Jade Gas signs agreement with Langrun to develop Mongolian methane project www.petroleumaustralia.com.au

Jade Gas Holdings Ltd. has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Chinese gas equipment manufacturer Zhengzhou Langrun Intelligent Equipment Co. Ltd. to develop a coal-bed methane project in Mongolia.
The agreement between the two companies includes project financing of up to US$46 million over the first stage of Jade’s Red Lake development. Key aspects include drilling and production operations for the 18 wells at the Red Lake gasfield and potential to expand the terms to accommodate all 175 Phase 1 gas production wells.
Jade said it chose to enter into an agreement with Langrun based on their proven operating and financial capabilities and their previous experience with similar scale coal bed methane projects. Langrun’s expertise also allows Jade to seek options to fast-track development of the Red Lake gas field and to optimise gas production.
Jade Executive Director, Joe Burke, said: “Langrun are well known to us, having also worked with our drilling contractor DWK for many years.
“Having a collaboration of this nature with a company with such vast experience in gasfield developments of this stage would be a huge advantage as we focus on the most appropriate pathway to develop the Red Lake gasfield.”
“Considering the high gas potential demonstrated now at Red Lake, our focus remains on moving quickly to gas production and customer markets for early revenue.”
The Red Lake gasfield could potentially be developed to cover purification, pipeline and other transport, compression, liquefaction, refuelling station construction, enabling gas sales for vehicle, industrial and other markets.
Langrun CEO Wang Yongtao said: “We share in Jade’s view that there is a significant opportunity for gas in the southern Mongolian region, and Langrun has the experience and understanding to execute on this vision to take advantage of the gas demand in the region, particularly for LNG and CNG where we have a rich experience.”
Jade could provide the gas source, land for facilities and operational rights, while Langurn will arrange the financing for drilling and other production services and manage production operations.
The initial phase of development will focus on 20 wells, while in the subsequent phase, the partnership may expand to cover additional wells and broader project development.
The initial letter of intent is non-exclusive and does not create any immediate financial obligations on Jade. A binding agreement is subject to commercial flow rates at the first two production wells, and regulator and Mongolian government approval.

S.Byambatsogt: Government to privatize 10–51% of MIAT, State Bank and TPP-3 www.gogo.mn

The government has signalled a major shift in the management of state assets as part of its five-year development plan for 2026–2030. The draft resolution setting out the plan was submitted to Parliament on October 30, and Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar presented the development strategy to the public on November 9. After the presentation, Ministers answered journalists’ questions, including how the government plans to close the door to corruption and theft in state companies.
S.Byambatsogt, Chief Cabinet Secretary, said the government’s first priority is to stop theft by making state-owned enterprises transparent and more efficient. “If financial agreements, reports and bids are open and transparent, the opportunities for theft at state companies will be removed”, describing transparency measures already under way. He noted that between 2010 and 2025, 581 of 586 Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi contracts were made public, and that work is in progress to publish five international contracts.
S.Byambatsogt said legal reform is also essential. The government has submitted a draft law on state and local-owned companies and a draft law on state public property to Parliament; if adopted, these laws will create the legal framework for major reforms and greater public participation in ownership. An international audit of Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi was also carried out last week to introduce international management practices and move the company toward a transparent, publicly accountable joint-stock form.
As part of this programme, S.Byambatsogt said the government will present a policy paper during the autumn parliamentary session proposing partial privatization (10–51%) of selected state enterprises, including MIAT, the State Bank, TPP-3 and state electricity distribution companies. He said the aim is to reduce direct state competition with the private sector, improve governance, and widen public oversight through shareholding and openness.

Inflation Reaches 9.2 Percent in October www.montsame.mn

E.Bat-Amgalan: 35,000 mortgage applications worth MNT 3.8 trillion pending at banks www.gogo.mn

E.Bat-Amgalan, Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing, spoke after the government presented its five-year development plan for 2026–2030, updating the public on the state of Mongolia’s housing programme.
The mortgage loan programme, running since 2013, has issued MNT 10.8 trillion in loans to 129,100 citizens to date. Currently, about 35,000 applications, with an estimated value of ₮3.8 trillion, remain pending at commercial banks. According to the minister, this backlog means many applicants should expect to wait two to three years for mortgage financing through the income-based housing scheme.
To address the supply of mortgage funds and the long waiting lists, the government established a Working Group on the Establishment of a Housing Bank on July 23, 2025. The group, operating under the Ministry, is studying sustainable financing options, measures to balance housing demand and supply, and proposals for a dedicated housing-finance institution. The working group is expected to present its findings and recommendations to the government within this year.

