000 people and infected over five million in 196 countries and territories.

Mongolia has recorded a low 140 cases, with most imported from Russia. The returnees were put under strict quarantine for three weeks.

The country has sent planes to repatriate Mongolians abroad, but thousands remain stranded in other countries.

Only vulnerable groups—including pregnant women, seniors, children with their parents, and people with serious health issues—are allowed to return, with authorities saying Mongolia lacks the capacity to handle everyone.

The NCCD conducted a total of 22 COVID-19 tests Sunday and the results were all negative, Ambaselmaa said at a press conference.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mongolia so far is 141.

All of the confirmed cases were imported, mostly from Russia, according to the center. No local transmissions or deaths have been reported in the country so far.

The Ministers mutually briefed about policies, actions and measures being taken by the Governments of the two countries against the COVID-19 pandemic and exchanged information on them.

Underlining that the world countries will overcome the danger of the pandemic together, Minister Tsogtbaatar presented specific initiatives being proposed at a regional level in this direction.

While highlighting the importance of close regional cooperation to fight against the pandemic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Motegi Toshimitsu made remarks, commending the Government of Mongolia for its effective measures that helped achieving zero local transmission and protecting the health of its people since an early date of the global spread of the virus.

Furthermore, Motegi Toshimitsu notified that the Government of Japan has decided to provide rapid financial assistance and non-project, non-refundable aid to Mongolia for overcoming economic difficulties.

Minister D.Tsogtbaatar expressed his sincere gratitude for the Japanese support as well as assistance and the supply of flu drug Avigan provided to Mongolia through international organizations.

Foreign Ministers of the two countries also affirmed their intention for cooperating in the celebration of the 50th jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Japan, which will fall in 2022, and deepening the Strategic Partnership.

A working team on developing the amendment led by parliament member D.Lundeejantsan delivered a press briefing today on the constitutional amendments. MP Lundeejantsan said “Thanks to the recent amendment, the Constitution of Mongolia, which is a social contract between the state and the people of the country, has now become whole, and beginning from today started taking effect across the nation”

“The 1992 Constitution of Mongolia first entered into force at 12.00 hours on the 12 the of February of 1992, or at the hour of Horse on the prime and benevolent ninth day of Yellow Horse of the first spring month of Black Tiger of the year of Water Monkey of the Seventeenth 60-year Cycle.”

“The latest amendment to the Constitution, which improved the previous seven amendments made to the Constitution in 2000, is believed to open up the opportunities for the population of Mongolia to benefit from the natural resource wealth, improve the country’s parliamentary democracy by ensuring the people's governing rights and increasing the responsibilities of the parliament, enable the stability and responsibility of the government that is guided by long-term development policies, enhancing the responsibilities and independence of the judiciary through several fundamental changes in it, and improve the local government system” said MP Lundeejantsan.

“The upcoming four-year period will be a time of governance reform and legal revolution. More than 40 laws being revised accompanying the amendment to the Constitutions will facilitate achieving justice, accountability of authorities and transparency in budgeting.

The amendment to the Constitution was made in four different areas of parliamentary system and governance, executive power, enhancement of accountability of judicial systems and of local governance system.

In the wake of the COVID-19 spread, the Government of Mongolia is implementing the package of measures to stimulate the economy, support livelihoods of target groups, save jobs, and protect the health of citizens in accordance with seven resolutions of the Government.

In connection with the pandemic, MNT213.7 billion has been spent on the health sector so far, of which MNT176.1 billion was provided with foreign assistance and loan, MNT20.6 billion was financed with budget adjustments in education and health sectors as well as MNT17 billion was funded with government reserve and budgetary allotment.

The abovementioned amount was used for additional salary to medical and health care workers of 13 hospitals, the purchase of 3.9 million pieces of protective clothes, 33 kinds of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, 18,700 pieces of professional equipment, 72 pieces of respiratory apparatus and other necessary equipment.

Beginning from February 1 until October 1, 2020, customs and VAT duties are exempt for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, equipment, and disinfectants and sanitizing substances to be imported for diagnosis and treatment purposes.

Currently, The Traffic Control Centre of Ulaanbaatar controls only five percent of all roads; the additional 600 cameras will increase it to 28 percent.

UB aims to have 40 percent of the city covered by cameras by 2021; by the following year 6822 spots will be installed. It is estimated that by controlling 80 percent of city with surveillance cameras will help decrease number of crimes by 40-50 percent.

UB installed 3600 cameras by financing from the State Budget over the last decade; 40 percent of them are now out of operation.

Each year, Taiwan imports millions of dollars worth of copper and alloys from Mongolia as well as other products and textiles. In return, Taiwan exports electronic devices for telecommunications and high-tech machinery for manufacturing to the country. The total trade figure surpassed USD41 million in 2018 — a number that heralded tremendous potential for future growth.

According to the representative from the Ulaanbaatar Trade and Economic Representative Office in Taipei, Z.Lkhagvasuren, around 5,000 Taiwanese visited Mongolia in 2019; currently about 90 percent of the Mongolians in Taiwan are students. Although a visa-waiver program has not yet been established, the Mongolian side is supportive of any measures that might facilitate increased travel between the two countries.

As Taiwan’s health system and advanced medical technology have allowed it to handle the COVID-19 outbreak, Zolzaya believes these strengths can not only benefit Taiwan’s international partners, such as Mongolia, but also strengthen the island nation’s relationships with them as well.