The annual forum is co-organized by Ministry of Energy, the Energy Regulation Commission of Mongolia, the Mongolian Renewable Industries Association and the Mongolian Wind Energy Association.

This year's forum is expected to cover topics such as establishing independent grid in remote area, current renewable energy situation on grid, opportunities of reducing air pollution using renewable energy in urban areas.

Currently, the number of attendees of this year's forum has reached 600.

Mongolia has enormous potential for the development of renewable energy.

The East Asian country with a population of just over three million enjoys more than 250 days of sunshine a year.

The country's renewable capacity nearly doubled last year, reaching 155 MW, according to data from the Ministry of Energy.

The landlocked country installed its first large solar power plant, with a capacity of 10 MW, in Darkhan-Uul province, in the north of the county, in January 2017. Its second wind farm, the 50 MW Tsetsii Wind Farm, also opened in October of that year.

Mongolia seeks to provide sufficient heat and electricity to its population, especially in rural areas, and renewable energy projects are seen as a possible solution.

According to Mongolia's Ministry of Energy, the country has a potential wind capacity of 1,100 GW.

At the press conference, the parties expressed their interest in expanding active cooperation in broad spheres including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), United Nations (UN) and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

“We exchanged views on some issues regional and international communities are facing. Moreover, we have agreed to continue our cooperation in major fields like SCO, UN and OSCE. By improving relationship with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Mongolia will be able to increase trade turnover, attract investment and expand regional and border cooperation. The second meeting of the working group to expand cooperation between the Government of Mongolia and EAEU was held in 2017 in Ulaanbaatar. I am confident that the work will continue intensively in the future” said Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation S.V.Lavrov, noting that there will be many opportunities for Mongolia with the Great Eurasian partnership. He also emphasized that Russia will support Mongolia in all aspects with this great start.

Foreign Minister of Mongolia D.Tsogtbaatar said “At the initiative of Mongolia, Mongolia-Russia cooperation has expanded to trilateral cooperation including the People’s Republic of China. Mongolia is paying close attention to the Mongolia-Russia-China Economic Corridor Program. A meeting of three leaders are planned in June, during the SCO summit in Qingdao, China. Mongolia has began studies and is creating a favorable legal environment to conclude free trade agreement with the EAEU.”

Minister S.V.Lavrov noted that the document on expansion of trilateral cooperation based on agreements between the leaders of Mongolia, Russia and China will be approved soon.

“The Mongolia-Russia-China Economic Corridor Program includes quite feasible projects in infrastructure, railway transportation and logistics service. Documents related to the program are ready and will be approved soon. We are making a great effort to satisfy Mongolia's interests, including making transit transportation between Russia, China and Europe. Mongolia’s transit transportation increased by 2.7 times last year, if I’m not mistaken. This growth demonstrates the potential for further transportation increase” said Minister S.V.Lavrov and noted that the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Mongolia was effective.

B.Misheel

P.Gankhuu holds Master's degrees in economics from Sydney University and Senshu University of Japan. Previously, he worked as Minister of Energy in 2016-2017, Head of a Department of the Ministry and served as an acting chairman of Energy Authority.

B.Batchimeg

The Citizens’ Representatives Meetings of aimags and Ulaanbaatar city submitted a proposal on allocating 8605 hectare area free for ownership with purpose of family needs and 30 hectare area for business purpose. Eight percent of the land to be owned for business purpose will be allocated for cropping potato and vegetables whilst 92 percent will be allocated for other purposes except farming.

M.Unurzul

It was decided to scrutinize estimations of the investment required to secure constant operations of Baganuur and Shivee Ovoo companies and expand their capacities with technical modernizations, and resolve the financial sources within next month.

The Cabinet obliged the Board of Directors of ‘Erdenes Mongol’ LLC and ‘Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi’ JSC to settle short-term payables of Baganuur and Shivee-Ovoo companies by June 1 with their internal resources, and corresponding minister to take stage by stage measures to increase the coal price to its actual cost.

Certain measures will be also taken to increase profitability of the companies, reduce production costs and improve its management.
M.Unurzul

In 2017, Munkh Nogoon Tal LL C yielded 5 thousand kilograms of strawberry and this year the company plans to increase its yield up to 8 thousand kilograms. The strawberry is planted in soil and hydroponically.

Moreover, Nogoon Sor LLC has been cultivating strawberry, watermelon and grape since 2009. In 2017, Nogoon Sor LL C harvested 20 tons of strawberry; however, due to technical problems, strawberry yield is expected to drop to 12 tons. Last year, the company harvested 24 tons of watermelon and is now expecting 35 tons of watermelon. Nogoon Sor LLC has been experimenting to plant peach since 2015 and plans to cultivate more fruits in the future.

Since 2005, Atriin Shim LL C has been cultivating four types of fruit in greenhouse. In 2017, the company harvested over 20 tons of fruit and expects 30 tons this year. The company has greenhouses in Sergelen soum of Tuv aimag and 40 percent of the greenhouses is dedicated to fruit and other 60 percent are for vegetables.

According to the Mongolian Federation of Greenhouse Farming, Mongolia imports 18-22 thousand tons of fruit annually. Each year, Mongolia produces over 2560 tons and 10 types of fruit, of which almost 92 percent of the entire production comes from sea buckthorn. However, this only covers 1.5 percent of domestic fruit demand.

Kara-ool pointed out that Tuva is interested in strengthening bilateral relations in roads and transportation, trade and economic cooperation.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on an ongoing project to build a railway connecting Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva, with Tsagaan Tolgoi port at the Mongolian and Russian border, which was agreed to become the northern part of the railway corridor during the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, Russia in September 2017.

The parties unanimously agreed that the two nations should strengthen regional and mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote business and people-to-people relations.

During the meeting organizations have introduced the current works they are implementing and the works they are planning to implement in Mongolia. Minister D.Tsogtbaatar noted that the relations between the two countries should not only be an intergovernmental partnership, but also a broader humanitarian relationship between the two people. In this context, the activities of the organizations contribute in enriching the bilateral relations between Mongolia and the U.S and the Minister thanked the organizations for their contribution to Mongolia’s socio-economic development.

The two sides exchanged views on supporting volunteerism in Mongolia, continuing the “LEAD Mongolia” program, expanding the private sector cooperation between the two countries, implementation of beef export promotion project and other potentials and new opportunities of cooperation. The two governments expressed their support and willingness to cooperate within these works.

During the visit, the Foreign Affairs Minister is expected to hold talks with senior Russian officials and exchange information on the implementation of the Mongolia-Russia Medium-Term Strategic Partnership Programme.

In addition, the two sides will discuss a wide range of issues including deepening bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, economy and investment, as well as intensifying trilateral cooperation between Mongolia-Russia-China and studying possibilities for starting cooperation between Mongolia and the Eurasian Economic Union.