1 ZANDANSHATAR GOMBOJAV APPOINTED AS PRIME MINISTER OF MONGOLIA WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      2 WHAT MONGOLIA’S NEW PRIME MINISTER MEANS FOR ITS DEMOCRACY WWW.TIME.COM PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      3 ULAANBAATAR DIALOGUE SHOWS MONGOLIA’S FOREIGN POLICY CONTINUITY AMID POLITICAL UNREST WWW.THEDIPLOMAT.COM PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      4 THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF) IN MONGOLIA, THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR SUPPORTING THE BILLION TREES MOVEMENT, AND CREDITECH STM NBFI LLC HAVE JOINTLY LAUNCHED THE “ONE CHILD – ONE TREE” INITIATIVE WWW.BILLIONTREE.MN PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      5 NEW MONGOLIAN PM TAKES OFFICE AFTER CORRUPTION PROTESTS WWW.AFP.MN PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      6 GOLD, MINED BY ARTISANAL AND SMALL-SCALE MINERS OF MONGOLIA TO BE SUPPLIED TO INTERNATIONAL JEWELRY COMPANIES WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      7 AUSTRIA PUBLISHES SYNTHESIZED TEXTS OF TAX TREATIES WITH ICELAND, KAZAKHSTAN AND MONGOLIA AS IMPACTED BY BEPS MLI WWW.ORBITAX.COM  PUBLISHED:2025/06/13      8 THE UNITED STATES AND MONGOLIA OPEN THE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN ULAANBAATAR WWW.MN.USEMBASSY.GOV  PUBLISHED:2025/06/12      9 MONGOLIA'S 'DRAGON PRINCE' DINOSAUR WAS FORERUNNER OF T. REX WWW.REUTERS.COM PUBLISHED:2025/06/12      10 MONGOLIA’S PIVOT TO CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS: STRATEGIC REALIGNMENTS AND REGIONAL IMPLICATIONS WWW.CACIANALYST.ORG  PUBLISHED:2025/06/12      БӨӨРӨЛЖҮҮТИЙН ЦАХИЛГААН СТАНЦЫН II БЛОКИЙГ 12 ДУГААР САРД АШИГЛАЛТАД ОРУУЛНА WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/15     ОРОН СУУЦНЫ ҮНЭ 14.3 ХУВИАР ӨСЖЭЭ WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/15     МОНГОЛ УЛСЫН 34 ДЭХ ЕРӨНХИЙ САЙДААР Г.ЗАНДАНШАТАРЫГ ТОМИЛЛОО WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     SXCOAL: МОНГОЛЫН НҮҮРСНИЙ ЭКСПОРТ ЗАХ ЗЭЭЛИЙН ХҮНДРЭЛИЙН СҮҮДЭРТ ХУМИГДАЖ БАЙНА WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     МОНГОЛ БАНК: ТЭТГЭВРИЙН ЗЭЭЛД ТАВИХ ӨР ОРЛОГЫН ХАРЬЦААГ 50:50 БОЛГОЛОО WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     МОНГОЛ ДАХЬ НҮБ-ЫН ХҮҮХДИЙН САН, ТЭРБУМ МОД ҮНДЭСНИЙ ХӨДӨЛГӨӨНИЙГ ДЭМЖИХ САН, КРЕДИТЕХ СТМ ББСБ ХХК “ХҮҮХЭД БҮРД – НЭГ МОД” САНААЧИЛГЫГ ХАМТРАН ХЭРЭГЖҮҮЛНЭ WWW.BILLIONTREE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     ЕРӨНХИЙЛӨГЧИЙН ТАМГЫН ГАЗРЫН ДАРГААР А.ҮЙЛСТӨГӨЛДӨР АЖИЛЛАНА WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     34 ДЭХ ЕРӨНХИЙ САЙД Г.ЗАНДАНШАТАР ХЭРХЭН АЖИЛЛАНА ГЭЖ АМЛАВ? WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     “АНГЛИ ХЭЛНИЙ МЭРГЭШЛИЙН ТӨВ”-ИЙГ МУИС-Д НЭЭЛЭЭ WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/13     Г.ЗАНДАНШАТАР БАЯЛГИЙН САНГИЙН БОДЛОГЫГ ҮРГЭЛЖЛҮҮЛНЭ ГЭЖ АМЛАЛАА WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/06/12    

