Energy Minister visiting Azerbaijan www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Minister of Energy Ts.Davaasuren is paying an official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan at the invitation of his Azerbaijani counterpart Parviz Shahbazov, holding talks on the opportunities for bilateral cooperation in energy sector.

Mongolian rock band ‘Hu’ to perform at ‘Tons of Rock’ Festival www.news.mn

A band from Mongolia that blends the screaming guitars of heavy metal and traditional Mongolian guttural singing has picked up 8 million views for its two videos. The Hu call their style “hunnu rock” — from the Mongolian root word for human being: “hu.” The band will perform at the ‘Tons of Rock’ international rock festival in Oslo on 27-29 June.

Death in custody! Mongolian judge dies at detention centre www.news.mn

Well-known Mongolian female judge L.Byambaa has died at detention centre 461 after being arrested by the Independent Authority against Corruption on 22 February. According to a source, L.Byambaa’s body was found on 23 February strangled by her own brassiere in a room of the detention centre. She had only five hours left to being released when the 48 hours custody period ended.

Aero City planned at Mongolia’s new international airport www.news.mn

As Ulaanbaatar’s brand new international airport nears completion, planning is underway to establish a satellite town with a population of some 51.5 thousand people and a highway link to Ulaanbaatar. According to the general plan for Aero City, 9479 households will reside in the city. The plan was approved by Government Resolution No. 29 of last month. The satellite city will be established alongside the new international airport in Khushig Valley.

74 countries make up 3.5 percent of Mongolia’s exports www.zgm.mn

Mongolia exports to one out of three diplomatically related countries; however, the country imports from two out of three, resulting in a foreign exchange (FX) loss. Although the export amount is high, it still falls short compared to import deficit. By importing from 159 countries and exporting to 77, the export rate remains at only half of total imports.

According to the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA), only three countries, namely the People’s Republic of China, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation, made up 96.5 percent of total exports in 2018. China, being the first on the list, accounts for 92.8 percent of Mongolia’s total exports. The remaining 3.5 percent is formed by 74 countries.

The MCGA report shows that Mongolia exported USD 303,000 worth goods to Africa as of the end of 2018, of which USD 235,000 were exported to Egypt. The export items mainly consisted of rugs, wool, and animal intestines. Compared to the same period of 2017, the export rate dropped by half in 2018. Next up on the list is a country where Mongolian peacekeepers are in. With a total of USD 64,000 worth goods exported, export to Sudan remains rather high in 2018 compared to previous years. Sudan buys used tires, tire tubes, car mirrors, and other car parts. Throughout last year, Zimbabwe bought micronutrients, the Republic of South Africa bought laboratory reagent. and a few wickerworks were noted in the customs report. As such, African countries mainly bought samples and used parts from Mongolia; however, the FX inflow from Africa was three times lower compared to 2016. The same could be said for export as it has been falling in recent years. Especially in the last two years, Mongolia’s biggest trade partners in Africa, namely Angola with a total trade turnover of USD 280,000 and Kenya with USD 604,000, have stopped trading with Mongolia.

Exports to Asia and the Middle East were mainly made to China, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore last year. Some interesting items were also noted. For example, North Korea purchased frozen beef cigar, and 1 million cigarettes from Mongolia within the financial year.

China, UK and Russia account for 96.5 percent of total exports
Located in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain bought a single type of product worth USD 125,000, which is livestock and its by-products. Mongolia also exports camel wool to Balboa and other products totaling USD 260,000. Bhutan bought 250kg cheese for USD 600. On the contrary, trades with Jordan, Lebanon, and Oman are rapidly increasing. These countries have been mainly interested in purchasing animal husbandry goods, such as raw meat and leather. Unlike Africa, exports to Asia is on the rise.

As for exports to Europe and America, Great Britain is at the forefront. The key trade partners include Russia, Italy, Germany, and France. These countries mostly buy animal hides.

Exports to Estonia stand at a mere USD 6,800, which consisted of amplifiers and its related products. These are the general exports made from Mongolia that are falling behind our biggest buyer China. Mongolia has been actively developing foreign trade for almost three decades. But the number of goods and trade partners are few compared to other countries. Mongolia does have trading systems through the continent, but the profit falls short, thus, there is an urgent need to diversify exports and trading partners.

Mongolia beefs up prevention of forest, steppe fires www.xinhuanet.com

ULAN BATOR, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Ulziisaikhan Enkhtuvshin and Minister of Environment and Tourism Namsrai Tserenbat have issued a joint decree on intensifying efforts to prevent forest and steppe fires, the country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Monday.

Opening of “Invest in Mongolia center “One-stop service center www.nda.gov.mn

“Invest in Mongolia “One stop service center/OSSC/ has officially opened on 25th February 2019. In order to promote foreign investors favorable conditions, set forth for them in legal investment framework, streamline public services, minimize the resolution of some services, eliminate the difficulties that investors are facing. Provide all public services of State Registration, Social Insurance, Taxation, and Immigration organizations as well as other relevant ministries and public institutions which are related to foreign invested entities in Mongolia through A Single Window system. Investment environment of Mongolia and service after investment will be increased by providing government service in comfortable environment without any delay we are launching “Invest in Mongolia center “OSSC.

