Safe, quality, and flexible education system, incorporating lifelong learning opportunities and equal access to digital technologies was envisaged as the future of education in Mongolia at the Transforming Education national consultation held today in Ulaanbaatar.

Over 130 participants representing 44 state and non-state actors and international organizations have endorsed Mongolia’s commitments and policy recommendations to transform the country’s education establishment into a system based on needs and linked to job market demands.

Prior to the national consultation, a series of dialogues and consultations were organized under the leadership of Mongolia’s Education Minister, Enkh-Amgalan Luvsantseren who believes that “more participation means less mistakes”. He further highlighted that the Ministry, first time in its history, was able to consult with such a wide range of players to discuss the much-needed transformation in Mongolia’s education system. The consultations gave voice to youth, educators, policy-makers, private sector and civil society organizations, urban and rural dwellers, children and parents, boys and girls, and women and men from 10 to over 60 years old, representing a whole range of social groups.

Participants at TES

The consultations were held as a part of the United Nations member states that supported Our Common Agenda, a policy blueprint aimed at accelerating progress toward SDGs, especially after the damages and backslides caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The United Nations Secretary General’s Transforming Education initiative put forward at the Our Common Agenda facilitation discussion with heads of states in 2021, was broadly accepted as a basis for achieving all SDGs.

“Transformation of education is essential to unlocking a breakthrough towards a safer, more equal and peaceful future. In this context, countries are encouraged to hold inclusive, multi-sectoral consultations to develop a shared vision and commitments at the highest level to transform education,” said the UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia, Tapan Mishra, addressing the participants of the national consultation. “Progress in SDG 4 on Education plays a pivotal role in advancing the multi-dimensional and integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the existing education gaps and significantly disrupted the education systems around the world, each of the UN member states has been organizing the Transforming Education national consultations. The commitments to transform the XXI century education systems in their respective countries are to be presented at the Transforming Education Summit (TES) to be convened during the 77th General Assembly in September.

The TES June pre-summit in Paris Mongolia showcased some notable achievements in digital learning, set in place during the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures. However, there were challenges as well. Thus, according to a UNICEF-led study in Mongolia, one-third out of 600 thousand school children are at high risk of learning loss due to the inability to access distance learning. Children with disabilities, children from vulnerable groups, and children who live in violence were reported to have experienced a digital divide due to a lack of access to technologies and/or the ability to beneficially use those for extracting information and facilitating knowledge.

“Based on our experiences and efforts of delivering an uninterrupted education during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no question that hybrid learning is to be firmly set in our educational system,” says S. Sanjaabadam, the Academic Secretary of the Mongolian National Institute of Education Research. “Digital learning experience has pointed at our weak and strong sides. Using new technologies and innovation so much supported by the Mongolian Ministry of Education is the basis of the digital transformation in Mongolia’s education system,” added S. Sanjaabadam.

Re-training of teachers, and re-formulating the pedagogical teaching approaches and standards to ensure the quality of teaching through all levels of education starting from pre-school to academia was identified as one of the key areas of a successful transformation in the sector.

Education funding that does not mainly relate to state subsidies but is able to attract private sector support and involvement was seen as a powerful enabler for the system of education of the future.

One of the young participants at the consultation with the youth said: “We, the children are grateful for you, the adults, consulting with us on this very important topic of transforming education. It is the greatest investment you are making in education.”

The participatory exercise of consultations on how to transform education to meet the challenges of the future and create the basis for a prosperous, happy and healthy society, held across the entire country has already given productive results. The ideas raised by the stakeholders were taken aboard by the lawmakers and reflected in the draft revisions of the legislative package on education reform to be submitted to Mongolia’s Parliament this fall.

Following Mongolia’s peaceful revolution in 1990, which replaced the Soviet yoke with democracy and enabled the country to pursue an independent foreign policy, the United States quickly responded by providing vital development aid. The International Republican Institute (IRI), with generous support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was one the first NGOs on the ground providing valuable assistance to Mongolians working to build a new democratic infrastructure on the ruins of communism. This year, IRI marks its 30th anniversary in Mongolia, providing an opportunity to reflect upon past successes as well as the evolving challenges ahead.

Starting in 1992, IRI’s work supported a competitive, democratic system to help parties become viable political organizations. IRI efforts supported the long-term institutionalization and professionalization of grassroots political parties, and today Mongolia’s system remains a testament of that transition.