Category

Events

Events

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MBCC “Doing Business with Mongolia seminar and Christmas Receptiom” Dec 10. 2024 London UK MBCCI London UK Goodman LLC

NEWS

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Ian Miller, Broncos out to write more history for Mongolia in BCL Asia 2025 www.fiba.basketball

DUBAI (United Arab Emirates) - He's been to various parts of the globe to play professional basketball, but taking his talents to Mongolia has proven to be one of the best decisions Ian Miller has ever made.
Mainly because he achieved success that's far bigger than championships and awards.
"This is probably top 2, top 3 of my basketball moments because it's nothing like making history," said the 33-year-old, who's been playing pro for 11 years now. "You're down forever for [being] the first to ever do it."
"We're taking pride in that - I, for sure, take pride in that; you know, representing my family, and everybody that had something to do with me growing in the game of basketball, it means a lot," he furthered.
Breakthroughs have indeed defined the 2024-25 season of him and Ulaanbaatar Xac, particularly the accomplishments they have written in the FIBA club competition circuit in Asia.
After a heartbreaking run in the BCL Asia Qualifiers last year, the Broncos authored a storybook ending to their redemption tour by claiming the BCL Asia-East 2025 crown by beating the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots.
They became the first Mongolian professional team to capture a regional title and making it all the more special was that they won as much in front of their home fans as the Final 4 was held at the MBank Arena.
But it was actually a triple celebration, too. Miller went on to earn BCL Asia-East Most Valuable Player honors after posting per-game averages of 17.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists to lead their eight-game sweep.
"It's about our team," said the Florida State alumnus in getting the tilt's highest individual plum. "My teammates trusted me to make the right plays and decisions, and the stats just handled himself afterwards."
Miller, no question, has been a huge reason why Ulaanbaatar Xac upped the ante when they acquired his services last March, although he refuses to take all the credit but rather deflects as much to his brothers.
In the three months he's been with the team, the Charlotte-native is just filled with much joy with the kind of bond he's been able to form with his teammates, which definitely is showing on the hardwood.
Another solid proof of which was their 2024-25 The League campaign, where they went on to win the whole thing to give the club its third title in the last four seasons and grow their overall collection to seven.
"We are definitely a family. Everybody joined at the hip," said the Mongolian league MVP. "Everybody knows the strengths and weaknesses of each other. We play through each other's strengths, we sacrifice for each other."
"It's been fun since I've been here, man. There's not a lot of dull moments," Miller continued with a smile. "Even with the coaching change there were still great times, and we're all growing together."
And being that tight-knit of a unit, the entire Broncos have also shared a responsibility among themselves, which is, of course, to represent Mongolia the best they can - most especially now that they're in the grand stage.
By winning the BCL Asia-East 2025, the team qualified for the BCL Asia 2025, a feat that's historic per se as they have become the first Mongolian team in 13 years to reach Asia's highest club competition.
"It's all about our team, how we're evolving as a team and as an organization in the Mongolian Basketball League," he said. "Now we're the representatives. We take pride in making everybody in that country look good."
They've already made heads turn in the 'City of Gold' right on opening day following an 84-67 victory over CBA champions Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, eventually reaching the Quarter-Finals with a 1-1 card.
No team from Mongolia has gotten past the Group Phase of the tournament formerly known as the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, let alone win a single game, until the Broncos changed the narrative.
The first Mongolian team to take part in the prestigious competition, the Energy R. Falcons, went back home empty-handed from the 2012 meet after losing all four of their games in the preliminaries.
Fast forward to now and Ulaanbaatar Xac brought renewed sense of pride to the country, but Miller and his team have no plans whatsoever of stopping, especially now that they're in the knockout stages.
"We're on a business trip. It's a nice place, a vacation place, but this is business for us," he said. "We got two missions completed; now, we're going for the third one."
FIBA

