Approximately 80 percent of Mongolia's water is supplied by 1.9 percent of the total reserves of groundwater and there are deficient legal and regulatory documents governing the use and protection of groundwater. Furthermore, the issue of regulating the relations between citizens, business entities, and organizations that are using underground water, as well as improving the monitoring and accountability of the groundwater is becoming a problem.

Also, it is important to prohibit the use of underground freshwater deposits in specific industries, to set abandoned bores, water use, and consumption priorities, to increase the right to the drinking water consumption of citizens, to increase the use of surface water and to define water scarcity levels. The draftsmen believe that there is a need for the socioeconomic necessity to create a legal environment for monitoring.

The draft law was postponed to proceed at the next session due to the failure to meet the quorum.

While acknowledging friendly ties between Mongolia and Kuwait, reached current level is based on aspirations and friendship of peoples of the two countries and overcoming challenges, the sides noted the importance of activating bilateral cooperation in directions of economy and investment, especially, improving connectivity of private sectors of the two countries. In particular, the sides expressed aspirations for using cooperation potential for developing cooperation in agriculture and tourism.

Mongolia is seeking possibilities to export meat to Middle-East countries and the Kuwaiti side informed to send its corresponding delegation to business meeting to be held on this matter in Ulaanbaatar city with support of the Asian Development Bank. Kuwait imports over 90 percent of its meat need from foreign countries.

As for tourism, Mongolia is one of the countries where tourists from not only Kuwait also from Gulf countries like to visit and the parties agreed to establish Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism in the near future.

Moreover, they decided to render support on developing cooperation in the fields of mining, infrastructure, culture and education and having relations between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the two countries.

The parties also touched issues on keeping up frequency of high-level visits and organizing regular meeting between the Intergovernmental Commission of Mongolia and Kuwait and discussed current political, social and economic state of Mongolia and Kuwait as well as mutually interested matters on regional and international relations.

The two countries have rich experience in actively collaborating within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations and mutually affirmed intent for expanding and strengthening cooperation in this direction in the future.

2020 will mark the 45th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Mongolia and Kuwait. The Government of Kuwait has rendered soft loan worth USD 78 million and non-refundable aid worth about USD 17.5 million to Mongolia so far.

On April 17, a Memorandum of Cooperation on a Basic Framework for Proper Operation of the System pertaining to Foreign Human Resources with the Status of Residence ‘Specified Skilled Worker’ was signed in Tokyo between the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Mongolia

Before signing the Memorandum, Minister S.Chinzorig held a meeting with Japan’s Minister of Justice Takashi Yamashita, exchanging views on friendly bilateral cooperation.

Mongolia is among nine countries from where Japan will receive labor force according to Japan’s revised law on immigration control which comes into effect from April, 2019. It opens a great opportunity for Mongolian youth to work and learn technical and technological advancements of the world’s highly developed country, highlighted the Minister S.Chinzorig.

He added that most importantly, an establishment of this Memorandum will create a possibility that Mongolians can work in the same conditions and earn same wages as Japanese workers in Japan under the labor contract besides its helpfulness to ensure employment rights of Mongolians and resolve any of their matters concerning residence in Japan.

They also discussed about renewed Memorandum of Cooperation on the Technical Intern Training Program, signed by two countries in 2017. Accordingly, there are 76 organizations, accredited by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Mongolia, working in charge of dispatching interns to Japan.

Regarding the newly established Memorandum of Cooperation on a Basic Framework for Proper Operation of the System pertaining to Foreign Human Resources with the Status of Residence of ‘Specified Skilled Worker’, the General Agency for Labor and Welfare Services of Mongolia will be in charge of its implementation. It will be effective to build mechanisms to exchange information and consult between relevant public organizations and eliminate illicit intermediations.

“All countries have the freedom to participate, but they don’t have the right to prevent other countries from taking part,” Wang said. “We hope that more countries, including the United States, can actively participate in the ‘Belt and Road Initiative.’”

The second Belt and Road forum in Beijing is set to run from April 25 to 27, attracting nearly 40 foreign leaders and hundreds of representatives from 150 countries. The list of high-level guests includes Russian President Vladimir Putin, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan among others.

Africa's huge market to the rest of the world – official
Meanwhile, the United States, a staunch critic of the project, has shrugged off the meeting, and its State Department said it will not send a high-level delegation to this year’s forum.