With support from USAID, IRI updated its strategy to support elected officials after the first transfer of power in Mongolia in more than 70 years. Following the historic 1996 elections, IRI led technical assistance training programs for the newly elected parliamentarians on their roles and responsibilities, concentrating on procedures and rules to allow for effective legislative drafting, debate on legislation, and general oversight of government activities and reforms.

IRI spent the early 2000s in Mongolia on parliamentary strengthening initiatives and led the first technical consultations on how to hold committee hearings in the State Great Hural. Today, a committee hearing at the State Palace is a mundane procedure, but two decades ago, as Mongolia’s parliament was rapidly professionalizing, this was an innovative practice and IRI provided key support that empowered the legislature to become a more deliberative and democratic institution.

Election poll watching was also initiated in Mongolia with the support of IRI. Prior to the 2004 parliamentary elections and 2005 presidential election, IRI implemented the country’s first nationwide poll watcher training programs for members of all political parties. The impact of these trainings was illustrated by the unprecedented participation of thousands of poll watchers. Since then, party poll watchers have observed every election in Mongolia and have played a vital role in verifying free and fair elections and supporting the multiple peaceful handovers of power that have ensued.

Over the last decade, much of IRI’s work in Mongolia has shifted toward assisting civil society and working with the diverse array of NGOs that support advocacy, human rights, and citizen-responsive governance—invaluable ingredients in making democracy deliver.

As a consolidated democracy sandwiched between two authoritarian neighbors, Mongolia’s democratic success story matters to the world. With rising tensions in the region exacerbated by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, it’s more important than ever that freedom-loving nations around the world stand firmly together in defense of democracy and human rights.

On June 29, IRI formally marked its 30th anniversary in Mongolia with a reception in Ulaanbaatar, which featured special guests from Washington, DC. The event included IRI President Daniel Twining, a visiting STAFFDEL from the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), and a large and diverse network of Mongolian stakeholders. The 30th anniversary celebration provided a moment to gather, reflect, and celebrate the tangible achievements and long-term impact. However, it remains evident that in a world where the pandemic has tested institutions everywhere, and authoritarian and illiberal actors continue to undermine global norms and democratic values, IRI’s work in Mongolia, and the continued support of donors like NED and USAID, remains as important as ever.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Mongolia’s first deployment with a United Nations peacekeeping mission. In a semi-celebratory move, the president of Mongolia, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, initiated Mongolia’s first-ever international conference in support of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, “Women, Peace, and Security,” which “urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts.” While the conference was a salute to all female peacekeepers, it was also a shining moment for Mongolia’s military diplomacy.

In 2002, Mongolia’s parliament passed legislation allowing the military to deploy soldiers in international coalition operations. As a result, Mongolia first sent two separate unarmed military observers to U.N. missions, one in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the other in Western Sahara, in 2002. Since then, the Mongolian military has deployed contingent troops, military police, as well as humanitarian and medical staff to countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kosovo, Sudan, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

In 2019, the U.N. officially recognized Mongolia’s participation in humanitarian assistance, security, and medical services in parts of the world that desperately need additional support.

As Mongolia’s foreign policy pursues a multi-pillared approach, active participation in peacekeeping missions strengthens the country’s military diplomacy with multilateral organizations and defense ministries around the world.

During the Seoul U.N. Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting in 2021, Mongolia pledged to establish a Research Center on Peace Operations, increase female peacekeepers in U.N. missions, host an international conference, and equip units with renewable energy capacities.

The 2022 “Women, Peace, and Security” conference brought together female peacekeepers from 30 countries, including Mongolia, and 60 representatives and international researchers and scholars from the European Union and U.N. peacekeeping missions. At the conference, Under-Secretary-General for the U.N. Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked all the female peacekeepers and emphasized Mongolia’s steadfast support of U.N. Peacekeeping operations over the past 20 years.

The conference aimed to support the implementation of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, passed in 2000. The conference’s main objective was to create an environment for female peacekeepers to share their experiences, ideas, and challenges.

Mongolia’s first female brigadier general, Bolor Ganbold, who previously served in U.N. missions multiple times, has been vocal about the importance of limiting gender disparity in the Mongolian military as well as in U.N. peacekeeping missions. In response to the general’s perspective and in line with U.N. goals, Khurelsukh pledged to increase Mongolian female peacekeepers to 15 percent of the country’s military contingent by 2027. Although the U.N. quota remains far from met, the presidential commitment to achieve that goal should be recognized.