 

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Mongolia’s Next Government May Face Rising Fiscal Risk www.fitchratings.com

Fitch Ratings-Hong Kong-09 June 2025: A sharp fall in revenues from coal exports will present challenges for Mongolia’s next government, says Fitch Ratings. Risks to public finances could be further heightened if the authorities opt to loosen fiscal policy in response to the recent bout of public protest.
Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene resigned on 3 June after losing a vote of confidence in parliament, following the demonstrations against him. We expect the ruling Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), with a simple majority in the parliament, should be able to appoint a new prime minister relatively quickly.
Swift resolution of the political volatility would support broad policy continuity and put the government in a position to respond to the recent coal-price shock. More prolonged instability, which is not our baseline assumption, could have greater adverse effects on Mongolia’s credit metrics.
Current spending rose 20% yoy in 4M25, and moves to assuage public discontent may add to upward pressure on spending, challenging efforts to reduce imbalances created by pro-cyclical fiscal policies. Mongolia’s fiscal rules have been strengthened in recent years, with a rule capping current spending and debt at 30% and 60%, respectively, of nominal GDP. The structural deficit is also limited to 2% of GDP. However, the authorities’ record of implementing the rules is short, and it is unclear how tightly they will be enforced in the face of external headwinds. Moreover, the government seems to have significant leeway in its calculation of the structural fiscal balance, based on its own commodity revenue projections.
Meeting the government’s target of a zero structural balance for 2025 would be likely to require slower fiscal spending as commodity revenues decline. Without fiscal policy adjustment, Fitch conservatively projects the headline budget deficit could reach 3.0% of GDP for 2025, against the government’s targeted 3% surplus, reflecting our latest assumptions for coal and copper exports and spending.
The outgoing government prioritised 14 mega-projects that require significant medium-term investment. Slower execution of the capital budget, for example because of the impact of recent events on government policy or investor sentiment towards these projects, could reduce near-term spending but would weigh on Mongolia’s medium-term growth potential.
When we upgraded Mongolia’s ratings in September 2024 to ‘B+’ with a Stable Outlook, from ‘B’, we stated that political instability or major policy shifts sufficient to significantly disrupt strategic mining projects or FDI inflows could create downward pressure on the rating.
Mongolia’s goods exports fell by 13% yoy in US dollar value terms over 4M25, led by a 39% yoy decline in coal exports. The drop in coal exports was only partly mitigated by a 58% yoy increase in copper exports. Weaker exports have contributed to a widening of the current account deficit. However, the Bank of Mongolia (BoM) has raised interest rates to 12%, from 10%, this year in the face of rising inflation pressures, and the Mongolian tugrik depreciated by 4.3% between end-2024 and end-May against the US dollar, which may help to contain import demand.
Mongolia’s external buffers strengthened in 2024 but could be eroded if export performance continues to weaken. Official reserves stood at USD5.1 billion in April 2025, but the BoM’s foreign liabilities have increased by USD470 million since January, reducing the net reserve position.
Our September 2024 upgrade of Mongolia’s ratings reflected our view that larger foreign-exchange reserves, lower debt and more manageable external debt maturities had strengthened Mongolia's ability to withstand shocks, including commodity-price corrections. Nonetheless, we believe the country remains highly vulnerable to external conditions. Significant external stress, like a commodity shock amid expansionary domestic economic policies, that erodes Mongolia’s foreign reserves could lead to negative rating action.

