Kosuke Mashiyama, Three-Time All-Japan Champion, to Represent Mongolia www.montsame.mn

 Kosuke Mashiyama, a Japanese judoka, has decided to compete for the Mongolian national judo team.

The 27-year-old Japanese athlete competes in the men's 90 kg category. Under Japanese judo regulations, an athlete must abstain from competing for three years before representing another country. Due to this rule, Kosuke Mashiyama will be eligible to participate in international competitions for Mongolia starting in April 2027. Therefore, he will not be able to represent Mongolia at this year's World Judo Championships. Mashiyama is the first Japanese judoka to change his citizenship.

The social media page "Judo cam" reported on the transition: “Yes, Japanese judoka Kosuke Mashiyama will now compete for the Mongolian national team. He is an Asian and Japanese champion, as well as a gold medalist at the Baku and Tokyo Grand Slams. This is not the first instance. Before Mashiyama, Kaihan Takagi also left the Japanese national team. However, in the recent history of Japanese judo, such a transfer might lead other new athletes to join foreign national teams in the future. It is understandable that any national team would want to include a top Japanese athlete in their roster. From this, it appears that the mindset and principles established by the founders of judo are no longer as strict as before.”

Kosuke Mashiyama won gold at the 2019 Asian Championships, the 2021 Baku Grand Slam, and the 2022 Tokyo Grand Slam. Furthermore, he is a three-time champion of the All-Japan Judo Championships. Having not stepped on the tatami since competing at the Asian Championships in Hong Kong in 2024, he is currently training in Mongolia.

Fuel Orders Confirmed to Meet September Demand www.montsame.mn

Fuel orders have been confirmed to meet nationwide September consumption, estimated at approximately 65 thousand tonnes of AI-92 gasoline and 150 thousand tonnes of diesel fuel.

Over the past 24 hours, 1,100 tonnes of gasoline were delivered to the capital and 681 tonnes to rural areas, according to the Task Force established by decree of the Prime Minister.

The Task Force reported that out of 74,780 tonnes of AI-92 gasoline ordered in August, 68,502 tonnes have arrived, while all 158,530 tonnes of ordered diesel fuel were imported in full. Work is ongoing nationwide to address supply disruptions caused by loading delays earlier this month and restore normal distribution.

Given the relatively severe shortages in Ulaanbaatar, priority was placed on supplying the capital first before distributing fuel to rural regions. Currently, 30 to 40 soums are experiencing shortages of gasoline and diesel. At the August 31, 2026 meeting, the Task Force will review nationwide fuel distribution, focus on delivering supplies to soums facing fuel shortages, and normalize supply in aimag centers and rural areas that have experienced multi-day queues.

Fuel imports from the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and other sources remain stable. In connection with ongoing autumn harvesting activities in rural regions, fuel is being dispensed into designated containers that meet fire safety requirements. Reports and complaints regarding businesses withholding fuel are being received via hotlines at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority.

N.Ganibal: Democratic Party will dismiss Premier N.Uchral’s government www.gogo.mn

On August 27, 2026, leaders of the Democratic Party (DP) held a press conference to comment on current political and economic issues.

DP Secretary General N.Ganibal said:

- The rising prices and fuel shortage are the result of the government’s wrong policies. The ministry and minister responsible for the sector, who should have properly calculated and managed the 45-day fuel reserve, contributed to the shortage through poor policy decisions.

After the Naadam Festival, citizens had a 10-day break. The minister responsible for the sector, G.Damdinnyam, confidently said, ‘Go to the countryside, relax, and leave the city. There will be enough gasoline.’

A vehicle traveling 500 kilometers outside the city uses up a significant portion of its fuel reserves, and a 1,000-kilometer trip consumes even more. The rise in fuel prices has been caused by the failure to properly calculate and regulate fuel reserves. Perhaps this was not a deliberate policy aimed at increasing fuel prices, but the government's failure to manage the reserves properly has led to the current situation.

The Mongolian government today has several senior officials who have been involved in major deals and ministers who approach problems in an evasive manner. As a result of the government's wrong policies, the lives and livelihoods of ordinary people are being disrupted.

Herders, especially those living in areas that depend on deep wells, have no gasoline to pump water for their livestock. Citizens who traveled to the countryside for vacation emptied the local filling stations before returning to the city. The shortage of gasoline for people who remained in rural areas continues to this day.

The Bank of Mongolia announced that inflation reached 13% in July, 2026. It is expected to increase further in August.

