On the mark of the 80th anniversary of establishment of water sector in Mongolia, Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa delivered a speech at the commemorative meeting last Friday and announced to inaugurate an agency responsible for water issues. “Mongolia had a Ministry of Water twice in the history, in which several major documents outlining policies on water industry were issued. For instance, the Law on Water Use ofMongolian People's Republic was approved at the 69th ordinance of Presidium of the People’s Great Khural and four tomes of General Scheme for Integrated use and Protection of Water Resources of the People's Republic of Mongolia were published in 1971-1975. The water sector remained silent since 1990 and the 2004 Law on Water included the state administrative bodies in charge of nature and environment, establishing Water Department under the Ministry of Environment. However, the Water Agency, which was consolidating Mongolia’s water policy, was disbanded in 2012; thus the water issue is being addressed only at a department level of Ministry of Environment and Tourism,” stressed Mr. Khurelsukh. Scholars are highlighting that the current structural organization of water authority and the scope of state policy is not aligning with the facing water issues in Mongolia.

Published Date:2018-10-29