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Corruption seen as bigger risk to Mongolian democracy than Chinese, Russian influence www.washingtontimes.com

Mongolia’s young democracy is being strained after the ouster of Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, who stands accused of corruption.
Mr. Oyun-Erdene resigned and the country’s ruling coalition collapsed after a June 3 non-confidence vote by the legislature.
He warned that his ouster “… could lead the public to lose faith in parliamentary rule and potentially put our democratic parliamentary system at risk of collapse.”
Democracy in Mongolia, which lies between authoritarian Russia and Communist China, has proven resilient so far, weathering frequent political crises since being established in 1990, with four coalition governments.
Mongolian experts say the bigger threat is corruption, a longstanding issue in the fledgling democracy.
Mr. Oyun-Erdene, then seen as a star member of a new generation of politicians, took office as premier in 2021 and won reelection in 2024, vowing to crush a culture of graft that has antagonized the country’s youth. He won some plaudits for tackling corrupt officials, but ironically, fell prey to charges of corruption himself.
Careless social media posts by the fiancée of his son showcased the kind of lavish lifestyle – a Harvard education, a Mercedes automobile, helicopter rides and luxury products – that the son of a man on a civil servant’s salary would be unable to afford.
That ignited youth in the capital. Anti-corruption protests, and a petition demanding Mr. Oyun-Erdene’s removal, kicked off in Ulaanbaatar in May and continued for weeks.
The protests detonated a political flare-up. The ruling coalition government cracked after Mr. Oyun-Erdene’s party, the socialist democratic Mongolian People’s Party, expelled its junior partner, the Democratic Party, for supporting the protesters.
“The collapse of the government and failure of the system to produce a prime minister worthy of the job is a setback,” said Denny Roy, who watches the region from the East-West Center for Security in Honolulu. “There is reason to hope that [the protests] will send a message to future politicians, that the political culture is now less tolerant of corruption and demands greater transparency.”
NGO Transparency International ranks Mongolia poorly for corruption: It is in 114th place out of 180 nations in its Corruption Perceptions Index. A 2002 coal theft case, which saw illegal shipments crossing the border into China, may have led to national losses of a staggering $11-12 billion.
The World Bank estimates that 27% of Mongolia’s 3.5 million population lives below the poverty line. Mining industries, which make up more than 80% of Mongolia’s exports, have enabled massive wealth accumulation by a fortunate elite, related corruption among officials and environmental degradation.
Mongolia is gifted with rich coal, copper and gold seams, some of which are being exploited by international mining concerns that have partnered with Mongolian interests. It also boasts deposits of valuable elements used in metallurgy and munitions and petrochemical production.
Despite the corruption concerns, the protesters weren’t violent, and the authorities responded following democratic principles. That led some to question Mr. Oyune-Erdene’s warnings — and related jitters in global media.
“A diverse group of people toppling the government is a democratic movement,” said Bolor Lkhaajav, a U.S.-based Mongolian researcher, who noted that the protests lured individuals angry with both corruption and environmental issues. “There is nothing to argue with about that.”
The legislature’s no-confidence vote on June 3 opened a 30-day window for Mongolia to choose a new prime minister.
Mr. Oyun-Erdene, who had formerly vowed to step down if the MPP-Democratic Party coalition broke apart, bowed to the vote. He is remaining as caretaker premier until a successor is nominated by the president and voted on by the legislature. Power in the country is split among the legislature, known as the State Great Khural, the prime minister and the president.
Mongolia overthrew communism after pro-democracy protests in 1989, adopted a democratic constitution in 1992, and has continued to make constitutional tweaks in the years since.
Defying its landlocked location, Mongolia is a “global partner” of NATO and deployed small troop contingents to the U.S.-led military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
At the same time, it has maintained cordial relations with neighboring Moscow and Beijing.
In 2024, the diplomatically nimble Mr. Oyun-Erdene held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and with Vice President Kamala Harris, and hailed Chinese-Mongolian relations.
Yet, even compared to other nations in East Asia, Mongolia’s export sector is massively dependent upon China. For imports, it depends heavily upon both Russia and China.
Some warn that Mongolia is vulnerable.
“If I was Mongolian, I would worry about eventually being absorbed by China,” Mr. Roy said. “The People’s Republic of China represents a long history of digesting smaller nations on China’s periphery — such as the South China, the Yellow Sea and the China-India border.”
Not all agree. Given that China already has massive trade leverage over the vast but underpopulated country, Ms. Lkhaajav did not see any reason to fear.
“Mongolia is small [in population] compared to Russia and China, but is an independent state,” she said. “That does not mean they are not trying to gain influence and economic advantage, but it is more about balancing geopolitical spheres with both countries … I don’t see any direct impact on Mongolian democracy.”
The major risk is internal, she says.
“If you asked me what the major issue facing Mongolia is, I would say corruption.”
BY  • Andrew Salmon can be reached at asalmon@washingtontimes.com.