Therefore, the Democratic Party will seek to dismiss the government led by N.Uchral. The mistake of one minister is causing hardship for the Mongolian people. This government lacks the capacity to govern effectively. The government also failed to include all necessary expenditures in its budget amendment”. 

President Khurelsukh Departs for Bishkek SCO Summit www.montsame.mn

Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Mongolia, departed today to participate as an observer in the extended meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States, scheduled to take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, from August 31 to September 1, 2026.

In addition to delivering a speech at the extended meeting, President Khurelsukh will meet with the heads of state of SCO member and dialogue partner countries to exchange views on bilateral relations, cooperation, and issues of mutual interest.

Established in 2001 by countries including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, the SCO now encompasses 27 nations.

Initially founded to resolve border and territorial disputes and build mutual trust, the organization has expanded into an institution that promotes regional cooperation by:

Strengthening trust, friendship, and cooperation among member states;
Developing cooperation to ensure peace, security, and stability in the region;
Combating terrorism, separatism, extremism, and the illicit trafficking of drugs and weapons;
Supporting regional cooperation in politics, trade, economy, defense, environment, culture, science and technology, education, energy, transport, finance, and other sectors.
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Iran, and Belarus are full SCO members, while Mongolia and Afghanistan hold observer status.

Fifteen countries, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Türkiye , Maldives, and Laos, serve as dialogue partners.

The Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government, the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and the Council of National Coordinators convene annually.

At last year's Tianjin Summit, leaders approved the "SCO Development Strategy for 2026-2035," defining the priorities and objectives for cooperation over the next decade.

The SCO actively collaborates with international and regional organizations, including the UN and its specialized agencies, ASEAN, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the International Red Cross, and global tourism organizations.

Is Ulaanbaatar worth visiting? What to do in Mongolia’s capital – and beyond www.scmp.com

A sprawling metropolis that is home to almost half of Mongolia’s population, Ulaanbaatar is not the most tourist-friendly city in the world. Mongolia’s capital is international travellers’ first point of entry into the country before they move on to the deserts, grasslands, steppes and mountains that make the nation such a popular destination among nature lovers.

Most visitors to Mongolia are happy to spend a couple of days in town or skip the place altogether, but Ulaanbaatar still offers pockets of charm, especially in the summer months, when mild temperatures allow for leisurely walks in a place that is not necessarily pedestrian-friendly and lacks an easy-to-navigate transportation system.

Where to stay
For a city of such scale, Ulaanbaatar has surprisingly few high-end hotels. The most established and the only true luxury property is Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar, located in the heart of town and connected to Shangri-La Centre, a modern mall home to a few luxury boutiques, a great gym with an Olympic-size pool that hotel guests can access freely and plenty of eateries. Spanning 21 floors of a modern skyscraper, the hotel is popular with business travellers and tourists seeking convenience and all the trappings of a five-star property. Its well-appointed 290 guest rooms, familiar to those who have stayed at other Shangri-La properties in Asia, offer expansive views of the city’s concrete jungle and the surrounding mountains.
Eateries include Hutong Restaurant and Naadam Bar & Restaurant, which come alive at night, when seemingly every expat and tourist in town shows up to enjoy a variety of dishes and drinks in a fun, happening atmosphere.

What to eat
Heavy on the meat, Mongolian cuisine relies on the country’s traditional herding culture. Mutton, lamb, beef and goat are popular on menus, as are hearty starches like savoury pastries and dumplings.
For a great introduction to the local food, the Mongolian selection at Naadam Bar & Restaurant offers favourites such as beef or lamb tsuivan – chewy noodles with cucumber, carrot, onion and garlic – and mama’s khuushuur, deep-fried dough pastries filled with beef. More adventurous types can also order pan-fried beef liver with onion and mutton tail.
The nearby Choijin Temple Restaurant is a great option for Mediterranean dishes with a Mongolian twist. For something more exclusive, those with the right connections can book a table at Highland Park, a private members’ club located at the foot of Bogd Mountain and housed in a sleek chalet with beautiful views of the city.