As Khurelsukh stated, “Mongolia has sent more than 20,000 military personnel to U.N. Peacekeeping and international military operations, and more than 900 of them are women. Mongolia ranked 20th in the number of women peacekeepers among the U.N. troop contributed countries.” According to Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Mongolian Institute for Innovative Policies, Mongolian female peacekeepers mainly participate in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (38 percent of all Mongolia’s female PKOs) and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (27 percent).

Mongolia’s contribution to peacekeeping missions embodies the country’s commitment to global security and humanitarian assistance. As the Mongolian government continues to support multilateral efforts in defusing hostile situations and providing protection and security for the vulnerable, the country’s military diplomacy is diversified and strengthened at bilateral and multilateral level.

France, also a major U.N. peacekeeping contributor, has recognized Mongolia’s efforts. Ambassador of France to Mongolia Sebastien Surun, who attended the “Women, Peace, and Security” conference, stated, “France is proud to be partnering with Mongolia on an international level. It is right to recognize the Mongolian female peacekeeper’s contributions as part of Mongolia’s commitment to the U.N. Peacekeeping missions.”

Mongolia’s global partners have been supportive of Mongolia’s initiation to include more women in peacekeeping and in military.

The United States has been the largest support system for Mongolia’s participation in peacekeeping missions. In recent years, the U.S. has provided training and support for female military personnel. In 2019, 23 women from Mongolia enrolled in the Women’s Mentorship Program with the U.S. military, organized by the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the U.S. Army Pacific during Gobi Wolf Exercise.

From a foreign policy standpoint, the multi-faceted and multidimensional aspect of U.N. Peacekeeping operations is a force of engagement for Mongolia’s military diplomacy. The activities Mongolia engages in, including but not limited to U.N. Peacekeeping, Five Hills International Training, or its traditional military field training with its neighbors, strengthens Mongolia’s relations with multilateral organizations and defense ministries.

GUEST AUTHOR

Bolor Lkhaajav is a researcher specializing in Mongolia, China, Russia, Japan, East Asia, and the Americas. She holds an M.A. in Asia-Pacific Studies from the University of San Francisco.

The Mongolian government on Tuesday decided to declare 2023 and 2024 as "Years to Visit Mongolia" to promote the country's pandemic-hit tourism sector.

"The move will give a major boost to our country's goal of attracting 1 million foreign tourists in 2024," Mongolian Minister of Environment and Tourism Bat-Ulzii Bat-Erdene told a press conference after a regular meeting of the government.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday launched an online platform for promoting Mongolia internationally, said Bat-Erdene.

In addition, every foreign tourist who has obtained an e-visa to come to Mongolia will soon receive a greeting letter from the prime minister of Mongolia titled "Welcome to Mongolia," he said.

Currently, Mongolia's economy is largely dependent on its export-oriented mining sector. Developing tourism is seen as the most viable way to diversify the economy.

Mongolia has set a goal of welcoming 1 million foreign tourists and earning 1 billion U.S. dollars from tourism in 2024.

The country attracted a total of 42,060 foreign tourists in the first five months of this year, up 391.7 percent from the same period last year, as a result of re-opening its borders to foreign tourists in February.

BEIJING (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with leaders in Mongolia on Tuesday during a trip to Asia to seek support amid his country’s diplomatic isolation by the West and punishing sanctions leveled over its invasion of Ukraine.

Lavrov met with Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and paid a courtesy call on President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, Mongolian state media reported.

Mongolia is a landlocked nation sandwiched between Russia and China, and has sought to maintain friendly relations with both neighbors while also cultivating close ties with the U.S., whose relations with Moscow and Beijing have become increasingly fraught.

Mongolian and Russian state media gave no details of any specific discussions about the Ukraine conflict, while emphasizing strong bilateral relations. The two sides have signed a series of trade agreements, and a pipeline carrying Russian natural gas to China is being built through Mongolian territory.

“Reaffirming his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, (Lavrov) expressed readiness to cooperate with Mongolia in all aspects,” Mongolia’s official Montsame news agency said of Lavrov’s meeting with Khurelsukh.

Ukraine and Russia’s rejection of Western criticism were major themes of Lavrov’s public comments.