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MPP Nominates Zandanshatar Gombojav for Prime Minister of Mongolia www.montsame.mn

The 7th Session of the Conference of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) was held on June 9, 2025, during which the Party decided to nominate Zandanshatar Gombojav for the position of Prime Minister of Mongolia.
Announcing the decision, Secretary-General of the MPP Sodbaatar Yangug noted, “This morning, the MPP Board convened and unanimously agreed to nominate Zandanshatar Gombojav for the post of Prime Minister, and subsequently submitted his candidacy to the Party’s Conference. Although three other individuals initially put their names forward during the Session, two later withdrew. As a result, a vote was held between Zandanshatar Gombojav and Temuulen Ganzorig, with 67.4 percent of members voting in favor of nominating Zandanshatar."
“Within the confines of the law, Zandanshatar’s nomination will now be submitted to the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia. Given that the MPP holds a parliamentary majority with 68 seats, the Party is confident that G. Zandanshatar will be appointed as the next Prime Minister. The Conference is the Party’s highest representative body, and we are confident that the MPP Faction in Parliament will fully support its decision,” added the Secretary-General.

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Rio Tinto faces major engineering change at Oyu Tolgoi www.mining.com

Rio Tinto (LON: RIO) (ASX:RIO) has approved a shift in underground development at its Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, pausing progress in the Entrée Resources (TSX: ETG) joint venture area due to ongoing delays in license transfers.
The company said the ramp up of production from Oyu Tolgoi remains on track to deliver an average of around 500,000 tonnes of copper from 2028 to 2036, with options including bringing Panel 1 or Panel 2 South into production first depending on the timing of the Entrée licence transfers.
“With lateral development work only just beginning in Panel 1, this is the right time to pivot and bring forward development in Panel 2 South to maintain our options,” Katie Jackson, chief executive of Rio Tinto Copper, said in a statement.
While limited development will continue in parts of Panel 1 outside the JV boundary, Rio Tinto confirmed that resources will now be reallocated to expedite progress in the more accessible Panel 2 South.
The development freeze in the Entrée JV area stems from a delay in transferring licences to Oyu Tolgoi LLC (OTLLC), the operating entity jointly owned by Rio Tinto (66%) and the Mongolian government (34%).
Entrée expressed disappointment over the holdup. CEO Stephen Scott noted that the transfer process began in February 2025 but remains incomplete.
“The parties have always intended for OTLLC to hold title to the Shivee Tolgoi and Javkhlant mining licenses on behalf of the JV participants,” Scott said. “It is a requirement of the 2008 JV agreement and contemplated in the 2009 Oyu Tolgoi investment agreement.”
He cautioned that any significant delay in development at Lift 1 Panel 1 could adversely impact the project’s cost, schedule, and Entrée’s financial position and share price.
As one of the world’s largest known copper-gold resources, Oyu Tolgoi plays a pivotal role in Rio Tinto’s growth strategy and Mongolia’s economic development.
Open pit mining at Oyu Tolgoi first started in 2011, and the copper concentrator, the largest industrial complex ever built in Mongolia, began processing mined ore into copper concentrate in 2013. Last year, underground production also kicked off, which is expected to elevate Oyu Tolgoi into one of the world’s top copper producers by 2030.