Hunnu City International Urban Planning Competition Progresses Toward Final Selection www.montsame.mn

A total of 43 professional teams from 21 countries have registered for the international competition to develop the master planning concept for Hunnu City, of which 24 teams have advanced to the second stage.
The works of these teams will be presented to the public from November 11 to 14, 2025, after which the best teams will be announced.
Hunnu City, situated 53 kilometers from Ulaanbaatar, is envisioned as a multifunctional urban center. The master plan outlines its development as an administrative capital, a free economic zone, an integrated transport and logistics hub, a university district, and a high-tech innovation corridor. The city is planned to cover a total area of 31,503.1 hectares.
According to the Office of the Governor of Ulaanbaatar, the competition aims to develop a city model grounded in sustainable development principles, incorporating smart and green technologies, and blending Mongolia’s historical heritage and cultural identity with modern urban design trends. This initiative is part of a broader national strategy to decentralize Ulaanbaatar and establish a satellite city based on rational spatial planning.
During the presentation of the top 24 proposals, Amartuvshin Amgalanbayar, Deputy Governor of Ulaanbaatar in charge of the Social Sector, Green Development, and Air and Environmental Pollution Issues, emphasized the strategic vision behind Hunnu City’s development: “To establish Hunnu City, we are pursuing a multi-centered, public transport-oriented urban development approach, supported by an integrated investment framework for both green and gray infrastructure. Once the essential construction and regulatory foundations – such as road networks, utility systems, and zoning regulations – are in place, land will be allocated to the private sector through a competitive project-based selection process. This is not merely a construction initiative, but a city-building endeavor driven by policy, built on trust, and collaborative engagement among stakeholders.”
The international competition results will be made public in a transparent manner, and the winning team will join the upcoming phases of Hunnu City’s planning and development.

Mongolia Trades with 160 Countries www.montsame.mn

Mongolia traded with 160 countries in the first nine months of 2025, and the foreign trade turnover reached USD 19.2 billion.
Exports amounted to USD 10.7 billion and imports to USD 8.5 billion, resulting in a USD 2.2 billion trade surplus, reported the National Statistics Office of Mongolia.
Total trade turnover decreased by 5.7 percent or USD 1.2 billion from the same period of last year, exports by 9.1 percent or USD 1.1 billion, imports by 0.9 percent or USD 77.1 million, and the balance by 31.5 percent or USD 1 billion.
The USD-1.1-billion YoY decrease can be attributed to the reductions in coal by USD 2.7 billion, washed cashmere by USD 252 million, crude oil by USD 48.9 million, and mutton and goat meat by USD 14.1 million. Meanwhile, exports of copper ore and concentrates increased by USD 1.7 billion, combed animal hair by USD 141.9 million, and zinc ore and concentrates by USD 45.5 million.
The USD-77.1-million decrease in imports was mainly driven by lower imports of trucks (down USD 152.1 million), public transport vehicles (down USD 48.7 million), bulldozers and excavators (down USD 32.3 million), wheat (down USD 21 million), and diesel fuel (down USD 20.8 million). In contrast, imports of passenger cars increased by USD 66.2 million and of nitrogen fertilizers by USD 19.9 million.