H.E.Mr.D.Tsogtbaatar, Parliament Member, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia has made an Opening speech and H.E. Mr.S.H. DUPPEL, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has made a welcoming remark at opening ceremony. Mr. Bayarsaikhan.B, Chairman of National Development Agency delivered “Investment policy and regulation” presentation to the all invited honorable delegates and guests from international organizations, Embassies from abroad in Ulaanbaatar and NGOs related to business and investment.

The purpose of the one-stop service center is to provide the following public services:

Provide information and advisory services on investment legal framework

Investment tax and non-tax incentives

SIRM /Systemic Investor Response mechanism/ - Maintain an e-system for Investor’s grievance related to the public services

Provide all advisory and procedural services of registration, verification of legal entity, amendments, reference, description, investor's card, and other services to the legal entity with foreign investment

Provide tax information and advice, registration of taxpayer, digital signature, reference, description, tax statement, tax collection of motor vehicles of foreign invested companies and investors

Provide information and advice related to visa, visa issuance, residence permission, temporary visitor’s registration, and visa extension etc.

Provide information and advice related to social insurance registration, reference, and receipts of statements from foreign invested companies.

Setting up the OSSC will positively impact on the investor’s satisfaction, restore the investor’s confidence and increase the re-investment amount in Mongolia. The public services for the foreign investors will develop in line with international standards and increase the Mongolia's reputation in abroad. Possibility to provide comprehensive and transparent disclosure of services pre and after registration of the investment. The coordination of the government organization will be improved.

During the opening ceremony, National development agency and International financial corporation of World bank have signed Amendment and Addendum to the Cooperation Agreement and National Development Agency and Integrated Mineral Resource Initiative (IMRI) of German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) have signed Memorandum of Cooperation.

Contact: 99282728

US to delay further tariffs on Chinese goods www.bbc.com

President Donald Trump has announced that the US will delay imposing further trade tariffs on Chinese goods.

China tops list of Russia’s biggest trade partners www.rt.com

Russia’s total trade turnover saw a significant year-over-year growth of 17.5 percent to nearly $688 billion as of the end of 2018, according to data published by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.
The report showed that exports from Russia totaled some $450 billion, marking a surge of 25.6 percent, while imports saw a modest growth of 4.7 percent to some $238 billion. Share of exports increased to 65.4 percent against 61.1 percent in 2017 while the share of imports declined from 38.9 percent to 34.6 percent.

Below, you can find Russia’s top five key trading partners of 2018.

5. Italy
Trade turnover between Russia and Italy amounted to $27 billion, marking a 12.7 percent growth against the previous year. So far, Russia’s Ministry of Economy has yet to reveal detailed data about the structure of export-and-import ties with Italy.

The latest statistics published by Russia’s web portal of foreign economic information shows that in 2017 mutual trade between the countries totaled $23.94 billion, marking a significant growth against $19.813 billion reached in the previous year.

Russian goods exported to Italy include oil and petrochemicals, iron and nonferrous metals, chemical products, wood, machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles, agricultural and food products, fur and leather goods. Italy reportedly sold machinery and electrical equipment to Russia, as well as chemicals and petrochemicals, clothes, farm and food produce, furniture and bedclothes, shoes, metals and other goods.

4. Belarus
In 2018, Russia’s mutual trade with its western neighbor saw an 11-percent year-on-year increase to $34 billion. The ministry noted that the surge was mostly accounted for by growing exports of energy commodities to Belarus.

According to the Belarusian national statistical portal, the country sold 854,000 tons of coal to neighboring Ukraine. The anthracite exported to Ukraine was reportedly purchased from Russia, as Belarus doesn’t mine coal on its territory.

3. The Netherlands
Russia’s trade turnover with the Netherlands saw a significant surge of more than 19 percent and totaled $47.2 billion. The export growth was reportedly due to increased sales of energy commodities and raw aluminum.

2. Germany
Mutual trade between Russia and Germany amounted to $59.6 billion, marking a surge of 19.3 percent against the previous year. Exports grew by a record 14.6 percent to more than $40 billion, while imports from Germany totaled some $30 billion, marking an increase of only 0.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Russia’s bilateral trade with the European Union totaled $294.2 billion, representing 42.8 percent of the country’s entire turnover. Exports to the bloc reportedly surged 28.3 percent, while imports saw modest growth of 7.7 percent.

1. China
Last year, China managed to become Russia’s number one trading partner, leaving the others far behind. Trade turnover between the neighbors reached $108.3, fixing a record growth of 24.5 percent. Exports of Russian goods reportedly increased by 44 percent and amounted to $56 billion.

The growth occurred mostly in sales of crude oil, refined copper and petrochemicals, according to the Economy Ministry.

Ambassador of the United States presents his Letter of Credence www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/ The newly-appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Mongolia, Mr. Michael Stanley Klecheski, presented his letter of credence to President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga on February 22.