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Chinggis Khaan airport to be expanded through Japan's concessional loan www.akipress.com

Acting Minister of Roads and Transport Delgersaikhan Borkhuu met with Ambassador of Japan to Mongolia Masaru Igawahara, Head of JICA Mongolia Office Kensuke Miyagi and Oriental Consultants Global representative K. Takahashi to discuss the expansion of Chinggis Khaan International Airport through Japan's concessional loan.
Acting Minister Delgersaikhan expressed gratitude for the cooperation and emphasized the urgent need to increase the airport's capacity. He noted that the airport's passenger traffic has been growing rapidly and the airport is currently operating at high capacity, which requires urgent measures to expand infrastructure and improve efficiency.
K. Miyagi from JICA and K. Takahashi from Oriental Consultants Global presented the preliminary design and partial expansion plan of the airport's east and west wings, outlining potential options such as building a new passenger terminal, expanding the existing terminal and extending the runway.
The Acting Minister stressed the importance of aligning the feasibility study with Mongolia's long-term development goals, including urban growth, population projections, customs operations, and Ulaanbaatar's congestion. He asked that the planning cover the period up to 2050 and reflect the expected growth in tourism and international passenger traffic.
Both sides agreed to pool their proposals, start construction early, and aim for early completion. The feasibility study will include input from Mongolian transport and aviation experts, address infrastructure issues, and will be presented for discussion at the cabinet level. The parties also pledged to maintain close coordination throughout the process.

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Contract for the Construction of Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod Cross-Border Railway Signed www.montsame.mn

“Tavantolgoi Railway” LLC of Mongolia and “China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group” Ltd of the People’s Republic of China have finalized and signed the Contract for the Construction of the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod Cross-Border Railway.
The Signing Ceremony was attended by Acting Minister of Road and Transport of Mongolia Delgersaikhan Borkhuu, Head of the Department of Railway and Maritime Transport Policy and Coordination of the Ministry of Road and Transport Kh. Itgelt, Executive Director of “Tavantolgoi Railway” LLC B. Dugerjav, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Mongolia Shen Minjuan, Economic Advisor Liu Jingzhi and Secretary of the Economic and Trade Department of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Mongolia Cao Yue, Deputy General Manager of “China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Group” LLC Li Guoqiang, and General Manager of “China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Group International” LLC Xie Xiaoche.
The base structure of the railway, including the cross-border railway bridge, a station for broad and narrow gauge tracks, technological buildings and facilities are planned to be put into operation within 24 months, and on the 15th of this month, the Mongolian and Chinese sides will drill the first pier foundation of the bridge.
The Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod Cross-Border Railway Project will boost Mongolia's coal export volume, transport and logistics capacity, and economic growth. The implementation of the Project will facilitate the connection between the Shiveekhuren-Sekhee, Bichigt-Zuunkhatavch, and Khangi-Mandal ports on the Mongolian and Chinese borders by rail, as agreed upon by the Intergovernmental Agreement. As a result, coal exports will increase from 83 million tons to 165 million tons, raising annual export revenue by USD 1.5 billion, and contributing to Mongolia's GDP per capita reaching USD 10 thousand. It is also estimated that transportation costs will decrease by 2-2.5 times, export output will increase by 30 million tons, and transportation revenue will increase by USD 300 million. In addition, 200 permanent and 800 temporary jobs will be created, which will be a leverage in supporting regional development and employment.
The 32.6 km first-class railway will have dual tracks, with 1,520 mm broad gauge and 1,435 mm standard gauge, 19.5 km of main line and single- and double-track bridge structures 8–31 meters high. Its design capacity is 30 million tons of freight annually on the broad gauge and 10 million tons on the standard gauge. Under relevant legislation, the State Procurement Agency of Mongolia conducted the contractor selection and awarded "China Railway Construction Corporation" (CRCC) the contract. Its subsidiary “China Railway Bridge Engineering Bureau Group” will carry out construction.
Listed first among the 14 mega-projects in the Government’s 2024–2028 program, the cross-border railway is being developed under an Inter-Governmental Cooperation Agreement signed in Harbin on February 14, 2025, and ratified by the State Great Khural on March 27, 2025. The Agreement covers three initiatives, including joint construction of the cross-border railway, a long-term coal purchase-and-sale contract, and expansion of coal-mine capacity. The “Joint Construction of the Cross-Border Railway” agreement was finalized and signed on 14 May, followed by a joint groundbreaking ceremony. This will be the second cross-border railway to be built after the Zamyn-Uud-Ereen railways established under the 1955 Agreement between Mongolia and the People's Republic of China.