Mongolia Badly Needs Education Reform www.thediplomat.com

In the last few months, Mongolia has experienced intermittent strikes by both teachers and medical workers, demanding a pay raise and the allocation of financial resources from the state budget. The teachers’ strike, in particular, sparked a debate over Mongolia’s education sector at large regarding unequal access to and quality of education in rural and urban areas.
A typical academic year starts on September 1 in Mongolia. This year, however, even before the start of school year, public school teachers threatened to strike if their wages weren’t increased. Between the months of September and October, Mongolia’s Education and Science Trade Union mobilized around 30,000 teachers and employees of 720 education organizations for a three-week worker’s strike, pressuring the government for higher wages.
The teachers’ strike couldn’t have come at a worst time either, as political rivalries encircled the ruling party, the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), almost ousting another government. But what was more important to teachers and education advocates at the time was that despite the change of governments, financial resources for the education sector must be included in the state budget.
Public school teachers across Ulaanbaatar and some remote areas demanded that the government raise their salary to 2.8 million tugrik (around $780) a month. In response, Minister of Education Naranbayar Purevsuren rejected the strike, calling it illegal and not conducive toward positive changes in the system. The teachers and union supporters then called for his resignation.
Ex-Minister of Education Enkh-Amgalan Luvsantseren, defending his time in the post, highlighted that during the Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai government, teacher’s salaries were raised from 787,000 to 1,484.000 tugrik. Despite these increases, the Mongolian public showed support for the teachers, viewing their demand as legitimate.
To avoid further disruptions to the school year, Mongolia’s Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav responded, promising a 20 percent increase in educator’s salaries. Moving forward, the Mongolian government is planning to increase the salary of teachers by 76 percent in two phases, beginning on January 1, 2026.
The social unrest in September and October highlights a deeper conundrum in Mongolia’s education sector. Truly fixing the system will require solving education inequality, reducing disparities between public and private education, and allocating a sustainable financial resources in public education.
According to several reports from the Ministry of Education, in 2024, a total of 855 schools were registered, of which 705 are public (79.7 percent) and 180 are private schools. The report also indicated that 726,175 students are enrolled in public schools, and 76,152 students are in private schools. Based on these numbers alone, it’s clear that the majority of Mongolian students depend on public schools – and public school teachers. Yet these schools are under strain, with growing class sizes in urban areas.
In 2007, the Mongolian government standardized the class size as public schools 32-35 students. Despite the resolution, amid the influx of migration from rural areas to Ulaanbaatar, the capital, class sizes have ballooned.
In Ulaanbaatar, teachers are working with an average of 50-60 students per class, with larger classes forced to be divided in two sections. Public schools in Sukhbaatar, Khan-Uul, and Chingeltei districts are known to have the largest classrooms.
Naranbayar, the education minister, told the press, “There are 8,028 classes with more than 35 students. In such a case, it is difficult to talk about the quality of education. At the moment, it is advisable to increase the teacher’s salary.”
During the latest discussion of the state budget, a public official from the Ulaanbaatar mayor’s office, Amartuvshin Amgalanbayar, criticized the government’s unequal distribution of financial resources. He highlighted that the new state budget includes building “13 schools in Arkhangai, 18 in Khuvsgul, 9 schools in Tuv aimag, and 10 schools in Uvurkhangai.” He stressed that more funds should go to construct new schools in Ulaanbaatar, with its population of 1.6 million people and class sizes of up to 60 students.
In contrast, private schools have much smaller classes, hence, lower student-teacher ratio and higher education quality. And this leads to another challenge in Mongolia’s education system: education inequality, both between public and private schools and between urban and rural areas.
One of the main challenges for both students and teachers from rural areas is the 12th graduate General Entrance Exam, which is requited to enter university in Mongolia. With limited resources and access to foreign language training, teachers in rural areas often fall short on foreign language competencies, in comparison to Ulaanbaatar-based educators. On the other extreme, private schools in urban areas have the luxury of hiring well-educated, well-trained teachers and private tutors to prepare students for exams such as IELTS and TOEFL.
The combination of these inequalities can hinder students’ ability to prepare for such exams, let alone to compete for scholarships and grants. Such unequal access to education in both rural and urban areas leaves vulnerable students at a competitive disadvantage.
For example, a 2024 General Entrance Examination statistical report showed that, on average, examinees from a provincial center scored 503 on the English language scale, while examinees from a soum (sub-provincial) center scored 470. Examinees from Ulaanbaatar city, meanwhile, scored 514 on average.
All these elements have contributed to the inequality of education access, furthering the divide between haves and have-nots in Mongolian society as a whole.
In support of improving English-language capabilities, in 2021, the Mongolian parliament adopted the Resolution on the Actions to Promote English Language Learning for All (2022-2025). On the government’s part, this was an attempt to remove disparities between rural and urban education, particularly for the teaching of English as a second language.
Mongolia’s international partners have been advocating for equal education and increasing access to higher education. The U.K. Embassy in Mongolia, for example, funded a 2025 UNICEF project to improve rural area teachers’ and students’ English language skills, which was implemented in Bayan-Ulgii province.
Given the ongoing crisis in Mongolia’s education sector, the Mongolian legislature is looking into finding an actionable solution to this complex issue. Yet the government is part of the problem. Education policies have been constantly changing in the last 30 years. The inconsistency and fluctuations in education curricula, regulations, and requirements weakened implementation and helped exacerbate education inequality between rural and urban, private and public schools.
One of the issues under new scrutiny is whether private education institutions should receive public support. Tax break and financial resources for private schools had been included in previous state budgets. Public opinion is sharply against this, with critics arguing that private schools should not benefit from tax relief since most of them are profit-seeking institutions. Critics also warn that giving financial breaks to private schools could deepen educational disparities and weaken public school systems. Mongolian legislators are currently debating the issue.
Last year, Mongolia’s parliament approved the “Government Action Program for 2024-2028,” which listed “Reform of the Education Sector” as one of the priority areas. The Action Program includes an impressive list of 40 initiatives to be implemented within a framework of four main goals: educating knowledgeable and competent specialists, advancing digital education, providing equal, accessible and quality education; and strengthening teaching and human resources.
The proposed education framework includes a focus on strengthening cooperation in English language, coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence skills development courses. If implemented efficiently, these courses will be introduced as early as third grade.
In the long term, the promised salary increases alone are not enough to achieve this ambitious vision. The Ministry of Education will need to implement actionable measures aimed at reducing the workload by changing the structure and organization of general education schools to reduce the number of students per teacher. If these issues are left unresolved, Mongolia’s education inequality will continue to widen, which will impact the country’s human capital.
Authors
Bolor Lkhaajav
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.
Michidmaa Yadamjav
Michidmaa Yadamjav is a cultural anthropologist currenting studying at the Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. Her research focuses on migration, education, and cultural policy.