He said he had informed the Mongolians “in detail” about what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

“We are interested in making the facts about how the representatives of the Kyiv regime behaved and continue to behave in Ukraine available to the broad world community,” Lavrov said.

“Unfortunately the West is doing everything to block the work of the media, which provide objective information about what is happening,” he said, without offering any evidence.

Russia’s government has blocked access to multiple independent domestic and foreign news outlets in the country over their coverage of the war in Ukraine and has forbidden its citizens from describing its aggression as an invasion.

Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to “de-Nazify” Ukraine — a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West.

Lavrov was to travel to Vietnam later Tuesday for a two-day visit, according to the Vietnamese government’s official website.

He is to meet on Wednesday with Vietnamese leaders including Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The visit comes as the two countries mark 10 years since they expanded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Russia was a close backer of Hanoi’s Communist government during the Vietnam War against the capitalist south and its American and other Western allies.

Later in the week, Lavrov is scheduled to attend a meeting in Indonesia of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 leading rich and developing countries.

Prime Minister of Mongolia L.Oyun-Erdene received Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation S.V. Lavrov on July 5.

Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene mentioned that the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Russian Federation was commemorated last year, and it is in the mutual interests of our two countries to enrich the new century of relations with real content in accordance with the principles of good neighborly relations and comprehensive strategic partnership.

The PM exchanged views with the Foreign Minister on the Government of Mongolia’s ‘New Revival Policy’, which is aimed at enhancing post-pandemic economic recovery. They discussed the mega projects that will serve as a stepping stone to advance trade and economic cooperation between the two countries to a new level, particularly the construction project of a natural gas pipeline connecting Russia and China through the territory of Mongolia, the project to build railroads in eastern and western regions of Mongolia, the construction of Altanbulag-Zamyn-Uud highway and the establishment of Altanbulag free economic zone.

After emphasizing the issue of a reliable supply of petroleum products from Russia to Mongolia, the PM expressed his desire to expand cooperation in the energy sector, and for this purpose, to implement the Eg River hydropower plant project in Mongolia in cooperation with Russian companies.

The Russian Foreign Minister thanked the Prime Minister for the meeting, mentioning that relations and cooperation between Mongolia and Russia were full of rich historical events, and gave information on some issues of cooperation. In particular, he suggested closer cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union in order to eliminate difficulties in increasing bilateral trade, and noted the possibility of providing support to Mongolia in this regard. He thanked the Government of Mongolia for paying special attention to the implementation of the projects within the economic cooperation between Mongolia and Russia, including the natural gas pipeline project, as well as the project to increase the efficiency of the Ulaanbaatar Railways JSC.

Also, at the meeting, it was mentioned that it is necessary to continue addressing bilateral issues through the Mongolia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

Copper prices extended a decline on Tuesday as aggressive interest rates, a spike in covid-19 cases in China, potential recession, and rising inventories weighed on investor sentiment.

Copper for delivery in September fell 4.8% from Monday’s settlement, touching $3.43 per pound ($7,546 per tonne) Tuesday morning on the Comex market in New York, the lowest since November 2020.

The most-traded August copper contract in Shanghai ended daytime trading down 1.9% to 60,110 yuan ($8,975.66) a tonne by midday trade.

“There was a bull trap set early at the open today as S&P and Nasdaq futures pointed higher. However, the rest of the bearish sentiment is just because of recession fear, which is almost certain for most US and Europe already,” a Singapore-based metals trader said.

Pulling down economic activity and inducing recession fears are soaring inflation and interest rate increases in many countries, including the United States, where the Federal Reserve is expected to deliver another 75-basis-point increase this month.

Meanwhile, copper stocks in LME-approved warehouses jumped 10,100 tonnes to 136,950 tonnes. They have risen more than 20% over the past week.

Cities in eastern China tightened covid curbs on Sunday as coronavirus clusters emerged.

(With files from Reuters)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay a working visit to Mongolia on Tuesday on invitation from his Mongolian counterpart, Battsetseg Batmunkh.

Lavrov will hold talks with Mongolia’s foreign minister and meet with the country’s top political leaders, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced.

The two ministers last met in June 2021 in Moscow, while Lavrov last visited Mongolia in 2016.

The two countries’ top diplomats will have a detailed discussion of key issues on the bilateral agenda, and the progress Russia and Mongolia have made in the implementation of agreements reached at the highest and high levels to develop further mutually advantageous cooperation in economy, transport, infrastructure, energy and in the humanitarian sphere, the Russian Foreign Ministry said ahead of the talks. Enhancing cooperation both on the international arena and in the region will also be discussed.

