Lawmakers submit bill to improve transparency in natural resource use www.ubpost.mn

Members of Parliament B.Uyanga, B.Munkhsoyol and B.Jargalan submitted a draft Law on Transparency in the Use of Natural Resources to Parliament Speaker S.Byambatsogt on September 11. The bill aims to establish a unified system for collecting and publicly disclosing information and reports related to the use of Mongolia’s mineral, water, forest, wildlife and plant resources. According to B.Uyanga, the proposed legislation would introduce a centralized digital portal, reporting procedures and a multi-stakeholder oversight mechanism for natural resource use.

She said the bill is intended to safeguard citizens’ right to information and help prevent corruption and conflicts of interest. The lawmakers have also prepared amendments to 17 related laws, including the General Law on State Registration, the Law on State Registration of Legal Entities, the Minerals Law, the Petroleum Law, the Law on Commonly Occurring Minerals and the Nuclear Energy Law.

Under the proposed framework, information and reports would be required to be publicly accessible, accurate, complete, consistent and integrated, while mechanisms would be established to enable public oversight. The bill would also introduce the principle that government agencies should not request information from individuals or legal entities if the same information is already held by the state. The proposed legislation consists of five chapters and 22 articles. One of its key innovations is the establishment of a unified digital portal for natural resource use, which would receive, register, store, process, verify and publish relevant reports and information and facilitate data exchange.

The portal would be connected to databases covering natural resources, licenses and permits, the state registry of legal entities, taxation and other relevant government information. This would allow information to be submitted and verified electronically through a single platform.

The bill also contains specific provisions concerning confidential information and contract transparency. Information on environmental damage, pollution, degradation, accidents and rehabilitation resulting from natural resource use, as well as resource-use fees, taxes, revenues paid into state and local budgets, payments and dividends to state- and locally owned entities, and donations and other forms of support would not be treated as confidential business information. Contracts and agreements related to natural resource use, including any amendments or additions, would also be published in full on the unified portal.

The lawmakers said that, if adopted, the legislation would consolidate natural resource information in a single source and link data on contracts, licenses, payments, taxes, revenues, ultimate beneficial ownership, environmental impacts, rehabilitation, local agreements, donations and other forms of support. They said the proposed law would strengthen citizens’ right to information, public oversight and local participation, while helping prevent corruption and conflicts of interest and promoting responsible investment, good governance and greater public trust in environmental accountability, according to the parliament.

Leather Industry Expands Raw Material Procurement via Commodity Exchange www.montsame.mn

Leather processing factories are currently sourcing 1,793 cattle hides from Dornod aimag, 605 from Sukhbaatar aimag, as well as 4,000 sheepskins from Khuvsgul aimag and 3,000 from Arkhangai aimag, through the Mongolian Agricultural Commodity Exchange.

As an initial step, raw hides and skins are being purchased directly from herders in Khentii, Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Arkhangai, and Khuvsgul aimags, given preliminary processing, and then supplied to manufacturers through exchange-based trading, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MFA).

The MFA, Agricultural Commodity Exchange LLC, the Mongolian Leather Industry Association, and leather-processing companies are jointly implementing the “Leather to Wealth” program through a public-private partnership. As part of the initiative, a collection point has been established in Kherlen soum of Khentii aimag to purchase hides and skins and provide initial treatment.

The new collection points allow herders and businesses to deliver animal hides and skins directly, creating an opportunity to supply processing factories without intermediaries.

Under the program, the Agricultural Commodity Exchange is also working with leather-processing factories to advise herders and residents on the causes of damage to hides and skins, ways to prevent such damage, and methods of increasing the value of raw materials. The quality and standards of the hides and skins are inspected and assessed on site.

In the eastern region, approximately 150,000 cattle hides were supplied last year, including 47,000 from Khentii, 57,000 from Dornod, and 51,000 from Sukhbaatar aimags.

24,000 Tonnes of AI-92 Gasoline Imported Nationwide www.montsame.mn

According to the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority, Mongolia imported 24,000 metric tonnes of AI-92 gasoline during the first 11 days of September.

Over those 10 days, this average daily supply of roughly 2,400 metric tonnes was sufficient to meet national demand.