Mongolia exports 65 mln tons of coal in 10 months www.xinhuanet.com

Mongolia exported a total of 65 million tons of coal in the first 10 months of this year, the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA) said Monday.
The figure was a decrease of 1.4 percent from the same period last year, the MCGA said in a statement.
The mining sector remains one of main pillars of the Mongolian economy, as the country is rich in natural resources such as gold, silver, copper and coal.

‘Energy Resource’ and ‘China Energy’ Agree on 2026 Coal Trade Volumes and Market Prices www.montsame.mn

“Energy Resource” LLC and “China Energy” Group have agreed on coal trade volumes and market prices for 2026.
A delegation led by the Chief Executive Officer of Energy Resource LLC, Enkhbat Dorjpalam, and Vice President Tuvshinbayar Tagarvaa participated in the International Import Expo held in Shanghai, the People’s Republic of China. During the event, under the framework of a 10-year Strategic Cooperation Agreement with China Energy, the parties signed a Sub-Agreement to supply up to 4.9 million tons of coking coal concentrate and 1 million tons of low-grade coking coal at market prices next year.
Energy Resource noted that the recently completed Gashuunsukhait–Gantsmod railway connection project, successfully executed by China Energy, will further expand the scope and potential of bilateral cooperation.
The two companies originally signed a long-term Strategic Cooperation Agreement in 2018, establishing a customs-secured storage facility and a coal transshipment terminal at Gantsmod port with an annual handling capacity of 7 million tons in 2021 through joint investment.

Delegation from Mongolia attends 30th Conference of the Parties to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change www.akipress.com

The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Belém, Brazil, from November 6 to November 21, Montsame reported.
COP30 marks a milestone in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, as parties are expected to submit enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet the agreement's temperature goals of limiting global warming to well below 2°C, and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
The high-level segment of the conference is attended by representatives of 143 member states. The event is focused on strengthening national commitments to address climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing the ambition of NDCs, fostering multilateral cooperation, and improving climate finance mechanisms to support developing countries.
The Mongolian delegation, led by State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Munkhtushig Lkhanaajav and officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, is participating in COP30 following the country's recent submission of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Mongolia's NDC outlines its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 22.7% by 2030, expanding renewable energy capacity, and strengthening transparency frameworks for climate data and reporting.