What to do
Because public transport is limited, the best way to explore Ulaanbaatar is to book a guided visit with operators such as Gobi Tours. They offer options ranging from day-long group tours to private, tailored visits that cover key sites in town and natural attractions on its outskirts. Ulaanbaatar is home to many Buddhist temples. If you only have time to go to one, the Choijin Lama Temple is very centrally located near the city’s main gathering spot, Sükhbaatar Square.
Fans of Genghis Khan should check out the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, situated just off the square, and the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, the world’s biggest equestrian statue, which is a relatively short drive from the centre of town, depending on traffic. History buffs should also visit Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, an imperial residence known as “the winter palace of the Bogd Khaan”, a Mongolian king.
Outdoorsy types have plenty to see and do in Gorkhi Terelj National Park, home to the very Instagrammable Turtle Rock and one of the country’s most beautiful temple complexes, Aryapala Temple, a Tibetan-style meditation retreat shaped like an elephant in a valley surrounded by mountains.
Terelj offers activities such as horse or camel riding and falconry. A bit further from town but also worth exploring, Hustai National Park is a wonderful protected area, where you can admire Mongolia’s Przewalski’s horses (takhi) in the wild.

Where to shop
Cashmere is to Mongolia what maple syrup is to Canada, so to speak. The country is home to goats whose hair produces prized yarns from luxury brands such as Loro Piana.
For something more affordable, you should check out Gobi Cashmere, which has plenty of branches in the city. At its two-storey boutique on Sükhbaatar Square, you can find basics such as crew neck or turtleneck sweaters and cosy blankets. Surprisingly, the brand also makes very cool cashmere shoes such as slip-ons and sneakers that may not be super practical in rainy weather but are fashionable and chic.

Peace Avenue, one of the city’s main thoroughfares, is home to many souvenir shops selling everything from gold trinkets to sheep-shaped charms, as well as landmark destinations like the State Department Store. The mall, which isn’t actually state-owned, houses many international and local brands, including a branch of Michel Amazonka, one of the country’s top fashion labels. The brand famously designed uniforms for Mongolian athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which drew a lot of attention on social media.
If you’d like to bring back traditional food, you can’t go wrong with pine nuts from HushKhan. The ubiquitous chain makes hand-picked natural pine nuts and organic pine nut kernels, and also sells pine nut-derived products like pine nut oil, which you can use for cooking or drizzle over salads.

Further afield
If you decide to extend your trip, Mongolia offers extraordinary environmental diversity and unique experiences.
Venturing beyond Ulaanbaatar and its immediate surroundings is an expedition in every sense of the word. Booking such excursions with a reputable provider is essential. Outside major hubs, much of the country lacks paved highways, public transport and cellular infrastructure – making independent travel dangerous and logistically impractical.
These guided itineraries span a wide spectrum of comfort. Upscale operators offer well-appointed tourist camps with modern creature comforts and transport in luxury SUVs. On the rugged end, immersive homestays welcome you into traditional gers alongside nomadic host families – facilities here are basic, but the hospitality is warm and the experience delightfully authentic.

Owing to Mongolia’s vastness, most travellers focus on a single region per trip. The central belt around Ulaanbaatar is lush, with rolling green steppes, roaming herds of livestock and smooth paved routes offering relatively easier access to ancient ruins.
The north and west are a realm of jagged peaks above pristine alpine lakes, traditional eagle hunters and noticeably cooler climes even in peak summer.
But it is the southern Gobi – often imagined as a boundless, endless expanse – that delivers Mongolia’s most dramatic variations. Beyond its famed sand dunes lie rich subregions featuring dramatic canyon walls, dinosaur fossil beds and otherworldly rock formations. The immense distances and complete absence of paved roads make for a profound escape from civilisation.

Whichever direction you choose, Mongolia offers rare encounters with untouched terrain and unforgettable journeys.

BY Vincenzo La Torre
Vincenzo La Torre
Formerly the fashion editor of the South China Morning Post, Vincenzo La Torre is the chief editor of Style, the South China Morning Post’s luxury monthly publication. Born and raised in Italy, Vincenzo started his career in journalism after graduating from Columbia University in New York, where he studied East Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on Japanese and Chinese art. He has previously worked for Vogue Japan in Tokyo, Harper's Bazaar in Singapore and Prestige in Hong Kong. Before joining the Post as fashion editor in 2017, Vincenzo was a member of the launch team of Vogue Arabia in Dubai. He covers topics such as jewellery, watches, luxury, beauty, celebrity, entertainment and lifestyle, and has interviewed some of the most influential designers and CEOs in the luxury industry. Vincenzo speaks Italian, French, Japanese and Mandarin, and is a regular at high-profile events such as fashion week in Milan and Paris.

