Hakuho chasing Japanese sumo record www.news.mn

Yokozuna Hakuho bounced back from his first loss and collected his 10th win of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday to remain in a two-way tie for the lead with rank-and-filer Aoiyama.

The Chinggis Khaan Museum – the richest collection in the world www.news.mn

In 2019, the Mongolian Cabinet decided to establish a museum for the legendary conqueror Chinggis Khaan, famed for establishing the largest land empire in history. The museum will be built on the site of the current natural history museum, located in the heart of Ulaanbaatar just to the north-west of the State Palace. The nine-story modern museum with 15 exhibition halls will cover an area of 20,500 square meters. Over 90 percent of MNT 53 billion construction cost is to be funded from the 2020 State Budget. The museum is expected to open in 2021.

'Orano Mining' Company donates MNT 1 billion to Mongolia www.montsame.mn

Expect more global mining disruptions – report www.mining.com

Development Bank of Mongolia to support cashmere buyers with low-interest loans www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. In aims of defining the solutions to increase the production of cashmere and gold as well as the amount of foreign exchange reserves, Speaker G.Zandanshatar received representatives of the aforementioned sectors on March 18.

Head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economy J.Ganbaatar, Governor of the Bank of Mongolia B.Lkhagvasuren, Head of the Financial Regulatory Committee D.Bayarsaikhan, Head of the Geology and Mining Policy Coordination Department at the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry B.Munkhtur, First Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Development Bank of Mongolia Ch.Enkhbat, Director of the Mongolian Commodity Exchange Kh.Baatar, and executives of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), as well as wool and cashmere associations, attended the meeting.

At the start of the meeting, Speaker G.Zandanshatar said, “The COVID-19 infection has a large negative impact on the economy. Thus, the State Great Khural, the Government, and the National Security Council are paying special attention to the issue. And the issue is currently being studied by a workforce of the Parliamentary Standing Committees on Economy and Budget. During this crucial time, the production of wool and cashmere and gold industries will play important role in supporting the economy, budget revenue, and financial stability. We have the opportunity to acquire an income of USD 2-4 billion from exporting combed cashmere.”

With a total of 10 thousand tons of cashmere to be prepared this year, the Development Bank of Mongolia is currently planning to put out loans with low interest to support cashmere buyers. Based on the study done by the workforce of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economy, the Government of Mongolia will also support the ‘Cashmere’ programme. The loan amount that will be financed by the Development Bank of Mongolia will be MNT 300 billion, with an interest of 12 percent. Talks are currently being held to have the loans given with an interest rate of 3 percent, and the leftover 9 percent be settled through subsidy. As the loan is to be solely used for buying cashmere, with aims to keep the price of cashmere at the same amount as last year, and support herders in increasing their income, it must be strictly monitored, highlighted Speaker G.Zandanshatar and Head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economy J.Ganbaatar.

As for the gold sector, there are currently 66 projects that are ready to be implemented in the framework of the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry’s policy to support the producers. However, the matter of giving special permits, and supporting them with investment and financing persists to be an issue, said Head of the Geology and Mining Policy Coordination Department at the Ministry B.Munkhtur.

Speaker G.Zandanshatar gave directions to the officials to accelerate the operations of ‘Erdenes Alt Resource’ LLC, subsidiary of ‘Erdenes Mongol’ LLC, employ workforce consisting of the top mining professionals in partnership with MNCCI, support private entities in putting out bonds and issuing shares, and realize the initiative to establish the Herders’ Corporation.

Fuel price to be gradually lowered by MNT200 per liter www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. At today’s irregular meeting, the Cabinet assigned to work for cutting a retail price of fuel by MNT50 per liter and further gradually lower it by up to MNT200 in consistence with world market price, said Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry D.Sumiyabazar.

ADB provides $1.4 Million to strengthen Mongolia's COVID-19 preparedness www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reallocated $1.4 million from a health project in Mongolia to procure essential medical equipment for early detection, emergency care, and management of severe respiratory diseases in wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

ADB also approved a $225,000 small-scale technical assistance to strengthen Mongolia’s national capacity for infection prevention and control.

“This ADB assistance will improve its ability to respond to and contain the spread of a potential COVID-19 outbreak in the country,” said ADB Country Director for Mongolia Pavit Ramachandran. “Building readiness in hospitals and strengthening preparedness are areas identified by the government as among the most pressing requiring immediate assistance.”

The $1.4 million in funds is reprogrammed from the Fifth Health Sector Development Project for Mongolia. ADB approved a concessional loan of $30 million for the project in December 2012 to strengthen safe blood transfusion, medical waste management, and hospital hygiene and infection prevention and control.

The reallocated funds are providing more than 570 pieces of equipment for diagnosis and treatment of patients with respiratory conditions at 30 district and provincial general hospitals and 4 tertiary level hospitals in Mongolia. The equipment includes portable digital X-rays, ventilators, patient monitors, oxygen concentrators, infusion, and injection pumps and nebulizers.

The small-scale technical assistance will assist in strengthening national resources mapping and coordination. It will introduce an incident management approach and train health workers on infection prevention and control at national and local levels.

ADB has played a key role in strengthening Mongolia’s health system since 1993, providing seven loans totaling $167.04 million, eight grants for $40.48 million, and 18 technical assistance projects amounting to $13.45 million. The projects have supported reforms in primary health care, hospital services, and medicine procurement; the establishment of a health insurance framework; and the development of health infrastructure in the capital city and aimag (provincial) centers.

ADB’s COVID-19 response in Asia and the Pacific to date includes $2 million to enhance detection, prevention, and response in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Greater Mekong Subregion; another $2 million to support response in all its developing members; and a CNY130 million ($18.6 million) private sector loan to a pharmaceutical distributor, Jointown Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., in Wuhan, PRC to support the continued supply of essential medicines and personal protective equipment.