Speaking at a news conference, China’s top diplomat addressed some of the concerns voiced by BRI opponents, and rejected allegations that the program is forcing states into debt. He stated that the project is a platform for cooperation, but not a “geopolitical tool,” urging skeptics to base their evaluation of it on facts.

The initiative has already received international support, including from the World Bank and the UN, according to Wang. Trade turnover between China and the BRI participants has exceeded $6 trillion, while the project has created 300,000 jobs in the countries.

Beijing’s multi-billion-dollar plan has recently expanded further into Europe, as Switzerland became the latest country preparing to sign a deal under the new Silk Road project. It came shortly after Italy officially joined the initiative, while other EU states, Greece, Luxembourg and Portugal, have their own a memoranda of understanding with China on the BRI.

This survey was sponsored by the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation of Germany.

Please see the full report on http://www.santmaral.org/…/politbarometer-1852-march-april-…

Damdin Tsogtbaatar, who is on a trip to the US, spoke to NHK over the phone on Saturday.

He stressed Ulan Bator 's friendly ties with Pyongyang and revealed that a Mongolian delegation is visiting North Korea to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Asked about the second US-North Korea summit which broke down in Hanoi, he said it was part of an ongoing process and urged observers not be disappointed. He added that Mongolia will continue to offer support and help set the stage for dialogue.

Tsogtbaatar also expressed concern over recent reports in North Korea's state media claiming the country has tested what it calls a "new type of tactical guided weapon." He described it as a provocative act that would have a negative impact on the current situation.

On the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North, Tsogtbaatar said his country has supported dialogue between Japan and North Korea and will continue its cooperation.

The day-long job fair was co-organized by the Confucius Institute Headquarters and the Confucius Institute at National University of Mongolia, in partnership with the China-Mongolia Cultural and Education Foundation and the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator, with the aim to offer employment opportunities for Chinese-speaking job seekers in Mongolia.

"China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries," Li Wei, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia, said at the event.

She expressed confidence that the event will help Mongolian youth who are fluent in Chinese find suitable jobs.

For his part, Gombo Bumtsend, deputy director of Neighboring Countries Department at the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that in recent years, relations and cooperation between Mongolia and China have been rapidly expanding in a wide range of areas such as trade and economic sectors.

"The job fair is an important event to promote employment for Mongolian students and youth," he added.

Around 30 Chinese companies operating in Mongolia, including Bank of China Ulan Bator Representative Office and Air China Mongolia attended the event and introduced their job vacancies.

State Secretary D.Davaasuren paid courtesy call on Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), Politburo member, Director of the International Department of the WPC, State Affairs Commission member, Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly Ri Su Yong and Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho respectively. He also met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of DPRK Ri Gil Song and held consultative meeting between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

During the official talks, the parties emphasized that the countries have successfully overcame the challenges and maintained the traditional friendly relations thanks to sincere aspiration and friendship of the people of the two countries. The sides also exchanged views on regional issues and expansion of bilateral relations and cooperation.

Mongolia expressed its willingness to further develop existing traditional friendly relations with the DPRK and the strong commitment to addressing the issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful way. State Secretary D.Davaasuren also invited Korean delegation to participate in the Sixth International Conference on Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security to be held in June, 2019.

Thanks to that post, “Wolf Totem” bows at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, up 1,056% to 6,000 downloads sold in the week ending April 11, according to Nielsen Music. The Hu is the first act since Bad Wolves in February 2018 to top Hard Rock Digital Song Sales with its first charting song.

Additionally, “Yuve Yuve Yu,” debuts at No. 7 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales (3,000 sold, up 929%). Also drawing 272,000 U.S. streams, “Wolf Totem” debuts at No. 22 on the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Rock Songs chart.

Formed in 2016, the four-piece from Mongolia’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar released the pair of songs last fall. The Hu incorporates traditional Mongolian instrumentation and throat singing into its music, resulting in material that’s often hard-hitting, though sans the sounds that most heavy metal acts might utilize, namely electric guitar.

After some initial buzz and media coverage in January, the songs, particularly “Wolf Totem,” have hit new heights thanks in large part to a viral Facebook post showcasing the track’s official video with the caption, “Mongolian metal is awesome.”

The Hu is currently prepping a debut album, Gereg, due via Eleven Seven Records.