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Ban Ki-moon donates 180 million tugriks for Mongolia's One Billion Trees movement www.akipress.com

President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa received 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon and Founder of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future on June 6. Ban Ki-moon is participating in the Sustainability Dialogue 2025 - Climate Action: Billions of Trees International Forum in Ulaanbaatar, Montsame reported.
President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa noted that the President highly appreciates Ban Ki-moon's active work in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, protecting the environment, and combating climate change during his tenure as UN Secretary-General.
President Khurelsukh expressed satisfaction that these efforts are continuing and expanding today, including through the Sustainability Dialogue 2025 - Climate Action: Billions of Trees International Forum, which is co-hosted with the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future.
Ban Ki-moon expressed gratitude to President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa for organizing this Forum, demonstrating leadership in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and combating climate change.
He noted that the Ban Ki-moon Foundation would continue to cooperate with Mongolia on advancing Sustainable Development Goals, combating climate change, improving public health, enhancing women's leadership and participation, and supporting children and youth.
The 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations announced a donation of MNT 180 million in support of the One Billion Trees national movement and proposed collaborating to expand the movement into a regional initiative.

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Mongolia forces Rio Tinto into major engineering change at copper mine www.afr.com

Copper production from Rio Tinto’s most important growth project will not increase as rapidly nor efficiently as expected, after tensions with the Mongolian government forced Rio to make a major engineering change at the Oyu Tolgoi mine.
Rio has been forced to halt eight months of tunnelling work to move the giant underground mine in a northerly direction because the Mongolian government has delayed approval for the mine to enter tenements that are partly owned by Canadian company Entree Resources.
Rio and Entree were close to a deal to include those tenements into the Oyu Tolgoi mine plan, but Mongolia’s refusal to transfer the tenements has forced Rio to adopt “an alternative mine plan” that will be less lucrative.
Rio will now try to expand the mine in a southerly direction towards tenements that are not owned by Entree, in a bid to limit the damage to production rates and productivity caused by the Mongolian government’s brinksmanship.
“Development work in the Entrée joint venture area is now being paused until the necessary transfer of licences from Entrée to Oyu Tolgoi LLC is processed by the Government of Mongolia,” said Rio in a statement on Friday night.
Rio did not quantify the hit to copper production or value from the change. The company said its goal of producing an average of 500,000 tonnes of copper from Oyu Tolgoi between 2028 and 2036 remained intact.
But Rio copper boss Katie Jackson made clear that Mongolia’s refusal to approve the transfer of tenements, and the adoption of an “alternative mine plan”, was a negative result.
Rio chief Jakob Stausholm (pictured) gave Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa a tour of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine two months ago. Bloomberg
“Transferring the licences for the Entrée joint venture area will maximise the value Oyu Tolgoi delivers for all parties, and we are continuing to work with the Government of Mongolia and Entrée Resources towards this outcome,” she said in a statement.
The change to the Oyu Tolgoi mine plan is the latest example of the toxic relationship between Rio and the Mongolian government, with the developing nation relying on the mine for approximately 30 per cent of its gross domestic product.
Rio and Mongolia are in arbitration over $US438 million ($674 million) worth of disputed taxes, and Mongolia has filed a separate claim in the British High Court that accuses Rio of engaging in political bribery more than a decade ago.