Mongolia’s H1 Balance of Payments Sees USD 566.6M Surplus www.montsame.mn

In the first half of 2026, Mongolia’s balance of payments recorded a surplus of USD 566.6 million.

The current account posted a surplus of USD 179 million, marking a year-on-year improvement of USD 1.9 billion, primarily driven by a surplus in the trade of goods. Officials reported that the goods account surplus reached USD 4.5 billion, increasing by USD 3.8 billion compared to the same period last year. This growth was largely due to increased exports of copper concentrate and coal, with the combined export revenue from these two commodities surging by USD 3.7 billion. Conversely, a USD 428 million increase in the services account deficit and a USD 1.4 billion increase in the primary income account deficit negatively impacted the overall current account.

The financial account saw a net inflow of USD 613 million, decreasing by USD 644 million year-on-year. This decline was mainly attributed to Oyu Tolgoi LLC repaying USD 2 billion of its external debt, a move that subsequently had a positive impact on reducing Mongolia's overall external debt.

Additionally, official foreign exchange reserves rose from USD 7.0 billion at the end of 2025 to USD 7.7 billion by the end of June 2026, reaching a level sufficient to cover 4.8 months of imports. The substantial growth in exports and the sharp increase in the goods trade surplus served as the primary factors in strengthening Mongolia's external payment position.

Mongolia Energy Advances Khushuut Mine Infrastructure With New Office Project www.tipranks.com

Mongolia Energy’s subsidiary MoEnCo has signed a construction contract with AGGS LLC for a three-storey office building at the Khushuut Coal Mine in Mongolia, covering masonry, insulation, heating, plumbing, fire protection and ventilation systems. The project, valued at MNT 4.75 billion (about HK$9.98 million), will be completed within 190 days and includes a 5 percent performance guarantee from the contractor.

The office building contract is aggregated with an earlier foundation contract for earthworks and structural framing at the same site, pushing the combined transaction above the 5 percent threshold under Hong Kong’s listing rules. As a result, the deal is classified as a discloseable transaction, underscoring ongoing investment in mine-site infrastructure and triggering reporting and announcement requirements for Mongolia Energy under Chapter 14.

Construction of Second China-Mongolia Cross-border Railway Passes 50% Mark, on Track For 2027 Completion www.mcigroup.my

The construction of the second cross-border railway between China and Mongolia – the Ganqimaodu-Gashuunsukhait railway – has passed the halfway mark, with all 321 bridge piers completed on Friday. The railway is scheduled to complete and start operations in 2027, and is expected to handle 30 million tons of cargo transportation annually, according to media reports.

On Friday, 701 of the 760 precast T‑beams required for the entire line have been prefabricated, and 390 have already been installed. The remaining girders are expected to be fully placed by October 2026, keeping the overall timeline firmly on track for a 2027 completion, according to a report by CCTV News.

The railway runs from Ganqimaodu Port in Bayannur, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, crosses the border via Mongolia’s Gashuunsukhait Port, and connects to Gashuunsukhait Station in Mongolia’s South Gobi Province. The line officially started construction in May 2025. 

It is the second cross-border rail link between China and Mongolia, following the Erenhot-Zamyn-Uud railway that opened in 1956 – a gap of nearly 70 years, according to official statistics.

The total length of the Ganqimaodu-Gashuunsukhait railway is 9.91 kilometers, of which the cross-border bridge section accounts for 6.08 kilometers. The entire line features 321 piers and requires the installation of 760 precast T-beams. It is expected that all beam erection work will be completed by October, with the line planned to open to traffic in 2027.

Once completed, the project is expected to handle 30 million tons of cargo transportation annually, effectively connecting China’s Ganquan Railway – linking the railway’s start point Ganqimaodu and Baotou, the city to its south – with Mongolia’s southward rail network. The transportation infrastructure is expected to further expand trade scale between the two countries in related fields and promote infrastructure connectivity and economic and trade exchanges along the route. – Global Times

Egypt to host COP18 on desertification in 2028 as Mongolia conference concludes www.english.ahram.org.eg

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) announced that Egypt is set to host the 18th session of its Conference of the Parties (COP18) in 2028, following the conclusion of COP17, held over two weeks in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar.

The convention said COP18 would provide the next major opportunity for countries to build on the progress achieved in land restoration and drought resilience and advance the outcomes of the Ulaanbaatar conference.

As it prepares to host the next session, Egypt stressed the importance of strengthening international cooperation and adopting an integrated approach to land degradation, climate change, and biodiversity loss.