As of September 11, there were 92 rail tank cars containing 5,520 metric tonnes of AI-92 gasoline nationwide. Of this total, 41 railcars carrying 2,460 metric tonnes of AI-92 gasoline have been unloaded into storage facilities.

Foreign Trade Turnover Reaches USD 22.8 Billion www.montsame.mn

Mongolia traded with 155 countries in the first eight months of this year, with total foreign trade turnover reaching USD 22.8 billion.

Of this, exports totaled USD 14.4 billion and imports USD 8.4 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of USD 6 billion, according to the National Statistics Office.

Trade turnover increased by 36.8% (USD 6.1 billion), exports by 57.2% (USD 5.2 billion), and imports by 11.9% (USD 891.2 million) compared with the same period last year, while the trade surplus grew 3.6-fold, or by USD 4.3 billion.

The USD 5.2 billion increase in exports during the first eight months of this year, compared with the same period last year, was driven by growth in exports of copper ore and concentrate (USD 2.8 billion), coal (USD 1.9 billion), unprocessed and semi-processed gold (USD 255.6 million), combed cashmere (USD 97.1 million), tungsten ore and concentrate (USD 53.9 million), and lead ore and concentrate (USD 40.7 million). In contrast, exports of refined copper and copper alloys fell by USD 46.7 million, molybdenum ore and concentrate by USD 22.8 million, horse meat by USD 8.6 million, and sheep and goat meat by USD 6.2 million.

The USD 891.2 million rise in imports was driven by increases in diesel fuel (USD 407.6 million), gasoline (USD 73.4 million), bulldozers and excavators (USD 56.2 million), new tires (USD 48.6 million), and ferrous metal structures and parts (USD 36.6 million). In contrast, imports of passenger cars fell by USD 108.6 million, trucks by USD 47.1 million, and smartphones by USD 16 million.

Mineral products, precious stones, metal jewelry, and textile goods accounted for 97.6% of total exports, while mineral products, machinery and mechanical equipment, electrical appliances, vehicles and their parts, base metals, and articles thereof made up 70.9% of imports. Compared with the same period last year, the price of gold rose by USD 1,438 per ounce, copper ore and concentrate by USD 1,223.5 per tonne, and coal by USD 3.2 per tonne, while the price of iron ore and concentrate fell by USD 1.2 per tonne.

Coal accounted for 40.7% and copper ore and concentrate for 47.1% of goods exported to China, while unprocessed and semi-processed gold made up 99.6% of goods exported to Switzerland.

By country, China accounted for 41% of imports, Russia 27.5%, Japan 9.1%, South Korea 3.9%, the United States 3.1%, and Germany 2.2%, together making up 86.7% of total imports. Petroleum products made up 75.4% of goods imported from Russia, passenger cars accounted for 76.8% of imports from Japan, and trucks made up 5.7% of imports from China. Gasoline imports reached 619.4 thousand tonnes in the first eight months of the year, up 12.1% from the same period last year, while diesel fuel imports reached 1.3 million tonnes, up 5.7%.

Mongolia and France agree to strengthen school lunch program www.qazinform.com

Mongolia’s Education and Science Minister Enkh-Amgalan Luvsantseren met on September 10 with Jean-Sébastien Conti, Deputy Director-General for Global Affairs at France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to discuss cooperation on improving school meals, Qazinform News Agency cites MONTSAME.

Both sides exchanged views on enhancing the quality and accessibility of school meal production and services in general education schools.

The initiative aligns with Mongolia’s goal of building “healthy, green, accessible, safe, and smart schools.”

France’s best practices could be introduced to improve the nutritional value of student lunches, develop healthy menus, integrate nutrition education into the school curriculum.

The French delegation expressed readiness to assist Mongolia in strengthening its school lunch program, focusing on both accessibility and quality improvements, according to the Ministry of Education and Science.

As written before, healthy nutrition research center opens in Kazakhstan.

By Zhanna Nurmaganbetova

Mongolia Turns to Untapped Resources for Its Next Phase of Economic Growth www.devdiscourse.com

Mongolia is seeking to build on decades of poverty reduction and rising incomes by directing private investment into cashmere processing, renewable energy and critical minerals. A World Bank Group diagnostic identifies reforms that could attract up to hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and create thousands of jobs, while underscoring the regulatory, infrastructure and governance challenges involved.

