Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ At the intergovernmental negotiations held in Berlin on November 24 and 25, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has pledged EUR 46,85 million (approximately MNT 122 billion) to support Mongolia in the three priority areas “Energy Efficiency”, “Biodiversity” and “Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources”. EUR 24,4 million are non-repayable grants, EUR 22,45 million are development cooperation loans. BMZ Parliamentary Secretary of State Hans-Joachim Fuchtel highlighted that Germany will assist Mongolia to overcome its current economic, environmental and social challenges and will remain a long term partner to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.

Since the bilateral Development Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed in 1992, Germany has provided almost MNT 1 trillion (EUR 347 million) for bilateral technical and financial cooperation. With the 25th anniversary of this cooperation ahead, both sides highlighted much has been achieved and both countries are looking forward to further deepen the cooperation. Starting with commodity aid 25 years ago both governments agreed in 2011 to cooperate in three priority areas. In all three priority areas additional funding will be provided.

Mongolia’s unique biodiversity has to be preserved for future generations as healthy ecosystems form the foundation for sustainable development: Mongolia’s grasslands are the basis for the traditional nomadic lifestyle, mountain ecosystems provide water vital for the country, and forests are carbon sinks of global importance. The beauty of these landscapes has high potential to enhance sustainable tourism. Therefore Germany is already supporting 11 protected areas in the east, northeast and the central part of the country (Dornod, Gorkhi Terelj, Khangai, Khan Khentii, Khustai, Onon Balj, Orkhon, Otgontenger, Tarvagatai, Ulaan Taiga and Zed Khantai). With the additional pledge provided this November, further areas in the western provinces can be supported. Protecting ecosystems and improving the livelihoods of local people always goes hand in hand. This is also the case for Germany’s long term commitment to protect and sustainably use Mongolia’s forest ecosystems. New funding will provide continued support for forest and environmental policies as well as of enhanced education and training of forest experts and workers.

As Mongolia is striving to develop a diversified and sustainable economy where all people benefit from the country’s extractive resources, Germany continues to support the development of long term strategies for inclusive growth, regional development concepts and the strengthening of the legal framework and the judicial system. Together with Switzerland and Australia and supported also by the private sector, Germany very successfully provides support to the vocational training sector. This aims at giving young Mongolians a perspective to find qualified jobs. A significant amount of new funding was pledged to further improve the research and teaching infrastructure of the German Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology (GMIT). The university was established 2011 to provide Mongolia with highly qualified specialists for the extractive resources sector.

Bearing in mind the cold winters and insufficient power supply and distribution, the main goal of cooperation in this priority area is to increase efficiency along the energy value chain. The Energy Conservation Law was promulgated last year. This important step will pave the way for the use of energy managers, the introduction of market based tariffs, etc. Germany will further support the implementation of this law. German supported energy efficiency renovations of kindergartens have proven a reduction of illness days among children by 65% thanks to warm indoor climate. After a successful finalization of the modernization at Power Plant IV, Mongolia’s biggest power and heat producers, in the next two years the modernization measures at the Darkhan Power Plant will be successfully concluded. These measures ensure access to electricity and heat for over 90,000 people in the region. A new project totaling over EUR 20 million shall improve the stability and the reliability of the Mongolian central energy transmission grid.