The huge engineering changes forced upon Oyu Tolgoi on Friday also appear to be linked to Mongolia’s desire to get a great share of the wealth from the mine.
The agency responsible for the delay in transferring the tenements is the Mongolian Tax Authority, which has the right to judge the payable tax on the transfer of the tenements.
Tensions over the tenement transfer also come at a time of political instability in Mongolia; Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai resigned on Tuesday after losing a no-confidence vote.
The parliamentary instability has cemented the power of Mongolia’s President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, who was given a personal tour of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine by Rio chief Jakob Stausholm two months ago.
Entree Resources chief executive Stephen Scott said the people of Mongolia would be among the victims of the engineering changes forced upon the Oyu Tolgoi mine on Friday.
“Our top priority is to try to reduce the adverse economic impact on all Oyu Tolgoi project stakeholders, including the people of Mongolia, that will result from a Panel 1 underground development delay,” he said.
Entree shares fell by 9 per cent in Canadian markets on Friday in response to the news.
Rio has spent the past eight months tunnelling towards the Entree tenements in preparation for extracting high-grade rock from that area as the next zone in the mine plan.
Blasting of the first drawbell on the Entree leases – a critical excavation that symbolises the start of underground mining in the zone – was expected in 2026 under the terms of a mine plan published in 2023.
Rock from the Entree leases was expected to feed Oyu Tolgoi’s processing plant in 2027.
It is now unclear when the first drawbell will be blasted.
Entree has the right to 30 per cent of the value extracted from the tenements down to a depth of 560 metres, and 20 per cent of the value extracted from below that depth.
Mongolia and Entree are in talks for the host nation to own 34 per cent of the value extracted from the Entree tenements.
The decision to move the mine in a southerly direction means a section of rock called “panel 2 south” will likely be mined two years sooner than was planned in 2023.
Rio said its promise to produce between 780,000 to 850,000 tonnes of copper in 2025 from its global portfolio of mines was unaffected by Friday’s changes at Oyu Tolgoi.
BY
Peter Ker covers resource companies for The Australian Financial Review, based in Melbourne. Connect with Peter on Twitter. Email Peter at pker@afr.com

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Ancient Wall in Mongolia's Gobi Desert Did More Than Defend www.newser.com

A new study is shedding light on the Gobi Wall, a massive but little-understood medieval barrier that crosses 200 miles of Mongolia's highland deserts. For their research published in the journal Land, archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the National University of Mongolia, and Yale combined satellite imagery, on-foot surveys, and excavations to reveal that the Gobi Wall and its garrison complexes were mainly built during the Xi Xia dynasty (AD1038–1227), per a release.
 This era, led by the Tangut people, saw the expansion of frontier defenses as regional power dynamics shifted. The wall system, previously considered to be a simple military defense, is now understood to have served multiple purposes: marking boundaries, consolidating imperial control, and managing resources. The study found evidence suggesting that people inhabited or used the area for centuries, from the 2nd century BC through the 19th century AD, highlighting the wall's long-term strategic role. Built mainly from rammed earth and reinforced with stone and wood, the wall's construction took advantage of available local resources in the remote, excessively dry setting.
The researchers also noted that the wall's route was carefully chosen to align with essential resources like water and wood, and to make use of features such as mountain passes and sand dunes. Professor Gideon Shelach-Lavi, one of the project's leads, said the research challenges prevailing ideas about Inner Asia's border systems. He noted that the Gobi Wall was less a static boundary and more a flexible tool for managing movement, trade, and territory. Archaeology Magazine, meanwhile, features a 12th-century burial uncovered by the same team. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)

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