Mongolia's economic growth has led it to become an upper-middle-income country in 2024, but it seeks to generate more value from its resources.
The country aims to attract sustained private investment and create better-paid employment beyond traditional extraction industries.
A World Bank Group report highlights cashmere processing, renewable energy, and critical minerals as key sectors for Mongolia's economic transition.
Despite supplying 40% of the world's raw cashmere, only 20% is processed domestically, indicating a need for improved value capture in manufacturing.
Mongolia has reached a point where economic growth alone is no longer enough. After three decades of poverty reduction and a tripling of GDP per capita, the country entered the upper-middle-income group in 2024. Its next challenge is to build an economy that generates more value from its resources, attracts sustained private investment and creates better-paid employment beyond traditional extraction.

A World Bank Group diagnostic identifies three sectors with the potential to support that transition: cashmere processing, renewable energy and critical minerals. Together, they reveal both the scale of Mongolia's opportunity and the institutional weaknesses that continue to prevent the country from capturing more value from its natural advantages.

Mongolia has resources, but captures too little value
Cashmere illustrates the problem most clearly. Mongolia supplies roughly 40 percent of the world's raw cashmere, yet only about 20 percent is processed domestically. Much of the fibre that is processed does not become a finished garment. It is exported in semi-processed form, leaving the higher-value stages of manufacturing, branding and retail to companies elsewhere.

Moving further along the value chain could increase the value of the same raw material by more than 200 percent. The projected gains are not limited to export earnings. Greater domestic processing could support employment in rural areas, strengthen links between herders and manufacturers, and create a broader industrial base around one of Mongolia's best-known products.

The opportunity, however, depends on reforms that address practical barriers rather than simply expanding output. Fibre-quality standards, pricing mechanisms and access to finance all affect whether processors can invest, meet international requirements and compete in finished products. Proposed reforms could attract $150 million in private investment and create up to 5,000 jobs by 2030, but those outcomes remain dependent on implementation.

Mongolia's challenge is not a lack of raw materials, but the ability to organise production, finance, standards and market access so that more of the value remains inside the country.

Renewable energy potential is running ahead of the grid
The same gap between potential and performance appears in energy. Mongolia has estimated technical potential of 700 gigawatts of solar power and 400 gigawatts of wind power, roughly 300 times current domestic electricity consumption. Yet renewable sources account for only about 10 percent of electricity generation.

The disparity suggests that natural resources are not the main obstacle. Investors also need reliable infrastructure and predictable commercial arrangements. The recommended priorities include modernising the grid, making power-purchase agreements bankable and allowing direct contracts between generators and large industrial users.

For developers, a bankable power-purchase agreement provides greater confidence that electricity will be purchased under enforceable terms. For industrial users, direct contracts could create clearer routes to renewable power. Neither measure can succeed without sufficient transmission capacity, transparent regulation and a market structure capable of balancing supply and demand.

Alongside capacity investments already planned by the government, the reforms could catalyse an estimated $230 million in private investment and create around 1,700 jobs. Renewable expansion could also support a lower-emissions growth path, particularly if new generation is connected effectively to industrial demand.

The policy dilemma is straightforward but difficult: Mongolia must expand energy supply while improving reliability and reducing emissions. Renewable potential alone cannot resolve that tension. Grid investment and credible contracts will determine whether the opportunity becomes commercially viable.

Critical minerals offer capital, but raise governance questions
Mongolia's deposits of copper, lithium, rare earth elements and graphite place the country within a wider global effort to secure supplies of minerals used in modern industry and clean-energy technologies. Much of this potential remains unexplored. Less than 15 percent of legally available land is covered by exploration licences, according to the diagnostic.

Limited public geological data and regulatory uncertainty are identified as important reasons for the low level of exploration. Companies are more likely to commit capital when they can assess geological prospects and understand how licences will be awarded, maintained and reviewed. Better information can reduce early-stage risk, while clearer rules can make long-term investment decisions more predictable.

Addressing those barriers could attract between $200 million and $500 million in exploration investment and support 700 to 1,400 new jobs in the medium term. Exploration is not the same as commercial production, however. Investment in geological surveys and early-stage projects may eventually lead to mining activity, but the timing, scale and economic returns cannot be assumed.