Such an approach would help enhance food and water security and strengthen resilience to mounting environmental and climate challenges.

Egypt will host COP18 at a time when international efforts to restore degraded land require faster implementation. Up to 40 percent of the world’s land is already degraded, while countries have pledged to restore more than one billion hectares by 2030.

COP17 concluded after two weeks of negotiations on combating land degradation, desertification, and drought. Discussions focused on moving from commitments to implementation by expanding financing, investment, viable projects, and international partnerships.

“COP17 must be a conference of implementation. We leave with more of the architecture needed to make that possible through innovative financing mechanisms, portfolios of investable projects, and partnerships capable of scaling up solutions,” UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad said.

She raised a series of questions that would determine the conference’s success: “Are countries better prepared for drought? Are degraded land and rangelands being restored? Is financing reaching viable projects? And are the people who manage the land seeing a real difference in their lives?”

COP17 also saw the launch of several international initiatives, including the Rangelands Flagship Initiative, which has mobilized $1.2 billion across 45 projects.

The conference also launched the Drought Resilience Investment Facility, which aims to mobilize up to $400 million in public and private capital for projects involving water security, sustainable agriculture, nature-based solutions, and land restoration.

Participants announced a $1.3 billion financing portfolio to support land restoration and drought resilience in 23 countries across five continents.

The portfolio includes $644.5 million in new financing, of which $216.4 million has already been confirmed and is moving towards implementation.

Countries will continue working to implement the COP17 outcomes ahead of COP18 in Egypt in 2028. The next conference is expected to provide an important opportunity to assess global progress in restoring degraded land and strengthening drought resilience

COP17 in Mongolia wraps up with 1.3 billion dollars of Green Investment Pledge www.euronews.com

Countries signatories of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification agree with banks and private investors on financing scores of projects in 23 countries across 5 continents.
After 12 days of debates and negotiations in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, delegates of 197 parties (196 countries + the EU) who signed the United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification wrapped up the soConference of Parties (COP17) with note-worthy results.

Like in all previous COPs it proved difficult to achieve unanimity over a legally binding all-encompassing documents, especially at the time when the big powers question the mere principle of multilateralism.

But, the Convention is a process and from the beginning of COP17 the host country Mongolia and the UN have appealed for it to try to produce tangible results.

“Today, the time has come for us to ask ourselves a bold and candid question – we have spoken at length and made many declarations, but have we been able to turn our words into action?

The previous events all brought meaningful outcomes. But, the truth is that the world has never lacked goals and commitments.

What we need more urgently are the resources, financing, technology and institutional environment to turn those commitments into tangible results,” said Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osoryn Uchral.

So, did the COP17 produce tangible results?

40% of usable, arable land on the planet is affected by land degradation. That is, it is slowly turning into a barren desert. The problem already affects 3.2 billion people in the world. From the very opening of COP17 its officials and delegates from different countries warned that the world often fails to see that the more obvious issues such as migration, wild fires and draughts are often consequences of the land not being able to sustain vegetation and human habitation.

“Desertification can simply be a food crisis because once your land is degraded you will not be able to plant and you will have both food and water security problem and migration and displacement.

Here, the people are not being given a choice whether they will leave their land, yes or no, but they have nothing to sustain their livelihood and give them resilience. Add to that the impact of draught, the climate change and the loss of biodiversity and it all adds to the problem of desertification,” says Yasmine Fouadh, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD.

Our languages, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and religions may differ, but we share a common determination to safeguard the future in which we can all continue to live in harmony with Mother Earth.
 Nyam-Osoryn Uchral 
Prime Minister of Mongolia
“We will not be able to resolve any of our issues without working on the land. 90% of our food comes from the land, 99.8% of our calories come from the land, our cities and on land, our villages and farms are on land, rivers, lakes, all the freshwater lie on the land. And that land also stores three times more carbon dioxide than there is in the atmosphere,” warned dr Osama Faqeeha, advisor to COP16 in Riyadh.

Raising funds

During COP16 in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, mechanisms were initiated to gather financial institutions, bank and private equity to invest in projects that protest land from degradation. It is possible because those projects can be profitable, especially if they tackle water utilization and sustainable agriculture.

The Convention estimates that inaction on land costs the world almost 900 billion dollars a year while investment in healthy land could generate up to 1.8 trillion through food production, water provision and carbon storing. Yet, the investment so far remains modest.