ADB also approved a $3 million grant to support the Philippine government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the purchase of emergency medical supplies and the delivery of effective health care services. ADB also made available $200 million through its Supply Chain Finance Program for companies manufacturing and distributing medicines and other items needed to combat the pandemic.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Asian Development Bank

Mongolia reports sixth Covid-19 case as evacuates its citizens www.news.mn

Mongolia reported today (18 March), its sixth Covid-19 case after two people returned who had returned on a flight from Berlin two days ago were confirmed as having coronavirus . The sixth patient was first tested using a rapid testing kit and the result was confirmed later today by the central laboratory of the National Research Center of Communicable Diseases, reports NRCD Director D.Nyamkhuu, Director.

ECB launches emergency $820bn coronavirus package www.bbc.com

The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched an emergency €750bn ($820bn; £706bn) package to ease the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mongolia increases climate change ambition with actions that improve air quality and human health www.ccacoalition.org

Almost half (45 per cent) of Mongolia’s 3.2 million people live in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, which like other Mongolian cities, have air pollution concentrations almost six times higher than World Health Organisation air quality guidelines for the protection of human health. This has prompted the Mongolian government to identify improving air quality as a key development priority.

In 2019, in Mongolia’s Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa described air pollution as a ‘complex, multifaceted development challenge’.

Air pollution exposure in Mongolian cities has increased the prevalence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and increased healthcare expenditure. The health of Mongolian children is significantly impacted, with air pollution levels 3-10 times higher in Ulaanbaatar’s classrooms than Mongolia’s air quality standard.

This winter (2019/2020), air quality in Ulaanbaatar was better than previous years due to a Government ban on raw coal consumption in the city’s ger and households districts, but air pollution issues in Ulaanbaatar and Aimags (administrative subdivisions) remain challenging.

Mongolia is also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which threatens the country’s water and food security, and biodiversity. The government has recognised that there is substantial opportunity to improve air quality while simultaneously mitigating climate change and is working to tackle both issues through ambitious climate commitments.

Air pollution and climate change are closely linked. Some pollutants, such as black carbon and methane (both short-lived climate pollutants) contribute directly to air pollution and climate change, and many sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are also sources of air pollutants. In Mongolia, this is also the case, coal consumption by households, and for power generation, as well as emissions from industry, agriculture and road transport are the major source both of GHGs, short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), and other air pollutants.

With support from the CCAC’s Supporting National Action & Planning on SLCP mitigation (SNAP) initiative, an assessment was undertaken to identify the air pollution benefits that could be achieved as Mongolia revised its climate change commitment in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The assessment, "Opportunities from taking integrated actions on air pollution and climate change in Mongolia", first identified the major sources of SLCPs, greenhouse gases and air pollutants. This includes agriculture, transport, and coal consumption for household heating and cooking (responsible for over 50% of black carbon emissions in Mongolia), and for electricity and heat generation.

Mongolia's National UNFCCC Focal Point
The assessment then modelled the implementation of eight mitigation measures that make up Mongolia’s revised climate change mitigation commitment. These include actions on electricity and heat generation, energy efficiency in industry and buildings, and reducing the number of livestock in agriculture.

“Mongolia’s revised NDC will increase the GHG reduction target up to 22.7% in 2030 compared to a business as usual scenario,” said Dr Batjargal Zamba, National Focal Point for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “However, the important finding from this assessment is that by achieving climate change mitigation goals we will also succeed in having benefits in different areas including improved air quality.”

The full implementation of the eight mitigation actions identified in this assessment will lead to a 12% reduction in black carbon emissions, 9% reduction in primary fine particulate (PM2.5) emissions, and a 10% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in 2030 compared to a business as usual scenario.
“The air pollution benefits that can be achieved by implementing Mongolia’s revised NDC are on top of the existing actions being taken or planned that specifically tackle air quality in Ulaanbaatar,” Dr Damdin Davgadorj, assessment lead author, said. “When we evaluated the implementation of Mongolia’s NDC and planned air quality actions, the expected benefits were even greater.”

By implementing both Mongolia’s climate change commitment and planned air pollution actions emissions are reduced further—black carbon by 26%, PM2.5 emissions by 17%, and NOx emissions by 22% in 2030 compared to a Business as Usual scenario.

“The assessment highlights important additional next steps for Mongolia for climate change and air pollution mitigation,” said Dr Jargal Dorjpurev, an author on the study.

“On air pollution mitigation, a significant proportion of air pollutant emissions occur in cities outside Ulaanbaatar, and actions need to also be planned in these to improve air quality across the country,” Dr Dorjpurev said. “On climate change, a clear pathway to 2030 is communicated in the revised NDC. Now a long-term strategy to 2050 to decarbonise the Mongolian economy is needed, which maximises the benefits for Mongolian citizens, including ensuring clean air for all.”

“The benefits to local air quality from increasing climate change ambition are clearly shown in global and regional assessments. I congratulate Mongolia for putting this into action and increasing the mitigation ambition in their NDC in a way that will contribute to solving their substantial air pollution,” Helena Molin Valdés, Head of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition Secretariat said. “All countries now revising their NDCs should evaluate what additional actions that improve air quality can be incorporated to increase climate change mitigation ambition and achieve local development and health benefits.”

Mongolia is one of over 20 countries receiving support on SLCPs and integrated air pollution and climate change planning as part of the Coalition’s SNAP initiative. The support provided is tailored to each country, ranging from initial assessments of major emission sources, development of National Action Plans, to integration of SLCPs within climate change planning processes.

Mongolia has been a member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition since 2014.