Mineral development also brings questions that investment projections do not answer. Communities may seek clarity over land use, environmental safeguards and the distribution of economic benefits. Regulators will need to balance faster exploration with transparent licensing and effective oversight. Investors, meanwhile, will assess whether policy commitments remain stable over the life of a project.

Mongolia's resource wealth can attract capital, but the quality of governance will influence whether that capital produces broad-based gains or reinforces existing vulnerabilities.

The decisive test will be implementation
The proposed reforms share a notable feature: they are presented as near-term actions that would not require major fiscal spending, making the agenda potentially attractive for a government seeking private investment without placing heavy pressure on public finances. It also shifts responsibility toward institutions that must enforce standards, administer licences, manage contracts and coordinate infrastructure.

Policy announcements will therefore be less important than measurable changes in the business environment. Investors will look for evidence that rules are applied consistently, agreements can be enforced and administrative decisions are predictable. Workers and rural communities will want to see whether projected jobs are stable, adequately paid and accessible beyond major urban centres.

The three sectors also require different forms of state support. Cashmere needs stronger domestic processing capacity and finance. Renewable energy requires grid modernisation and commercially credible power arrangements. Critical minerals depend heavily on geological information and regulatory clarity. Treating diversification as a single national programme could obscure these differences and weaken implementation.

Mongolia's broader economic question is whether it can move from exporting resources to building capabilities around them. Success would mean more than higher investment figures. It would involve stronger domestic firms, more productive employment, deeper supply chains and greater resilience to changes in commodity markets.

The next indicators will be concrete: revised cashmere standards, improved financing channels, new renewable-energy contracts, grid developments, expanded geological data and actual exploration commitments. Those steps will show whether Mongolia is beginning to convert its resource advantages into a more diversified private-sector economy, or whether its potential will continue to exceed its capacity to capture it.

First Central Hospital Introduces Robotic Surgery www.montsame.mn

The First Central Hospital of Mongolia has introduced the “Revo-I” robotic surgical system, developed by South Korea’s Meerecompany, with state budget investment as part of projects and programs aimed at adopting advanced technologies in global medicine and providing accessible and quality healthcare services to the public.

Speaking at the launch ceremony,  Ankhtuya P., Director General of the First Central Hospital, said, “A historic moment is taking place in the surgical care and services of the First Central Hospital. We have introduced the ‘Revo-I’ robotic surgical system into our operations. I would like to express my gratitude to the team of the Urology-Andrology Center of the First Central Hospital, which has taken the lead in introducing this system."

“In addition to sending our doctors and specialists to South Korea for training, we have worked closely with the National Cancer Center to train our medical professionals. Going forward, we will focus on expanding the use of this technology, improving public access to the service, incorporating it into the health insurance system, and developing human resources,” she said.

The robotic surgery will enable safer procedures for patients and help overcome the difficulties involved in removing lesions or treating conditions located in hard-to-reach areas. Surgeons control the robot to perform a wide range of surgical procedures, including the dissection of anatomical structures, suturing, cutting, and tissue excision.

58-year-old Mongolian president bench-presses 100kg; leaves internet impressed www.indianexpress.com

Mongolia’s President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh surprised social media users after a video showed the 58-year-old leader bench-pressing 100 kg for 20 repetitions during a visit to a military unit.

Khurelsukh, who served as an Army officer before entering politics, appeared unfazed as he completed the demanding set in front of military personnel. Dressed in a formal suit, the President initially stood beside the bench before taking off his jacket and getting into position.

He proceeded to lift the 100 kg weight repeatedly, completing all 20 repetitions without showing obvious signs of fatigue. Once he finished, Khurelsukh stood up, shook hands with the officers and soldiers around him and casually put his jacket back on.

The footage has since made its way across social media, with several users expressing surprise at the President’s fitness and the ease with which he handled the weight.

“Imagine running a whole country and still finding time to bench 100kg. I can barely get out of bed on time,” one user wrote.

“And that too with such ease,” another commented.

“Wah! This is super cool!” a third person added.

Khurelsukh has been Mongolia’s President since 2021. He entered politics after serving in the Mongolian People’s Army and went on to hold several senior positions, including that of prime minister, before becoming President.

His interests outside politics are also somewhat unconventional. According to an NDTV report, Khurelsukh has a background in bodybuilding and martial arts. The report also said that he plays guitar in a rock band called Pals.