Lavrov may also inform his Mongolian counterpart of the course of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. Ulan Bator earlier said Mongolia would stick to its neutral principle regarding Ukraine and Russia’s special military operation. In March 2022, when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted on a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Mongolia abstained, and it did so again in April, when the UNGA voted to suspend Russia’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council.

A total of 33 people have been killed in 28 water-related accidents registered across Mongolia so far this year, the country's National Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday.

Eight of the victims were children, the agency said, adding that the main causes of the water-related deaths were swimming after consuming alcohol, negligence and leaving children unsupervised.

Heavy rainfall is expected in large parts of the country in the coming days, the emergency agency said, warning the public to remain vigilant and stay away from flooded lakes and rivers to prevent possible accidents.

The delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic has finished its visit to Mongolia, as part of the study tour "Mongolia's experience in creating a "green" financial corporation: issues of promoting sustainable financing" that was held on June 21-24 in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). The event was organized under UNDP’s PAGE programme activities in Kyrgyzstan in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) of Mongolia by the direct initiative of the leadership of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and the Union of Banks of the Kyrgyz Republic with the active participation of the Ministry of Finance of the KR as well as local commercial banks and microcredit organizations.

Green finance plays an important role in achieving carbon reduction policies and can be the driving force behind the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. As part of the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), by 2030, Kyrgyzstan has committed to reducing emissions by 15.97% through domestic resources and by 43.62% with international support. According to the statement of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic at the Conference of Parties (COP) in Glasgow, with international support, Kyrgyzstan will strive to reach the platform of carbon-free green development by 2050.

The main goal of the study tour was to develop a partnership between the stakeholders of the two countries in matters of sustainable green finance, improve better understanding of the topic by studying the Mongolian experience, raise awareness of the delegation members and express commitment to the development and implementation of sustainable finance initiatives in the Kyrgyz Republic by improving regulatory legal acts as well as ensuring implementation of existing practices, models and solutions in the financial sector of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Participation in the study tour on sustainable green finance in the framework of promoting the principles of the Green Economy in the Kyrgyz Republic was a necessary and useful initiative. I believe that each member of the delegation received valuable information that will be useful in their work. Soon, we plan to actively promote projects on the principles of sustainable financing and the green taxonomy project in Kyrgyzstan,” said Ashyrov Ermek, Head of the Strategic Planning Department of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic.

For a significant increase in green investments, an effective transition to sustainable banking and financial practices, financial institutions require a national system of sustainable financing, considering ESG aspects, social and environmental risk assessment, which should provide appropriate socio-economic incentives and benefits to support investment in green projects.

To facilitate the attraction of "green" investments from external sources and the consolidation of local resources, to implement the tasks set for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in various sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the Ministry of Finance and the Union of Banks of Kyrgyzstan began work on the development of the National financing mechanism (NFV) for sustainable projects. This work is being implemented with the support of the Partnership for Action in Green Economy (UNDP / PAGE) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). This partnership will be built in close collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the KR, the National Bank of the KR and the State Service for Regulation and Supervision of the Financial Market under the ME of the KR.

The creation of a national financing mechanism in the form of the Green Financial Corporation was laid down in the Action Plan of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic approved on 13 January 2022 for the implementation of the National Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic by 2026, as part of the main task of introducing green financing tools.

At the moment, in Kyrgyzstan, with the support of UNDP / PAGE, a draft Roadmap for Sustainable Finance in the Kyrgyz Republic was developed, IFC experts were also involved in this process, including the expertise of the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN), where our country is represented by the Union of Banks.

“The exchange of experience made it possible to better understand the process of creating the National Financing Frameworks - the Mongolian Green Finance Corporation, as well as their plans to develop green finance and increase the share of green loans in the portfolio of the banking and non-banking sectors. The trip undoubtedly exceeded all expectations and gave us hope and faith that we will be able to put what we saw in Mongolia into practice in the financial sector of the Kyrgyz Republic, and somewhere, perhaps even surpass the results. We would like to express our gratitude to the organizers and all members of the delegation for their professionalism and well-coordinated teamwork,” shared the representatives of Aiyl Bank OJSC Urmat Kerbenbaev and Maksat Akakov.