“If you look at how much money goes into artificial intelligence, it is the same amount of money that goes into climate financing – 2 trillion dollars a year.

But, when you double-click on climate financing, less than 3% goes into land and water. It is way under-invested.

And the white-paper we published puts forward reasons why businesses can actually invest into land and water. It can bring returns, every dollar you put into land brings 8 to 30 dollars in exchange,” says Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director World Economic Forum.

This is why the governments, development banks and private investors were able to announce one of the biggest successes of COP17 - the $1.3 billion in new and pipeline financing for land restoration and drought resilience across 23 countries on five continents.

Of the $1.3 billion announced, $644.5 million has been identified as new finance, while $216.4 million has already been confirmed and is moving towards implementation, the UNCCD noted.

The announcement came against the backdrop of perceived huge financing gaps for meeting global land restoration commitments.

“There is a huge gap in the funding for land preservation. Annualy, about 355 billion dollars is needed but we have only about 70 billion, so we miss around 280 billion,” says deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia Togmid Dorjkhand who chaired the ministerial session on finance.

“The governments have raised over a billion dollars for projects and in the afternoon session we got the private sector involved and another 1.3 billion were discussed so all in all about 2.1 billion dollars are on the bale. COP17 has been a success in that financial part,” explains Dorjkhand.

A lot of fundraising was done in direct talks between the financial institutions and governments. Mongolia as used the opportunity to offer favourable conditions for opening data centres across its vast territory.

The advantages it presented are the low cost of energy, 40% of savings on cooling owing to Mongolias harsh winters and the fact that 98% of land in Mongolia is state-owned which simplifies construction.

“But this is not the only thing that Mongolia offers, there are also legal advantages. We have just proposed a so-called data law which guarantees data sovereignty. It basically turns data centre into a data embassy in which both data and connectivity, networking guarantee safety and security.

So, we hope that this will be attractive to those who want to build data centres to serve the largest market, China, but still keep their data outside China,” explains Mongolian Minister of Digital Development Chinbat Nomin.

Networking, planning and making commitments

COP17 saw hundreds of events and many countries had their pavilions on the its grounds. Big projects were presented, like the Chinese “Green Wall of China” a mega project of planting billions of trees over several decades to stop the spreading of deserts.

Countries most affected by desertification had the biggest presence. Among them the host country, Mongolia, where 77% of land is already degraded and where Gobi desert “swallows” thousands of hectares every year.

“There are many problems that countries share and we all learn from each other here,” says Bakhtiyor Pulatov, Rector of the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies. “Uzbekistan has established scientific approach to solving the problem of the land degradation because it is serious in our country, more than 70% of the territory is already a desert or turning into one.

So, we established many systems like early warning system for sand and dust storms. There is also the initiative of our president Shavkat Mirziyoyev to plant a billion saksaul trees in deserts that works well.

We also opened the only university that studies the environmental issues, because we believe I science and we are ready to share, out pavilion here is open to their countries that have similar problems,” says Pulatov.

The Mayor of Ulaanbaatar hosted the first Mayor’s Forum during COP17. It gathered participants from 30 countries, including around 30 mayors, governors and other local and regional leaders.

They signed a joint declaration, exchanged experience and agreed that they would be involved in the negotiations by their national governments in the future because they will be the ones implementing the solutions to combat desertification.

Also, within 90 days they will create a network of cities in dryland and extreme climate areas.

All the countries of UNCCD have made national agendas. More of them than ever came to Ulaanbaatar with their own initiatives.

In Riyadh we had 35 initiatives and real national agendas and we continued after that in 2025 and 2026 and we came here to Mongolia and we have 200, or to be exact 198 initiatives under the Riad action agenda, says dr Osama Faqeeha, advisor to COP16 in Riyadh.

During 12 days in Ulaanbaatar alliances were forged, like the one between China and the League of Arab States who made a joint 5-year plan of cooperation to restore land. Countries shared experience in fighting desertification.

Where politics meets life

Summits of this kind can often feel distant from real life of the people whose problems are being discussed. Negotiations are mostly behind closed doors and end in documents whose bureaucratic and expert language is difficult to understand.

A day into the conference, it opened the so-called Green Zone, part of the event open to the general public. More than 400 events were held in its halls, stages and meeting points. It was visited by thousands of people who could see exhibitions of around 60 different organisations.

This is where visitors met representatives of businesses, civil society, scientists, young people, entrepreneurs and government agencies and see their projects, solutions, screenings, workshops and cultural performances.