Khurelsukh is also reportedly the founder of a Harley-Davidson fan club in the country, adding another unusual facet to his public profile.

National Museum of Natural Sciences Construction Reached 83% www.montsame.mn

President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa reviewed the progress of construction on the National Museum of Natural Sciences, being built in Ikh Tengeryn Am.

He instructed the relevant ministers and the contractor company to pay special attention to completing construction of the museum, an important investment in strengthening the nation's intellectual and cultural resilience, to a high standard.

Construction of the National Museum of Natural Sciences was 83% complete. He noted the need to pay special attention to enriching the collection of the new museum and to developing its exhibition design, collection storage and preservation, interactive displays, and education programmes in line with international standards, as well as to building human resource capacity and training the necessary specialists abroad.

While serving as Prime Minister, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa had made the decision to reclaim land in Ikh Tengeryn Am that had been used for purposes other than its intended one, returning it to public ownership for use accessible to the public. A decision was subsequently made to build the Natural History Museum on the site.

Construction of the National Museum of Natural Sciences began in 2024; the museum building, to be built on 6.6 hectares of land, covers approximately 45,000 square meters.

Once completed, Mongolia's first large-scale natural science museum will rank seventh in size among natural science museums in Asia.

As of today, construction of the five-block museum building was 83% complete, with completion planned for next year. Once construction is finished, work will move on to interior finishing and exhibition design. The exhibition design plan was being developed by eight sub-working groups made up of scientists and researchers from the seven institutes of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, the National University of Mongolia, the Mongolian University of Life Sciences, and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology, with this work currently 98% complete.

The museum will have seven permanent exhibition halls featuring modern technological solutions such as virtual reality, multimedia, interactive screens, and dynamic installations. It will also have a temporary exhibition hall, an amphitheater, a library, a conference hall, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a gift shop, and parking for around 500 vehicles.

The seven exhibition halls could comfortably accommodate an average of 2,500 to 3,000 visitors at a time, with a capacity for 3,500 to 5,000 visitors per day.

The museum will play an important role in spreading knowledge on the living world, the origin and development of humankind, geology, paleontology, geography, biodiversity, ecology, ecosystem patterns and evolution, teaching children and young people about the laws of nature, and fostering a love for and protection of the Earth and one's homeland, as well as pride in one's country.

It will also develop into a center of ecological education and knowledge that showcases Mongolia's pristine nature and natural heritage, fostering the concept of a green society through the collection, preservation, study, and promotion of natural and cultural heritage, and supporting environmental education, sustainable development, lifelong learning, a responsible attitude toward climate, and international cooperation. The museum's building design was developed by the "Khatanbaatar" company, with "Sodon Nomin Construction" serving as the contractor.

The foundations of the Natural History Museum were laid in 1924, and it was reorganized in 1956. In 1991, it separated from the State Central Museum to become the independent Natural History Museum. Today, the museum displays around 12,000 nature-related exhibits and artifacts to the public and conducts independent and collaborative scientific research in the natural sciences.

Pine nut harvesting banned in 2026 amid food shortages for wildlife www.gogo.mn

In response to an increase in brown bear sightings in populated areas, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Ts.Sandag-Ochir convened an emergency meeting on September 10, 2026.

Based on data indicating shortages of natural food sources for wildlife and research into the 2026 pine nut harvest, the meeting resulted in a decision to ban the harvesting of pine nuts for both household and commercial purposes throughout 2026.

T.Baljinnyam, a department head at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, said there had been more than 10 reported cases of brown bears entering human settlements since the beginning of the year. Official directives are being issued to Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Khentii, Khuvsgul, and Uvs provinces. 

Brown bears enter populated areas primarily because of a lack of food. In addition, vehicles and equipment used by people gathering nuts and berries are driving bears out of forest habitats. People also need to take care with how they dispose of household waste and animal carcasses.

We will take immediate action whenever a bear poses a threat to people or property.

There have also been cases of bears crossing into Mongolia from neighboring regions of Russia. Bears entering populated areas are generally emaciated due to food shortages, or are mother bears accompanied by cubs. Efforts are being made to drive them back into forested areas. 

Every year, Mongolia issues an order regulating the harvesting of pine nuts for household and commercial purposes. This year, however, an order has been issued to completely prohibit pine nut harvesting.